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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

I would love some help with my uni application please!

17 replies

YouPooPooBumBum · 18/03/2015 17:03

I am hoping to start uni this September and I am filling in my UCAS form now but I would love some help.
I left education after my A levels as I have had a family (6 children - the oldest are teenagers and the youngest is a baby) and I also ran a business with other member of my family. I now want to return to studying after 18 years of not doing any but I need answers to a few questions:
I can't remember my exact GCSE and A level results or even which exam body it was with Confused shall I tell the uni this or write a rough idea of my results?
Also when I write my personal statement what kind of thing shall I write?
I know I can do the course but I am having a wobble of confidence and I am over thinking everything.
Any other advice that would help me would be great fully received.
Thanks in advance Star

OP posts:
SeattleGraceMercyDeath · 18/03/2015 17:05

What course is it?

Original poster
YouPooPooBumBum · 18/03/2015 17:08

It's an undergraduate degree in Sociology.

OP posts:
MaudeLebowski · 18/03/2015 17:10

You do know that you are applying nearly 2 months after the UCAS deadline, don't you?

This means that many courses may be full, or no longer accepting applications. If your preferred course is one of these, a 2015 start date would be unlikely - unless the course became available again in clearing.

You will need your exact results and exam bodies. The uni is very likely to need to see them at some point.

Your personal statement will depend on which subject you are applying for. There is a helpful bank of statements here: www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Category:Personal_Statements_by_Subject

Who is going to do your reference? For young'uns an academic reference is preferred. As you have been working since you were last in education, you will need a reference from your employer. Please make sure that the person completing it is well versed in what it needs to include - it is not a normal employment reference; it is to demonstrate your suitability and capacity for undertaking university study.

titchy · 18/03/2015 17:14

You'll be expected to have done some very recent studying before you start university. Your A levels and GCSEs are pretty irrelevant now it's been so long. You should think about an Access course this September, or perhaps OU modules, with a view to starting your degree September 2016.

Best of luck.

eatyourveg · 18/03/2015 17:17

I thought applications for this September closed in January Confused Are you going to apply for a clearing place?

You could start by looking at tsr there are some sociology personal statements there
I see they have a new tool to help you create your own ps now see here

eatyourveg · 18/03/2015 17:18

woops cross posts

ragged · 18/03/2015 17:26

Could someone (OP) write her old school+ 6th form and find out which exam board they would have used, and then write the exam board to get copies of her pass certificates for GCSEs & A-levels?

ImperialBlether · 18/03/2015 17:31

Are you doing an Access course, OP? I'm amazed you are only now applying - was it a late decision on your part? It's not that it's too late, it's just that you're applying after the official closing date so you might struggle to get on the exact course you want.

When you completed an application form at your college, what qualifications did you state? I was told by a university (I was a sixth form tutor) that they trust that your qualifications on entry to the sixth form have been checked by staff working there and that your results on UCAS match the paper qualifications you brought in. Did you show anything at the start of the course?

titchy · 18/03/2015 17:33

Just for info to others, UCAS applications CAN be submitted after the January deadline. They just won't be considered until all the on-time applications have been looked at. Applications received after the end of June are regarded as Clearing applications.

So no need to wait another year in a lot of cases, although the OP will almost certainly need to do something and apply for next year.

Mousybrown · 18/03/2015 17:36

Ok so you need someone to do you a reference......and you will also possibly need a second reference once you are offered a place so have a think about those because they can't just be anyone, the rules are quite strict. My personal statment.....well I tried to link in my work experience to the course and provide the most positive view of myself and my abilities. You do need your certificates...I rang to school and found out as many exam boards as I could and rang around but eventually found them in the loft...you do need to show them as proof. I didn't have recent study but I already had a higher education qualification so they acepted that and my experience. As far as I know your not to late to apply...people were still applying for my course until well into the summer break even though it is a very well though of uni for the type of degree I'm doing. Best of luck.

ImperialBlether · 18/03/2015 18:03

Mousybrown, there's just one reference on UCAS - why would a second be needed for a Sociology degree?

2rebecca · 18/03/2015 18:07

Your GCSE and A level results will be on your certificates. Surely you know where you've put them? If you did GCSEs not O levels you must be younger than me so I'd have thought you'd just go to your filing cabinet and check the grades. The uni may want to see copies of them anyway at a later date so might as well hunt for them now. My exam grades are engraved in my brain, I find it odd someone younger than me could forget them.

ImperialBlether · 18/03/2015 18:17

Universities won't ask for those copies, 2rebecca. If the OP went on to take an MA she still wouldn't be asked for them.

MaudeLebowski · 18/03/2015 18:21

Not true Imperial. I had to hand over my certificates during registration at my uni.

My little sister is applying for uni this year, and has had to send scanned copies of her certificates to one of her choices for verification.

You just don't know what they will need at this point, so you are better of having them, just in case.

Original poster
YouPooPooBumBum · 19/03/2015 09:28

I checked before I applied and there are spaces.
I did leave it late to apply as my nursery will soon be offering a drop off and school run for school children which makes it possible for me to get to 9am lectures - before I had no childcare as my husband works long hours and we have no other help, I did want to apply but it didn't seem possible to actually do it.

My reference is being written by a colleague, I have known him for about twenty years and he now a lecturer at a different local university. He was contacted yesterday to provide a reference. I know he will write a really good one.
I will ring my old school today and get some more information as it seems likely they will need my certificates/results.
Thanks for all the advice and links. I am just having a Brew now and reading everything.

OP posts:
MillyMollyMama · 19/03/2015 10:40

My DDs university wanted to see the certificatges too. I cannot imagine studying for a degree with 6 children, and one a baby! I take my hat off to you for even thinking about it. Dont worry too much about sociology degrees being full. They are probably still recruiting and if not there is always 2016.

lalamumto3 · 19/03/2015 11:53

Just to say good luck with it. I did my Masters part time and that was very manageable with 3 children, all at school, but one with special needs.

Its worth asking if you could do the degree part time if you struggle juggling everything.

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