Oxford needs 3 Referees (postgrad apps)?

newman24x

what is FA? :s-smilie:

The Football Association.

Reply 5

Yea it's absolutely ridiculous. You're unlikely to even come into contact with 3 people at undergrad who are high up enough and know you well enough to write a good reference. I noticed I only had two references a week before the application deadline so decided to take a gap year instead (which I was probably going to take anyway, but that clinched it).

Reply 6

newman24x

OP

KwungSun

Yea it's absolutely ridiculous. You're unlikely to even come into contact with 3 people at undergrad who are high up enough and know you well enough to write a good reference. I noticed I only had two references a week before the application deadline so decided to take a gap year instead (which I was probably going to take anyway, but that clinched it).

I got two Asso Prof for references. Is that good enough? Perhaps the third will just be a normal lecturer. really don't have the time and i might just ask her to do it for me next week Monday and send it back to me on Friday (i'm quite close to her)

this is silly. most uni just want two. :frown:

Reply 7

Good bloke

newman24x

this is silly. most uni just want two. :frown:

You might think so, but if you want to go to Oxford you have to be prepared to jump through the hoops they are setting up for you. You had the definitive answer at post number 3.

Reply 8

probably not

4

most people don't apply for postgrad courses till january so there's no rush...

Reply 9

hobnob

14

KwungSun

Yea it's absolutely ridiculous. You're unlikely to even come into contact with 3 people at undergrad who are high up enough and know you well enough to write a good reference. I noticed I only had two references a week before the application deadline so decided to take a gap year instead (which I was probably going to take anyway, but that clinched it).

Are you serious? :s-smilie:

I had no trouble at all finding three referees...
It might be subject-dependent, though. I'd imagine PPE-ists get moved around lots of different tutors more.

Reply 10

apotoftea

The number of referees is subject dependent isn't it?

And the statement re: not meeting enough people - dissertation supervisor, academic supervisor and head of department (or something vaguely similiar) - what's so hard about that?

Reply 11

hobnob

14

apotoftea

The number of referees is subject dependent isn't it?

Not really. It's three references for all subjects, although some departments say they'll consider applications with just two.

Reply 12

apotoftea

hobnob

Not really. It's three references for all subjects, although some departments say they'll consider applications with just two.

Ohh ok *shuffes off*

Reply 13

hobnob

Are you serious? :s-smilie:

I had no trouble at all finding three referees...
It might be subject-dependent, though. I'd imagine PPE-ists get moved around lots of different tutors more.

Well at undergrad I had a personal tutor who I met up with for termly progress meetings who was an obvious choice and that was pretty much it. All my class teachers were graduate students who either said they weren't qualified to write references or who didn't need to say it in the first place, so I ended up turning to lecturers whose courses I had done well in but who knew nothing about me personally. Of course I could have made more of an effort to "network", schmoozing some of the big names in the department, but I certainly wasn't spoilt for choice.

EDIT: The reason I didn't have three references was not that I couldn't find a third but that I didn't read the notes of guidance properly and assumed that two were enough until a week before the deadline when a family member scathingly informed me that that was not the case. Either way, I only came into contact with one person who I felt was in a suitable position to write an informed and effective reference.

Reply 14

0404343m

17

I could have had more than three references if I needed it- I didn't even use my dissertation supervisor (who is the HoD) as I felt there were people who knew me and my work better- all three were Profs, one is Vice-Dean of faculty and one is former HoD. In three or four years at university, you'll have to come into contact- through tutorials and labs/seminars primarily- a decent number of people. If you've only managed to impress two of them (I reckon Ive been taught in tutorials by about 12) sufficiently to write a short reference in your support, yet still think your application is strong enough, then there's something not right. At the very least the course convenor should have access to all of your work, and should be able to put something together even if they've never met you based on the quality of what you've done- but I'd consider that the last, rather than first, resort.

Reply 15

apotoftea

The number of referees is subject dependent isn't it?

And the statement re: not meeting enough people - dissertation supervisor, academic supervisor and head of department (or something vaguely similiar) - what's so hard about that?

Didn't write a dissertation and didn't know head of department.

Reply 16

0404343m

17

KwungSun

Well at undergrad I had a personal tutor who I met up with for termly progress meetings who was an obvious choice and that was pretty much it. All my class teachers were graduate students who either said they weren't qualified to write references or who didn't need to say it in the first place, so I ended up turning to lecturers whose courses I had done well in but who knew nothing about me personally. Of course I could have made more of an effort to "network", but I certainly wasn't spoilt for choice.

What subject was this for? I had some graduate students in first year (of a four-year Scottish degree) but that was about it. After that, most modules would have 6-fortnightly hour-long seminars in which you'd be in a small discussion group with a senior academic, and you'd have six modules per year (three larger-in depth modules in fourth year, one of which is the dissertation) up until final year. Therefore, you'd probably have close contact (definitely in fourth year) with at least a couple of different academics, and you'd likely know more people from early years. I know a variety of different people who applied for postgrad in different subjects from my old university, and none were stuck with grad-students for a second or third reference. Some places rely quite heavily (often trading student satisfaction in favour of research intensiveness) on PhD students to do the bulk of the teaching, but thankfully I've never been anywhere which supports that mentality.

Reply 17