Writing the UCAS Reference

Stephen ThomasSWAT Conference 9 July 2012

Sources

Advice at HE advisers’ conferences

Research on university websites and prospectuses

Senior Press survey of admissions tutors

UCAS advice

Experience of writing references

Variation

Universities and departments will treat references in

different ways. Most courses do not interview (LSE not at all)

so reference and PS crucial

Some give them more weight than others

Practices can vary within institutions

References are used in conjunction with a range of other

factors

Reference is important

Most important school document in terms of student’s future life chances?

Subject contribution is vital raw material

Information left out or not fully developed can have a crucial effect especially at competitive end where:

(1) Small differences affect success or failure. Oxford applications increased by 82% in last 10 years

(2) We need to discriminate clearly between, for example, a scraped A and a student with full mark potential

2 stages of reference writing

(1) The contribution from subject departments

(2) Putting together the final draft

UCAS advicePreliminary points Review the information supplied by the student.

Do not repeat information the student has given unless you want to comment on it.

For students who have certificated AS, and are re-sitting it would be helpful to mention this in the reference.

Each university chosen will see the reference but not know to which other universities the student has applied. If you refer to one of the university choices in your reference, this could compromise the application.

http://www.ucas.com/advisers/online/references

You should comment on:

Potential for academic success in HE

Student academic performance post-16

Why their chosen course is suited to them

Personal qualities which will benefit them at university

What they can bring to HE eg extra-curricular and interests

Look at Selection Criteria and Entry Profiles on UCAS website

for course information Use ‘course search’ on UCAS APPLY

Choose a course at a university

Look at ‘entry profile’ for English for that course, for example

Selection criteria: Oxford Medicine

What can students do to help you write the reference?

Critically appraise their performance to date and consider means of future improvement

Consider their contribution to (relevant) extra-curricular (especially super-curricular) activities

Draw your attention to anything else which might support their case or mitigate against any under-achievement

Predicted grades Each pending qualification applicant has entered on

application will be listed in reference section of UCAS form

Do predicted grades match entrance requirements of courses chosen? How do you know what these are?

Predicted grade should match comments in reference

If predicted grade is not a reflection of true ability should be commented on with reasons. Be honest about subjects students having difficulty with

Over-predicting grades can be counter-productive. Many universities monitor the accuracy of predictions.

Accuracy of predicted grades

41.7% over-predicted (9.7% by 2 or more grades 32% by one)

51.7% accurate

6.6% under-predicted (6.2% by one 0.4% by two)

Slightly more A*s achieved than predicted

How do we arrive at UCAS predicted grades?

Same as AS grade?

AS grade plus one grade?

By reviewing all round performance including exam grades?

Is approach consistent across subjects?

Make rationale explicit in reference in fairness to student?

How do we deal with student dissatisfaction with a predicted grade?

Predicted grades: University of Exeter

Underestimated grades can result in no offer being made

Overestimated grades can result in seeking places via clearing

If predicted grades are above AS grades explain why the student’s potential exceeds previous attainment

If predicted grades are not a reflection true abilities, state why the student has been disadvantaged and what their intellectual potential ought to allow them to get.

For example:

Since joining this college last year, xxx has not had a particularly settled time. He found it quite difficult settling in with his peers and at first was not focussed on his studies. We feel that he did not make the best decisions regarding the subjects he chose to study and may have been wrongly advised by others and this has adversely affected his motivation and achievement. However, in recent months, he has been considerably more positive and hard-working about his studies. At last he is beginning to see his true potential. His anticipated grades are not high (DDD) but we feel that this does not reflect his true ability. If he continues to work at his current pace he is likely to exceed his predicted grades……..

Nottingham

Accuracy of predicted grades an issue

Majority of references are ‘glowing’ and therefore not helpful

Too much about school

More on intellectual curiosity and ability to deal with course eg tutorials etc

More on subjects related to course

Leicester University: Don’ts Use stock phrases

Repeat yourself

Write as a report e.g. ‘J---should concentrate on…’

Be specific about universities

Exaggerate

Raise weaknesses unless documented, evidenced and communicated to/discussed with student/parents

Be negative – omit things you can’t be positive about

Dos

Use subject-specific guidelines as applicable

Add comment where predicted grades are not a true reflection of potential or are inconsistent with achievement so far

Focus on academic skills, enthusiasm, ICT skills

Be concise

Clearly indicate if you are supporting/recommending the student

Essex University Honesty about subjects students are having difficulty with

is helpful

If a low predicted grade is accompanied by a glowing reference it is difficult to see the relationship between them.

Why is a student achieving this grade? Is a higher grade in their grasp. Do they have the potential to reach this?

