what can you include in extenuating circumstances for uni coursework?

so, im not talking about ec's for exams, but for general coursework/essays (which i think they're more lenient towards). i've never filled an ec form, except for the one time i got seriously ill with covid, but i know many ppl who just fill in an ec form when actually they just spent most time procrastinating than doing their work, and so fell behind the work and needed an extension.

but i cant get my head around on what excuses could u make up for the leads to actually take your request and also approve it. so i wanted to ask if any of you have ever made up an ec, and if so what was it, and did it get approved?

With all likelihood, you could be challenged to provide evidence of any ECs you declare, so it's not worth the effort of making anything up.

It could be that the people you knew had pre-existing issues that they can prove which you don't know about and therefore get their ECs accepted.

but i cant get my head around on what excuses could u make up for the leads to actually take your request and also approve it. so i wanted to ask if any of you have ever made up an ec, and if so what was it, and did it get approved?

I second this, a lot of people have ECs that don't go away, and their place of study and themselves are the only people who need to know

With all likelihood, you could be challenged to provide evidence of any ECs you declare, so it's not worth the effort of making anything up.

It could be that the people you knew had pre-existing issues that they can prove which you don't know about and therefore get their ECs accepted.

for example, are things like psychological stress due to overwhelming amount of uni work a valid cause

i understand that. and i dont plan on doing it myself. however, i do want to know what exact reasons could be accepted as ec's (although i guess my best bet is to ask my uni specifically), but for example, i didnt know i could apply for an ec when i had covid. it was only because i applied, that i knew that it was a valid enough reason.

for the same reason, i want to know what are other qualifiable reasons from students' experiences. for example, are things like psychological stress due to overwhelming amount of uni work a valid cause, or toxic, unhealthy place of study a valid reason, or could you get an ec for suspecting to have adhd, etc. these are what i see to be the most common reasons for students not being able to complete their essays on time (coupled with procrastination). but are these then valid?

also, the ppl i know often talk about 'misusing/abusing' the ec form, which would imply that they dont actually have any real ec.

I don't see why this would actually be accepted because the amount of uni work should not differ between students on the same course, taking the same modules or different modules but same number of modules. If someone is overwhelmed by the uni course load, it's not as though they were given extra compared to other students on the same course......

You'd need to look at your university's specific regulations for this - each uni will differ as to the exact details of what would be considered ECs warranting a short coursework extension.

Generally speaking, it's something unexpected, acute and out of the student's control. So a death, a serious(ish) illness (so not a cold, but 'flu, or sustained D&V would count). Some unis will accept financial reasons warranting extra paid work; others will be set against that. Disability, or things covered by an SNA (study needs agreement) would not ordinarily count for ECs, unless something acute, connected to the SNA flared up and 'overlaid' onto of the chronic stuff.

and yet lecturers over and over again keep on talking about how students' health is fundamental and is the priority. so surely if something is becoming too overwhelming to the point of not being able to manage it, that means it's affecting students health and therefore warrants support (which could be in the form of an extension)?

yeah, i probably should.
my 'problem' is that i, like other students, take the ec procedure very seriously as it is written out in the guidelines form (mentioning either very serious illness, or bereavement, etc. and with proof), so i dont understand what sort of made up reasons could compel ec regulators to give way to students who abuse the function. the main question is just how are they able to abuse the function, and get away with it?

especially, when so many other students dont have any idea and dont fill an ec form even when they can. as an example, the covid symptoms i had were not life-threatening or very serious to the point that i had to be admitted to the hospital, yet they did in some capacity affect my quality of work, and they accepted my ec. so, why was that?

yeah, i probably should.
my 'problem' is that i, like other students, take the ec procedure very seriously as it is written out in the guidelines form (mentioning either very serious illness, or bereavement, etc. and with proof), so i dont understand what sort of made up reasons could compel ec regulators to give way to students who abuse the function. the main question is just how are they able to abuse the function, and get away with it?

especially, when so many other students dont have any idea and dont fill an ec form even when they can. as an example, the covid symptoms i had were not life-threatening or very serious to the point that i had to be admitted to the hospital, yet they did in some capacity affect my quality of work, and they accepted my ec. so, why was that? like what i mean to say is that it wasnt that serious, i could have still done my work, maybe not in the best mental framework and quality, but i still could have completed it. so why did they accept it?

