Writing the UCAS Reference

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Writing the UCAS Reference
Stephen Thomas SWAT Conference 9 July 2012
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Sources

• Advice at HE advisers conferences
• Research on university websites and prospectuses
• Senior Press survey of admissions tutors
• UCAS advice
• Experience of writing references

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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

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Reference is important

• Most important school document in terms of
  students 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

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2 stages of reference writing

• (1) The contribution from subject departments
• (2) Putting together the final draft

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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
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• 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

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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

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Selection criteria Oxford Medicine
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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

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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.

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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 As achieved than predicted

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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?

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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 students 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

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• 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..

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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

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Leicester University Donts

• 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 cant be positive
  about

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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/recommendin
  g the student

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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 students 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?

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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 dont 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 cant. Try to make sure
  that your teachers will not have to encode your
  reference. 

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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.

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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

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• 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

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• 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.

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Oxford advice
Very Useful E-Guide on website
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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 Oxfords
  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.

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• Often the subject teacher in the most relevant
  field to the applicants 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
  candidates 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.

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• 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 candidates suitability
  for study on a demanding course.

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• The limited space for the UCAS reference is best
  used to address the individual applicant and
  their skills, achievements and qualities relevant
  to the students 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.

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• 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 1970s).

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Medical ReferenceLeeds

• 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)

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• 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.

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Medical ReferenceEdinburgh

• 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?

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• Confirm what you can of the applicants 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.

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Identify key skills within each subject to
comment on
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Use assessment objectiveseg 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.

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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

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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
• Dont be too reserved where fulsome praise is
  justified

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Structuring the subject teachers 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.

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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?

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Writing the UCAS Reference The Final Draft
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UCAS School/college information

• 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

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UCAS Suitability for the chosen course

• 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

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UCAS Health or disability issues

• Any health issues or disabilities can only be
  mentioned with the students 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

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Oxford Structure of reference

• 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.

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Oxford Mitigating circumstances

• 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.

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Oxford Extra-curricular activities

• 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

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Further Advice from Admissions Tutors
Source Senior Press survey of admissions tutors
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Evaluating a reference
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Issues to consider

• 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?

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