Do Universities know about failed subjects?

Hello

I failed one of my AS subjects at College, and when it came to filling out my UCAS form, my personal tutor told me that I didn't need to put that I had failed a subject on the form.

However, when I later went to university, and had to go to the admissions place to register for some extra modules. The person who came to talk to me had my UCAS application in his hand and I noticed that it had the failed subject on it, that is, it showed that I had taken 4 modules in AS History and the results, Ungraded, D's and E's. It also showed my first AS Law result before the resit. (again something which I hadn't needed to put on my UCAS application).

Does anyone know how they get this information, and if all universities have records of all examinations you've taken, even fails and results before resists which you've decertificated?

The only explanation I can think of is that the two persons who filter all the UCAS applications added the information before it was sent off (the two careers advisers at the college). Or my personal tutor added it after I had finished my part (very unlikely), or that the exam boards told the university this information?

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Thank you.

Reply 1

WokSz

17

Every application cycle, UCAS normally takes a random bunch of applications and check the grades on it with the respective examination boards. Yours might have fallen into this category. It is, however, possible that you tutor probably added it in.

If the grades was not a 'U' and was certified, then you are obliged to include it.

Reply 2

kellywood_5

17

I doubt your tutor would have added it if s/he told you not to include it, so yours was either one of the random checks UCAS do with the exam boards or someone else added it before it was sent off.

Reply 3

CoolSocks

OP

WokSz

Every application cycle, UCAS normally takes a random bunch of applications and check the grades on it with the respective examination boards. Yours might have fallen into this category. It is, however, possible that you tutor probably added it in.

If the grades was not a 'U' and was certified, then you are obliged to include it.

Both the Law results before the resits and the failed History A level modules were de-certified, I filled in the appropriate forms for both.

I will be applying as a private candidate for next year, so if it was someone at the college who added it, it shouldn't happen again. I don't believe my tutor added it but it's possible, or someone else at the college before it went off, by why would either add it if they're not obliged to? Why would they want to add things unneccessarily (if it is not required) which must have damaged the effectiveness of my application?

How many applications are randomly checked in that way? If that was the cause, hopefully it won't happen to my application again.

I suppose it could have been an honest mistake, by the tutor or other person, who mistakenly believed that you had to include all results, so when checking that my results corresponded with the College records they added them. Or someone at the college could have had a grudge against me. :-/

Also, there isn't a disadvantage with applying as a private candidate is there?

Also, do the universities know what marks you got in each module? Or for the whole A level? Or do they just know the grade? I had heard in the news that Universities do now know from last year because of the difficulty in distinguishing top candidates.

Reply 4

WokSz

17

CoolSocks

why would either add it if they're not obliged to? Why would they want to add things unneccessarily (if it is not required) which must have damaged the effectiveness of my application?

Wrong information, misunderstanding, etc...

CoolSocks

How many applications are randomly checked in that way? If that was the cause, hopefully it won't happen to my application again.

There's no specific information. The chances of it happening twice are unlikely. If you haven't certified an exam, it shouldn't normally come up with the University or on UCAS. Therefore, it was definitely someone at your school who did it.

CoolSocks

Also, there isn't a disadvantage with applying as a private candidate is there?

This question has very ambugious answers. This will depend entirely on how the University perceives your application. As long as you don't lie on it, there should be no problem. Many successful applicants have been accepted to very good Universities after having applied individually.

CoolSocks

Also, do the universities know what marks you got in each module? Or for the whole A level? Or do they just know the grade?

Certain Universities do, and certain don't. Cambridge, for example asks for all the exams you have sat and the module marks. Rumour has it Oxford will also implement this in the next application cycle. To answer your question, this will depend entirely on the institution you decide to attend.

Reply 5

CoolSocks

OP

WokSz

Certain Universities do, and certain don't. Cambridge, for example asks for all the exams you have sat and the module marks. Rumour has it Oxford will also implement this in the next application cycle. To answer your question, this will depend entirely on the institution you decide to attend.

It's just that I got full marks on one A2 Government and Politics module, and almost full marks on another A2 Government and Politics module, although not so well on the third A2 module.

