# UCAS- could use some help



## Delicate (May 23, 2008)

I went straight into higher education after college but dropped the course so I'm trying to reapply now a couple of years later. The last time I applied it was through a city college and they just so happened to have an online application because it was a new course so I never went through UCAS. It's such a rigid and complicated system it's really confusing me. 

One thing is that I have two A level grades and one AS level, because I only did one year of the course but still got a qualification just not a full A level. On the qualifications list it has 3 options for AS, it has 
"AS level (first award 2001)" 
"AS level (last award 2001)"
"AS level: Double award"
And so I don't know which one if any it falls under. And if I select the wrong one or just don't list it would that affect my tariff points? 

The main thing I'm worried about is what to do about a reference, in around May-June I emailed my old college and asked them if it'd be possible to get an academic reference. A woman called me back about it and she was kind of rude because it'd been a few years but she told me that they still have my reference on file and said I'd need their centre number.

I don't seem to need their centre number though, what it asks for is a buzzword for the college. So if I want to link my application to a school or college for a reference it asks for this password thing but if I just fill out the reference independently then they just ask for contact details and they contact them for a written reference. Could I just list the college address and contact details there withing specifically linking it to the college... or would that piss someone off or get ignored?

I don't know what to do, because I'm not working now and my old boss didn't really know me at all and they want very specific references so I don't want to ask her. But I don't know who else to ask. What I was going to do was start some voluntary work related to what I want to study or not even necessarily related and then ask them but I'm cutting it a bit close since the deadline is January 15th for most courses but maybe I should keep looking into that.

I don't want to be put off applying because of such trivial things but it's really stressing me out and I'm tempted to just give up.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.


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## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

Delicate said:


> I went straight into higher education after college but dropped the course so I'm trying to reapply now a couple of years later. The last time I applied it was through a city college and they just so happened to have an online application because it was a new course so I never went through UCAS. It's such a rigid and complication system it's really confusing me.
> 
> One thing is that I have two A level grades and one AS level, because I only did one year of the course but still got a qualification just not a full A level. On the qualifications list it has 3 options for AS, it has
> "AS level (first award 2001)"
> ...


Hey, if you got the AS after 2001, select the 2001 option. I think it only affects your tariff points if you selet the double award which is basically two AS levels (for one course) but since you only have one AS, you can't have done a double award course.

As for the reference thing...a few people from my college did it independently and_ I think_ what they did was that they asked my college to email them the reference (or something like that) and then they just attached it on. If that's not an option, inform your school that you're going to write their address down and everything and send it off independently.

Delicate, I would very strongly advise you to use thestudentroom forum. It's a [very large] *UK* student forum. There's perhaps a handful of UK students on this forum (I know something like 5/6 - out of how ever many hundreds that use this forum - applying for 2011 entry). It's extremely useful for anything uni related (and general stuff as well).

Are you applying to very competitive courses/uni Delicate? If you're not, I don't think it matters too much if you apply a late (I think there's a thing saying that unis accept right into June or something like that...) it's just that people who apply before the 15th get priority.

Check out these links:
http://www.ucas.ac.uk/news/september/applyref
Search through thestudentroom as well - you can do it via Google.

Edit: Actually, buzzword might be better...apparently, it's easier if you do it through your school's system...might need a bit of constant chasing up though in case they forget about you or something.

Um, although, y'know, I think all schools closed for the holiday yesterdya (Friday)...


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## Delicate (May 23, 2008)

Hi Banzai, thanks for your help.

For the reference, they've changed the system this October so where you used to have to put in the letter yourself now you have to just put in the referee's contact details. So I'm wondering if it'd be ok to just put my old college's details. I had to put them as a job reference recently but that's a bit different.

The uni's I'm applying to aren't that competetive but I'm not sure if the courses are but I talked to a woman at the univesity because I went to these application sessions and she said how last year they got too many applications and this year they're expecting that too because the year after this year is when the fees tripple so people will want to get in before that.

I've seen the studentroom forum before but it just kind of makes me uncomfortable. Meaning I wouldn't expect people on a normal forum to get that I'm too nervous to contact my old college etc.


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## Antis (Nov 2, 2010)

Delicate said:


> Hi Banzai, thanks for your help.
> 
> For the reference, they've changed the system this October so where you used to have to put in the letter yourself now you have to just put in the referee's contact details. So I'm wondering if it'd be ok to just put my old college's details. I had to put them as a job reference recently but that's a bit different.
> 
> ...


If you were at my college you couldn't just put the college contact details in because it would just get thrown into the system (the college UCAS account) and nobody would complete the reference. This is because each ''referencing tutor'' has their own list of students they have look up on the account and do a reference for, and they only look for current students I'd imagine. 
As a past student you have to let them know that you're applying. So I'm guessing you have no choice but to make arrangements with your referee specifically. You could contact your college and get through to your referee that way... I wouldn't be too keen on it myself, but this is a rather urgent situation, hopefully your will makes you do it!


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## Delicate (May 23, 2008)

Sorry I've been a little busy so I just saw the second response, thanks for your input. Yeah, I was being kind of hopeful it'd be that easy. You're right though I have to just push through the anxiety otherwise I'm gonna be uneducated out of fear lol. I'm going to try to contact my previous manager rather than my college because it's more recent and she won't give as much attitude as the college. If I can't get in touch with her I'm going to contact the woman from the university who I mentioned who I've met a woman from admissions to ask her advice which she offered. So... I'll just try to suck it up, now everywhere will be opening up after Christmas, so I'll just see what happens. Thanks for filling me in a bit more.


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## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

Delicate said:


> Sorry I've been a little busy so I just saw the second response, thanks for your input. I was being kind of hopeful it'd be that easy. You're right though I have to just push through the anxiety otherwise I'm gonna be uneducated from fear lol. I'm going to try to contact my previous manager rather than my college because it's more recent and she won't give as much attitude as the college. If I can't get in touch I've already been in contact with a woman from admissions at the university I'm applying to who I've met before and she'd offered her guidance. so... I'll just try to suck it up, now everywhere will be opening up after Christmas, so I'll just see what happens. Thanks for filling me in a bit more.


Hey, you know Delicate, unless it's like a Russel Group uni/some other "high" uni, I don't think they're that bothered with references. So suppose the one from your boss is lousy, I don't think it'd be that much of a big deal.

But yah, I think you're right with the boss-recent thing. Thinking about it now, they might be a bit suspicious if you've been away from college for years and suddenly use an old reference :um


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