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Any problems getting references?
Hi,
As a potential postgraduate student I'm having issues getting hold of my tutors to write me an academic reference as they seem to have left or don't remember me! Has anyone else had this problem?
I would imagine that someone who's graduated, say over 5 years ago, would be unable to contact thier tutors, do you think Uni's make allowances for this? Some specifically say you must include a academic reference, I think thats a bit harsh of you are unable to contact them!
So far I've only applied to places which take professional or character references!
As a potential postgraduate student I'm having issues getting hold of my tutors to write me an academic reference as they seem to have left or don't remember me! Has anyone else had this problem?
I would imagine that someone who's graduated, say over 5 years ago, would be unable to contact thier tutors, do you think Uni's make allowances for this? Some specifically say you must include a academic reference, I think thats a bit harsh of you are unable to contact them!
So far I've only applied to places which take professional or character references!
For some of the unis I've looked at before, here's what I got---
Normally, you'd be asked for two references, and since you're applying to an academic institution, the preference is for both references to be made by your tutors. But if it has been two years or more since you finished your undergrad studies, you can* have one of the references done by your current/recent employer/superior at work, and the other reference by a tutor.
I think this is the compromise already. I don't think you can have both references made by employers; you probably really need at least one academic reference.
Personally, I'm afraid of the same thing--not that they won't remember me (
) but that the references I can get from my tutors right now may be better than the references I can get from my tutors a couple of years from now, since my performance is still a bit vivid in their memory, and a future reference may appear as vague.
Good luck!
*I'm not sure if this holds true for all unis and for all programs; consult the uni/dept first.
Normally, you'd be asked for two references, and since you're applying to an academic institution, the preference is for both references to be made by your tutors. But if it has been two years or more since you finished your undergrad studies, you can* have one of the references done by your current/recent employer/superior at work, and the other reference by a tutor.
I think this is the compromise already. I don't think you can have both references made by employers; you probably really need at least one academic reference.
Personally, I'm afraid of the same thing--not that they won't remember me (
) but that the references I can get from my tutors right now may be better than the references I can get from my tutors a couple of years from now, since my performance is still a bit vivid in their memory, and a future reference may appear as vague.Good luck!
*I'm not sure if this holds true for all unis and for all programs; consult the uni/dept first.
Thanks, I've actually already sent a few off with professional and character references- 1 place has asked for an academic too and I had an interview at the other place.
They did actually ask why I didn't have a academic reference at the interview, I said I couldn't contact my tutor and they seemed ok with that. I just hope they don't penalise me for not having one- I did offer to try and get another tutor to do it but they said it wasn't neccessary! Only time will tell if it has affected my chances or not!
They did actually ask why I didn't have a academic reference at the interview, I said I couldn't contact my tutor and they seemed ok with that. I just hope they don't penalise me for not having one- I did offer to try and get another tutor to do it but they said it wasn't neccessary! Only time will tell if it has affected my chances or not!
Well I had a sort of similar problem with getting my reference. I sent off the reference forms to be filled out by the two tutors, one week later one arrived, after 9 weeks the other finally arrived!!!!
I give the slow tutor the benefit of the doubt for the first month, think she was busy and would get around to it soon, so I only emailed her a couple of times to ask on progress, no reply (she doesn't do email usually, but the though she would at least check them every now and again), finally I rang her, oh yes (lots of paper ruffling on her desk!), when would I like her to do it!!! Like 8 weeks ago!!!!! Though I didn't say that, of course. It then turned out that she hadn't got around to writing any other of my reference requests for jobs etc!!!!!
To top it all off, when I finally got the reference through, it had not been signed and selotaped accross the seal, so I had to send it back for her to sign! Grrrrr
My reference better have been good after all that!
But I did get on the course, it had already been practically guaranteed before I sent the application off, my (now) supervisor kept on saying to me, send the application form off, well I would have done, if the ref hadn't have been so slow (but least the date contrasting dates on both refs showed it wasn't me being lazy)
Just thought I'd post this rant. Oh and have you thought, for the tutor who have since left, to try and find out where they went to?
Kras
I give the slow tutor the benefit of the doubt for the first month, think she was busy and would get around to it soon, so I only emailed her a couple of times to ask on progress, no reply (she doesn't do email usually, but the though she would at least check them every now and again), finally I rang her, oh yes (lots of paper ruffling on her desk!), when would I like her to do it!!! Like 8 weeks ago!!!!! Though I didn't say that, of course. It then turned out that she hadn't got around to writing any other of my reference requests for jobs etc!!!!!
To top it all off, when I finally got the reference through, it had not been signed and selotaped accross the seal, so I had to send it back for her to sign! Grrrrr
My reference better have been good after all that!But I did get on the course, it had already been practically guaranteed before I sent the application off, my (now) supervisor kept on saying to me, send the application form off, well I would have done, if the ref hadn't have been so slow (but least the date contrasting dates on both refs showed it wasn't me being lazy)
Just thought I'd post this rant. Oh and have you thought, for the tutor who have since left, to try and find out where they went to?
Kras
Hi,
Well I've managed to track someone down that was one of my lecutrers, she remembers me and will get together with another lecturer that also taught me and hopefully between them they can come up with something!!
I did ask where my old tutor went but they didn't reply, maybe they left on bad terms?!! It should be ok now thankfully!
Well I've managed to track someone down that was one of my lecutrers, she remembers me and will get together with another lecturer that also taught me and hopefully between them they can come up with something!!
I did ask where my old tutor went but they didn't reply, maybe they left on bad terms?!! It should be ok now thankfully!
SamJL
Hi,
Well I've managed to track someone down that was one of my lecutrers, she remembers me and will get together with another lecturer that also taught me and hopefully between them they can come up with something!!
I did ask where my old tutor went but they didn't reply, maybe they left on bad terms?!! It should be ok now thankfully!
Well I've managed to track someone down that was one of my lecutrers, she remembers me and will get together with another lecturer that also taught me and hopefully between them they can come up with something!!
I did ask where my old tutor went but they didn't reply, maybe they left on bad terms?!! It should be ok now thankfully!
Hope you got things sorted out!
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