I'm wondering whether it would be a good idea to mention it in my personal statement? If they don't have access to information about how many marks you got in each module as you say. However, i'm not sure whether it would be a good idea to mention it or not.

Reply 6

CoolSocks

OP

WokSz

Certain Universities do, and certain don't. Cambridge, for example asks for all the exams you have sat and the module marks.

But just to confirm NO university will know about the decertified results UNLESS I am randomly selected again by UCAS?

Reply 7

Mustard-man

18

CoolSocks

It's just that I got full marks on one A2 Government and Politics module, and almost full marks on another A2 Government and Politics module, although not so well on the third A2 module.

I'm wondering whether it would be a good idea to mention it in my personal statement? If they don't have access to information about how many marks you got in each module as you say. However, i'm not sure whether it would be a good idea to mention it or not.

It would be better for it to be mentioned in your reference; ask your referee (person who wrote your reference).

Reply 8

CoolSocks

OP

PQ

if you want them to know about good grades then you should get your REFEREE to mention it

Do you think I should?

Reply 9

CoolSocks

OP

PQ

do you want them to know about your good grades?

if yes then ask your referee to mention it

if not then don't worry about it

I'm not going to tell you what you should and shouldn't put in your application - it's YOUR application not mine :smile:

Would you ask your referee to mention it if you were me?

Reply 10

CoolSocks

OP

PQ

It's YOUR application not mine.

I respect your decision not to tell me your opinion on this matter.

However, is there anyone else who might give me their opinion on this?

Reply 11

kellywood_5

17

I doubt anyone at your college would have done it deliberately, unless they had a really big grudge against you, and as PQ said, those results shouldn't have shown up on a UCAS check if they were declined, so it must have been a mistake. I don't see why applying as a private candidate would disadvantage you in any way. All unis except Cambridge get overall grades and module grades, but Cambridge get UMS marks as well. Personally I'd ask for the politics marks to be mentioned in your reference since it can't do any harm and it might help, but obviously it's up to you and you don't have to if you're not comfortable with it.

Reply 12

CoolSocks

OP

kellywood_5

I doubt anyone at your college would have done it deliberately, unless they had a really big grudge against you, and as PQ said, those results shouldn't have shown up on a UCAS check if they were declined, so it must have been a mistake. I don't see why applying as a private candidate would disadvantage you in any way. All unis except Cambridge get overall grades and module grades, but Cambridge get UMS marks as well. Personally I'd ask for the politics marks to be mentioned in your reference since it can't do any harm and it might help, but obviously it's up to you and you don't have to if you're not comfortable with it.

Ok. Thank you. I will ask my tutor to include them.

Reply 13

CoolSocks

OP

How does being a mature student effect things? Is it generally a positive or a negative?

I will be 21 by September 2008, I think that makes me a mature student at most universities?

Reply 14

kellywood_5

17

CoolSocks

How does being a mature student effect things? Is it generally a positive or a negative?

I will be 21 by September 2008, I think that makes me a mature student at most universities?

I think it depends what you've been doing since you left school because sometimes, if mature students have been doing relevant work experience, unis are more flexible with their offers. Otherwise it probably doesn't make a difference.

Reply 15

CoolSocks

OP

Hello

This is the response I got from AQA, after I emailed them the query I mentioned in the first post of this thread (haven't yet had a response from OCR):

"Thank you for your enquiry about results reported to UCAS. The awarding bodies all report to UCAS results for qualifications where the candidate has claimed a subject award (for example AS or Advanced). We also report the units associated with those awards, but not units where no award has been claimed . The results are submitted to UCAS for each exam series, so anything taken in June 2006 will have been reported at that time to UCAS, as will anything subsequently re-taken and aggregated again in January 2007 – but each would be reported separately for every new series. We do also report amendments to previously submitted files which would identify any records where overall grades have changed.

So far as we are aware, candidates are not obliged to enter unit details on a UCAS application form and the awarding bodies do not report anything directly to the universities themselves. Universities have their own direct links with UCAS so will have access to data for any exam series relevant to their current groups of applicants.

I am very sorry that we are unable to comment on your individual results."

Do Universities know about failed subjects?

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