You're overthinking this, and overcomplicating it. A short coursework extension of two-weeks is usually granted without too much fuss and commotion (or at least it is at my institution), and the 'evidence requirements' are often fairly lenient. During COVID (i.e. ongoing), evidence requirements have been relaxed even further - it's pretty much done on trust, and most students don't abuse this trust. Also, you need to remember that it's usually your programme leader who signs off any extensions, and they'll be fully aware of the students who always try it on - and will request more, and detailed evidence where it's suspected that someone is trying to get an extension to which they are not entitled. Again - I have done this myself

Where a student cannot submit within a 14-day extension, it would usually move on to a different process involving the exam board, where there is a chance to resubmit during a referral/deferral period - the evidence bar for this application is much higher normally.

I genuinely don't understand how ECs get accepted because I've had x2 ECs declined due to family bereavement before (even after they requested all these notarised proof) and they were like...well your scores are consistent enough that it's clearly not affected you, despite a funeral literally 4 days before an exam. No need to do a resit without a cap or get an extension or increase marks by a few %

I guess if I were a lecturer, I'd be thinking if the majority are coping with the workload and also have time for extracurriculars, social life etc, how can it be unmanageable for the very few who say it's too much work?
(Obviously circumstances such as bereavement, trauma etc which may mean a student actually is overwhelmed but not because of the amount of workload but just all the other factors that affect them in completing the work).

if that is the case, then why do things like the above anon mentioned occur, where they had a bereavement and yet, an ec was not accepted?

and if unis are actually that careful and investigative of each student and the evidence they give out, how do they then get away with? if you yourself work at an he institution, are you seriously not aware of students abusing the ec system?

i know i'm probably overthinking this, but i am just curious to know how the system works and its explicit, visible flaws.

yeah, makes sense. and it's probably what i would have though too, until i saw otherwise. hence, the making of this thread.

also, did you submit the ec's after you did your exams or considerably before?

I can't talk for every university in the country. I know that we are fairly rigorous in our processes and procedures, but there is flexibility when warranted.

I think you also need to remember that the odd student who abuses the EC system doesn't make the system not fit for purpose. Students will always find loopholes, exploit weakness in systems and, yes, downright lie about things. In my experience, the type of student who lies to get a two-week extension on a coursework essay is the sort of student who comes out with a poor degree and a fistful of excuses as to why.

can you mention when flexibility is practiced, and are your students aware of when their circumstances or supporting evidence can be dealt with more leniently than in other circumstances? just asking because i am not aware of my university doing this, and this might be part of the problem. how do students know when professors decide to be lenient and when do they not? is it entirely based on the professor's own decision (or whoever's approving the ec), because that could cause a lot of problems as i'm sure the institution is aware and will certainly not be fair on every student.

actually, maybe that is why some students' ec's are accepted, and others not. because the authorisers choose to be lenient with some and not with others. so does your uni have outlined conditions for leniency available to students?

i understand if you dont want to continue the convo, i am just intrigued.

I submitted them on the day I found out each one of my relatives had died but I couldn't get the evidence for a few days because that takes time. But the form, explanation and all that was done as soon as I found out and then I had a breakdown after submitting.
One was 2 weeks before an exam and the other was literally 4 days before a morning exam and a coursework on the same day, which were both 50% of different modules.

Didn't Oxford announce something like any student who felt they were affected by George Floyd's death could be granted EC?

can you mention when flexibility is practiced, and are your students aware of when their circumstances or supporting evidence can be dealt with more leniently than in other circumstances? just asking because i am not aware of my university doing this, and this might be part of the problem. how do students know when professors decide to be lenient and when do they not? is it entirely based on the professor's own decision (or whoever's approving the ec), because that could cause a lot of problems as i'm sure the institution is aware and will certainly not be fair on every student.

actually, maybe that is why some students' ec's are accepted, and others not. because the authorisers choose to be lenient with some and not with others. so does your uni have outlined conditions for leniency available to students?

i understand if you dont want to continue the convo, i am just intrigued.