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Personal Statement Reference - Teacher VS Employer

I am applying to university to study law for the year 2024. I left college in 2022 and so this will be my second gap year. Since leaving college, i have worked at a firm of solicitors, starting on reception and then moving on to become a legal secretary. My question is, would i be better off getting a reference from my boss who is a solicitor, or getting in contact with my college teacher after over a year and asking them for a reference? Thanks in advance.
It needs to be an academic reference from your college.
If you use your employer. most Unis will just email you and ask for you to arrange a college reference - which just holds up your application and delays the Uni making a decision.
Original post by Student87878
I am applying to university to study law for the year 2024. I left college in 2022 and so this will be my second gap year. Since leaving college, i have worked at a firm of solicitors, starting on reception and then moving on to become a legal secretary. My question is, would i be better off getting a reference from my boss who is a solicitor, or getting in contact with my college teacher after over a year and asking them for a reference? Thanks in advance.

Hi @Student87878,

I actually don't believe the answer above is the case. If it were, university would be closed-off to pretty much any mature student!

In my experience, I took 3 years out between graduating from college and applying to university, and I asked my supervisor at a charity I volunteered with for the previous two years to provide my UCAS reference, because I worked with her so frequently and she could vouch for my skills and work ethic. I ended up getting an unconditional offer for a course I didn't even meet the entry requirements for! Not to say this will be the case for everyone, but I never had any issues with my reference, and that wasn't even for a paid position.

My recommendation would be to go with whoever knows you best, and who you've been able to showcase your best work and abilities to - employer references definitely aren't seen as less valuable, especially if they've known you for presumably two years and can give the most recent information on how you work and your dynamics with your peers. An employer might also know you more in-depth than a teacher who may have taught 6 different classes of 30 students every single day, with new cohorts coming in every year - it can be hard to really get to know who students really are as individuals! If you've worked quite closely with your employer or they've had experience directly supervising you and can vouch for your skills and your character, then I'd say go for it.

UCAS applications can be accepted with no reference at all on occasions, so it's definitely not the biggest thing to fret over! I hope it goes well whatever you decide to go with, and good luck!

Millie
Lancaster Student Ambassador, 3rd Year Psychology BSc
Each uni determines how recent your study needs to have been to require an academic reference. Usually best to check with them directly rather than relying on anecdotal responses.
If you were in study in 2022 then you’ll need an academic reference. Your school should have one on file and it shouldn’t be a big deal for them to add it to your UCAS application. Don’t contact a teacher - ring the main office and ask to arrange a call with the UCAS lead for the school as a former pupil.

Law at undergraduate is an academic degree - vocational references aren’t preferred (unless you’ve been out of education for 5+ years).
(edited 1 week ago)
Original post by Student87878
I am applying to university to study law for the year 2024. I left college in 2022 and so this will be my second gap year. Since leaving college, i have worked at a firm of solicitors, starting on reception and then moving on to become a legal secretary. My question is, would i be better off getting a reference from my boss who is a solicitor, or getting in contact with my college teacher after over a year and asking them for a reference? Thanks in advance.

Hi @Student87878

Seeing as you have had a gap since college, it would make most sense to have your employer as the individual who gives your reference as they are in the best place to give an accurate account of you as an individual and your work ethic etc. If you are concerned that the university wants an academic reference then I think the best thing to do is simply get in contact with their admissions and explain your situation. This way you will have a definite answer either way and won't be worried that you opted for the wrong one!

I hope this helps and good luck 🙂

Sophie

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