UMS marks Cambridge ???

Today i recieved the Cambridge application form by my teacher. I thought that applicants had to give their UMS marks for individual modules, however after looking over the form, it specifically states on the qualifications section, "do not include module scores", and there appears no place to list UMS marks.
What's the story? How do Cambridge get my UMS marks if i don't give them?

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Reply 1

teamvillage

They send out forms for your UMS marks after they receive your application form.

Don't ask me why!

Reply 2

RDoh

teamvillage

They send out forms for your UMS marks after they receive your application form.

Is this true for all colleges?

Reply 3

username9816

From this application year onwards, Cambridge are not allowed to specifically request UMS marks - The applicant or teacher or whoever can state them in the PS or reference, if they choose to.

Last year, UCAS shouted at Cambridge for specifically requesting the marks.

Cambridge were upset, and started crying.

Reply 4

username9816

RDoh

Is this true for all colleges?

It's no longer allowed, UCAS intervened.

Reply 5

fishpaste

Really? Why couldn't they bloody intervene faster?

Reply 6

beauford

fishpaste

Really? Why couldn't they bloody intervene faster?

You got an offer so it hardly matters :tongue:

Reply 7

fishpaste

beauford

You got an offer so it hardly matters :tongue:

Point. =P *shuts his yap*

Reply 8

Squishy

fishpaste

Point. =P *shuts his yap*

Well, you can tell people how you had a harder time of it and still managed to get in. :smile:

Although I think being asked for UMS is a good idea.

Reply 9

username9816

Squishy

Well, you can tell people how you had a harder time of it and still managed to get in. :smile:

Although I think being asked for UMS is a good idea.

He hasn't got in, and from what he says, he's likely not to.

He applied to a university which:

1.) Offers STEP, which is gay.
2.) Is shitter and more boring than Oxford.

So he got punished.

Reply 10

BazTheMoney

Invisible

He hasn't got in, and from what he says, he's likely not to.

He applied to a university which:

1.) Offers STEP, which is gay.
2.) Is shitter and more boring than Oxford.

So he got punished.

Are you even at Oxford yet? Actually, have you even applied to Oxford yet??? :rolleyes:

Reply 11

Squishy

BazTheMoney

Are you even at Oxford yet? Actually, have you even applied to Oxford yet??? :rolleyes:

No, but he does hate Cambridge. :rolleyes:

Reply 12

BazTheMoney

Squishy

No, but he does hate Cambridge. :rolleyes:

I'm all for Tab bashing, but not until you bloody get here! :rolleyes:

Reply 13

Squishy

BazTheMoney

I'm all for Tab bashing, but not until you bloody get here! :rolleyes:

Ahhh, OK...well, we'll be neutral until/if I get to Tabtown then. :biggrin:

Reply 14

tomcoolinguk

Invisible

It's no longer allowed, UCAS intervened.

Thank the lord! That has made my day/ month (sad I know). Asking for UMS scores just isn't fair. Although if mine are anything to shout about... Cambridge will know!!! [they won't be though]

Oh... a word of advice to all the people on UKL (who make me feel slightly less obsessive)- Cambridge are asking for class rankings on references now. Butter up your teachers and get the four 1st rankings you deserve!

Reply 15

username9816

tomcoolinguk

Cambridge are asking for class rankings on references now. Butter up your teachers and get the four 1st rankings you deserve!

Reply 16

devilschild

I think its actually a very good idea to ask for them so that they can be given at least some consideration alongside the interview- every student applying to oxbridge is almost sure to get straight As and it does help to distinguish between those scraping 240 points and those getting near 300.
Obviously other factors such as interview performance and other tests may be given more weight when deciding who to offer to but i think it is totally fair that UMS scores are requested by the university.

Reply 17

tomcoolinguk

I personally think it is very unfair, purely because UMS are scaled to the entry for the examination, giving students taking exams with smaller exam boards an unfair advantage etc. etc.

Reply 18

gzftan

tomcoolinguk

I personally think it is very unfair, purely because UMS are scaled to the entry for the examination, giving students taking exams with smaller exam boards an unfair advantage etc. etc.

The only qualm i have with it is that the selection process for oxbridge is hard enough with most of the applicants having straight As at AS and predicted 3/4 As at a2. Preventing them from seeing your module marks is going to make it even harder for them to make decisions on who to give offers to and who not to. Granted there is still the interview, but the more information they have..the more informed their decisions will be. Therefore...you'd hope that the best candidates will get in.

G

Reply 19

Acaila

tomcoolinguk

Sweet! There's only two people in my computing class! :biggrin:

In maths there's only 4 or 5 and geography have about 6 or 7. So things should be going well in that respect.
But then again, people from better schools will have more problems in that system because there might be a whole hog of Oxbridge applicants and they might not get very high rankings.
I had heard this kind of thing before. At an Oxbridge conference I sneaked a copy of a Reference Guide For Teachers and that's the kind of thing they want.