If a student’s predicted grade is not a reflection of their true abilities, why is this?

Is the student is likely to improve between the UCAS application being made and exams taken?

Queen Mary History Department: reference advice for students!

We are looking for evidence that you are fundamentally a

good citizen: that you can interact appropriately with others, that you are moderately responsible, and that you show up for most of your classes. We don’t want to create a department full of identical goodie two shoes: this would be extremely boring...............Most schools  work hard to gather information and write effective references and are obliged to write positively. There are, however, a selection of coded statements which all those who write and read references can understand. ‘X is capable of hard work’ means ‘X could work hard if they could be bothered, but they can’t’. Try to make sure that your teachers will not have to encode your reference. 

Cambridge advice Grades are not everything and the reference is useful

because it tells us about abilities and potential.

Very useful are subject specialist comments that show evidence of:

intellectual flexibility and curiosity analytic ability logical reasoning the ability to learn quickly

Words such as 'outstanding' appear in many references. Instead, it is helpful if remarks about academic performance and potential are as specific as possible.

The following are particularly useful

Comments from subject teachers indicating a rank order in class (such as 'top of 20' or 'in the top four out of 23')

A comparison with current or previous applicants (for instance 'one of our top 10 university applicants this year')

Updated information about an applicant's progress or personal circumstances, as long as it is received before the December interview period

Where an applicant has underachieved at GCSE/IGCSE or AS Level, the reasons why this might have happened

Any health or personal circumstances that might affect performance at interview

Evidence of a willingness to explore and discuss ideas outside the confines of the subject specification, if applying for a subject studied at school/college

Evidence of steps taken to find out about the subject, for a non-school/college subject

For applicants with a difficult educational or personal background an additional reference for the Cambridge Special Access Scheme should be completed

If you wish to make any Cambridge-specific comments you are most welcome to send these direct to the Admissions Tutor at the College to which the student applied

In the case of open applicants these should be sent to the Cambridge Admissions Office. Please ensure that the applicant's name, course and UCAS Personal ID are clearly stated.

Oxford advice

Very Useful E-Guide on website

What are Admissions Tutors looking for?

Should provide an objective assessment of academic suitability for chosen subject and useful for the referee(s) to be aware of the selection criteria.

A candidate is likely to be applying to five competitive degree but a reference with Oxford’s in mind will be just as valuable for a student applying for other selective institutions.

Need not be written by head-teacher or head of sixth but by someone who knows the academic abilities and personal qualities that will help them to succeed.

Often the subject teacher in the most relevant field to the applicant’s chosen course is best suited to write the reference.

The primary content should focus on the academic skills and experiences of the student, giving prominence to the subjects that are most relevant to their chosen degree.

If this means that the information on the candidate’s A-level Biology course is twice that devoted to their A-level in English Literature because they are applying for a degree in Biological Sciences, that is highly appropriate.

Tutors are interested to find out if the student is expected to flourish in an intensive academic environment and how they may cope with a sustained workload specific examples are useful here.

Relating the relevant selection criteria to specific pieces of work, activities, experiences or interactions with the students are helpful.

It is not in the interests of candidate or the referee to overstate a candidate’s suitability for study on a demanding course.

The limited space for the UCAS reference is best used to address the individual applicant and their skills, achievements and qualities relevant to the student’s chosen subject.

The particular strengths and achievements of the school the student attends have more limited value unless they have a direct impact on the particular applicant.

When qualifying student achievement, it is helpful to have information about this. For example, if this student is the best candidate you have taught in fifteen years

It is even better if you follow that up with a statement explaining why you have reached that conclusion:

‘In ten years of teaching A-level History, Sophie is the strongest candidate I have taught, evidenced particularly through her careful and considered interpretation of source material whilst undertaking her extended project on the Causes of the War of Jenkins’ Ear, and her innovative and thought-provoking essay assessing the impact of the Watergate break-in on the subsequent fortunes of the Republican Party in the 1970’s). ‘

Medical Reference:Leeds

How do applicants work with peers and teachers?

Good team members?

Can they assume a leadership role?

Communication, organisation skills, honesty and integrity.

Well-rounded not just academics. Academic ability necessary but not sufficient

Humility: ability to care, involvement in the wider community. (.......evidence of sustained voluntary commitment)

Once qualified going to be held accountable for their decisions

Early indications of their ability to take responsibility are also important

Is their interest in medicine because they are almost guaranteed a secure job, or because they are fascinated by the science of medicine?

Essential they have had the opportunity to experience the reality of a medical career.

