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Poor GCSEs for maths application, worth extenuating circumstances?

Basically I got disappointing GCSEs but I really want to go to Oxford to study maths. During my GCSEs I was suffering from an eating disorder and stress (who wasn't) and while I don't know if this actually caused my *****y results is it worth getting my reference to add extenuating circumstances? Also if I do enter extenuating circumstances, what should the reason be? I'm worried eating disorder and anxiety will put people off my application, even if it is unconsciously. Would it be better to state general illness? Obviously a uni would prefer an applicant without a history of mental health issues...
Original post by Qwertypoppy
Basically I got disappointing GCSEs but I really want to go to Oxford to study maths. During my GCSEs I was suffering from an eating disorder and stress (who wasn't) and while I don't know if this actually caused my *****y results is it worth getting my reference to add extenuating circumstances? Also if I do enter extenuating circumstances, what should the reason be? I'm worried eating disorder and anxiety will put people off my application, even if it is unconsciously. Would it be better to state general illness? Obviously a uni would prefer an applicant without a history of mental health issues...


Hi! I have also suffered from poor mental health which affected my studies (had to redo a year) and will be off to Oxford and received all 5 offers. My referee mentioned that I had been struggling, they then went on to say that my life was back on track. But even if I hadn't been back on track, it's illegal for Unis to discriminate against applicants based on mental health.
All 5 Unis I applied to saw that I had declared a mental health disability on my UCAS and gave me offers. It's good to be honest.
Original post by Jess_x
Hi! I have also suffered from poor mental health which affected my studies (had to redo a year) and will be off to Oxford and received all 5 offers. My referee mentioned that I had been struggling, they then went on to say that my life was back on track. But even if I hadn't been back on track, it's illegal for Unis to discriminate against applicants based on mental health.
All 5 Unis I applied to saw that I had declared a mental health disability on my UCAS and gave me offers. It's good to be honest.


A quick comment on this. The 2010 Equalities Act requires that reasonable adjustments be made. We would advise that the UCAS referee sets the GCSE results in context in the reference. We would also endorse the advice that a health condition is also declared on the UCAS form if on-going (so that, for example, the college applied to can discuss what reasonabe adjustments might be needed at interview).

Reasonable adjustment does not extend to lowering the entry requirement but it is reasonable for selectors to take into account documented factors affecting performance if this is feasible.
Original post by Jess_x
Hi! I have also suffered from poor mental health which affected my studies (had to redo a year) and will be off to Oxford and received all 5 offers. My referee mentioned that I had been struggling, they then went on to say that my life was back on track. But even if I hadn't been back on track, it's illegal for Unis to discriminate against applicants based on mental health.
All 5 Unis I applied to saw that I had declared a mental health disability on my UCAS and gave me offers. It's good to be honest.


Did you have a diagnosis? I don't have any diagnosis but I have been seeing my school counsellor. I believe my mental health very significantly affected my AS results.
Original post by jenniisobel
Did you have a diagnosis? I don't have any diagnosis but I have been seeing my school counsellor. I believe my mental health very significantly affected my AS results.


Yeah I did. However, I didn't need proof of this for my reference to say that it had or to tick the box saying that I had a disability. But if you go ahead and apply for support from the Uni then I think you'll need evidence

*But if I were you I'd send an email to the Unis you're thinking of applying to just to make sure that this is right
(edited 7 years ago)

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