Medical Reference:Edinburgh

What are they like as a person? Do they have integrity? Are they honest and responsible? Do they show empathy? How does they get on with peers and teachers? Would they make a good leader? Do they have good interpersonal and organisational skills? Are they able to work as part of a team? What activities are they involved in at school – sport,

music or other clubs and hobbies? Do they help out with students in other years?

Confirm what you can of the applicant’s personal statement regarding extra curricular activities.

Do you think they are unsuitable by temperament for the course?

We are looking for evidence that the applicant as well as being excellent at science, is also a well rounded person.

Do the realise that medicine is not just about science but also about communicating with people? It is vital that the applicant understands this and this is why we attach so much importance to work experience.

Identify key skills within each subject to comment on

Use assessment objectives:eg OCR History

AO1 Demonstrate Knowledge and Understanding

recall, select and deploy historical knowledge appropriately, and communicate knowledge and understanding of history in a clear and effective manner.

demonstrate understanding of the past though explanation, analysis and arriving at substantiated judgements of: key concepts such as causation, consequence, continuity, change and significance within an historical context; the relationships between key features and characteristics of the periods studied.

Especially higher order skills where appropriate

AO2 Analysis, Evaluation and Application

as part of an historical enquiry, analyse and evaluate a range of appropriate source material with discrimination; analyse and evaluate, in relation to the historical context, how aspects of the past have been interpreted and represented in different ways

Tips for subject reference

Use unit mark data

Comments appropriate to and which justify predicted grade

Refer to course especially where it is your subject

Be honest but avoid being negative

Use examples and evidence

Discriminate between students

Don’t be too reserved where fulsome praise is justified

Structuring the subject teacher’s reference contribution Academic achievement: potential, curiosity, analytical

skills, logical reasoning, ability to learn quickly (with examples)

Reading, initiative, experience beyond subject spec (with examples)

How does student compare with others past and present?

How do they relate to peers and teachers?

Are they suited to their chosen course (with reasons)?

Evidence and examples of commitment to chosen course and potential to succeed on it and manage workload.

Evidence and examples of skills and personal qualities such as stamina relevant to chosen course.

Activity

What are the strengths of our current practice?

Are we consistent within departments and across departments?

What can be refined?

Are we agreed about the key subject skills that need to be referred to in the reference?

What are these key subject skills that will be the focus for the subject reference?

Writing the UCAS Reference: The Final Draft

Can include succinct information on:

Number in year group

Relevant class sizes

Proportion going on to HE

Typical pattern of qualifications

Contextual information about catchment area

UCAS: School/college information

Comments of their subject teachers

Career ambitions if relevant and known

Supplementary information about qualifications and study that they have not included

Past achievements and current activities especially where relevant to the courses

Curriculum enrichment activities

Any factors which might affect their performance

UCAS: Suitability for the chosen course

Any health issues or disabilities can only be mentioned with the student’s permission.

If the student has any issues that they would like the universities and colleges to be aware of when considering their application, they should discuss this with their referee and be invited to do so.

These should be included in the reference rather than the personal statement

4000 characters 47 lines

UCAS: Health or disability issues

A short 2-3 line paragraph about the school at the top of the reference may be important if there are particular issues that have had a direct impact on the applicant (e.g. high staff turnover, major disruption because of rebuilding work which closed the labs for a term)

If there is more required include a more detailed statement on the school website and then put the URL link.

Oxford: Structure of reference

Tutors rely heavily on referees to indicate where there have been mitigating circumstances, and to make an assessment of the impact this has had

Tutors are concerned that they may “double count” as some mitigating circumstances may well have been reported to exam boards

Where a candidate has a disability or specific educational needs, it is again helpful for this to be commented on by the referee, particularly if specific support may be required.

Oxford: Mitigating circumstances

Awareness of what a candidate may be engaging with outside school or college to develop their academic suitability for their course, particularly where this shows initiative or commitment is very useful.

If this activity allows them to display particular aptitudes or skills that will be relevant for their degree so much the better. Super- not extra- curricular (above and beyond in subject)

This is a reference about an individual, and the more that it reads as if the person completing it knows and understands the candidate, rather than it being a mechanistic exercise, the better and more valuable it will be to the tutors

Oxford: Extra-curricular activities

Further Advice from Admissions Tutors

Source: Senior Press survey of admissions tutors

Evaluating a reference

Does subject contribution need to be refined? Is balance between subject and extra-curricular

appropriate? Is there enough super-curricular input? Is effective use made of unit marks? Does the reference fit the predicted grade eg scraped

A/A* and 90% plus issue Is choice of course focused on sufficiently? Is the reference about the student? Does it avoid undue negativity but still honest? Are there plenty of examples and evidence to support

claims made about student?

Issues to consider

sthomas 136@hotmail.com