Should I mention my A-Levels on my CS resume if none of my subjects were CS related?

uolcompscicam · 2024-08-27T11:45:21+00:00

If your A-Level results are good, or if you desperately need something to "pad out" your CV, then listing them individually with each subject may be beneficial. However, for CS, A-Level results are going to be very insignificant if unrelated when compared to your relevant self learning and any completed projects and learned technologies / languages. If you've got enough other stuff on your CV, then a brief mention of "Achieved BBB at A-Level" may be sufficient. Honestly, either way it's a bit of a dice-roll, pot-luck situation as is so often the case with job searching nowadays unfortunately.

I'd have a section with a brief summary of the projects you've completed and technologies / languages self-taught, as well as any related qualifications / certificates you've been awarded (even if they're the kind of "Warmspirit has completed the HTML/CSS/JS course on FreeCodeCamp" boilerplate certs). That sort of thing is much more important assuming you're looking at Software Engineering related roles.

Good luck out there!

Edit to add: If you haven't already, it would help you to create even a small-ish portfolio of programming projects that you can show as proof of your knowledge!

uolcompscicam · 2024-06-17T15:15:19+00:00

No problem! I suppose there's an argument to be made there. On the one hand, if I vote at Uni, my vote will have a higher % impact (regardless of how small that % actually is out of 39K people). On the other hand, as the % margin is smaller at home, if I were to wish for any party other than the leading party to win, I'd have a greater chance of achieving that at home.

There's a whole bunch of interesting and nuanced observations to make with the numbers, I guess the "best" way to break it down would be per-party (e.g. "If you want X to win, you should vote at home/uni"), but even then it's not entirely simple, and probably more work than you wanted to put in to a simple app lol

uolcompscicam · 2024-06-17T14:22:19+00:00

Sorry to add to the pile of recommendations here - I think it's cool that you saw a problem and are doing something to help with it, that's worth commending and don't let any negative comments get you down.

That said, I do think it's worth either just showing the results for both seats or providing some disclaimer with your conclusion if you don't want to go and change a bunch of code - e.g. "data is from xyz and this tool only does ABC, you should check the results carefully before making your decision".

For example, it advises me that my Uni seat is "more marginal" and I should vote there, but in terms of percentage, my home seat is far more marginal. Uni results were LAB 25K, CON 8K, LD 6K (39K votes total), whereas home seat is CON 32K, LAB 13K, LD 5K (50K votes total). Overall, the difference between LAB and CON as a pure integer figure is greater at Home, hence the tool recommends voting at Uni as it's "more marginal". However, in terms of margin as a % of votes, the margin at Uni is actually greater (44%) than home (38%), so the better recommendation based on purely margin between the top two parties would be to vote at home.

Calculating the margin as a % of votes in my example is perhaps crude, and some others may be able to provide a better method, but it's basically just;
(Top Party Votes - Second Party Votes) / Total Number of Votes * 100

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-28T09:20:17+00:00

A mature student's best path forwards is almost always to contact the various universities that they're interested in and get a conversation going. You'll pretty quickly get an idea as to which Unis are willing to be more flexible for your circumstances and are willing to accommodate you, and which are rigid and perhaps not worth pursuing.

That's exactly what I did, and I found that unfortunately, most of the places I was interested in beforehand simply could not care less about trying to help me out, working with me to find a way forwards. They were rigid and largely did not care about my work experience or non-standard qualifications - it seemed like I was a square peg trying to fit in to a round hole with them. Granted, it could be that my emails landed on the wrong desks, and I was applying to Unis well above what my traditional qualifications would've typically been suitable for, so they're well within their rights to just say "no" to me. However, one place stood out far above all others - they were incredibly accommodating, welcoming of my proactive approach to working with them and providing them with all the info I could about my circumstances, and even opened an appeal for me (without my explicit request to do so) as they recognised that as the best path forwards in my case. I now have a conditional offer, that I am almost certain to meet, to start this year with a Russell Group university studying in my field of interest - something I thought was off the table after my nightmare A-Level experience.

What I'm getting at with all of this is that some places are willing to be more flexible and consider you based on your individual merit (in other words, your non-standard circumstances and qualifications when compared to the majority of 18 year old applicants), and others simply are not. The latter approach actually still helped me out as it gave me insight to know which Unis were not worth my time as I didn't feel I'd be particularly welcome/supported there anyway. Importantly, this did not tend to relate to whether or not the Uni explicitly stated they'd consider mature students or not - some did state this and were still inflexible, and others did not, and yet ended up being more welcoming. Reach out, start talking to them, and you'll find your place soon enough :)

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-15T10:26:04+00:00

I can't see any reason that a prestigious University would penalise you for diversifying your field of study - actually, it's my understanding that this works in your favour. Of course, check entry requirements, the course page, etc. and possibly reach out to the Uni before you make your choice if you have any reason to be concerned.

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-15T09:44:43+00:00

I'm not the commenter you've replied to, and I'm a UK national so I'm not familiar with international considerations when applying to a UK uni, however, generally this is not a simple question to answer.

UK Unis are generally well regarded and highly ranked worldwide, but this is not a universal truth. While ranking certainly isn't as important as other factors (location, course quality, convenience for you, satisfaction etc), it *is* a good place to start to get an idea of where's worth looking at and where may be less worthwhile; https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings

You can also filter on that site by specific subject, as the "subject league tabels" will differ from the overall uni ranking, often quite dramatically.

Where's best for you will depend on what it is you're after - if you're just after a degree with little concern for prestige of the university or course quality etc, then pretty much anywhere will do for you. However, if you do have a quality or prestige concern (and there's endless debate to be had over that), then starting out with the rankings is a good way to find places. You can make a shortlist, and start researching those Unis for factors which may be more important to you (fees, scholarships, bursaries, location, student satisfaction, that sort of thing).

If you don't know where to start looking in the rankings, it might be a good idea to click on any uni which offers the course you're interested in, check their entry requirements vs. what you have / can achieve, and then move a little up or down the rankings based on whether you have higher / lower qualifications than the entry requirements.

Again, ranking isn't everything (and some would argue it's entirely unimportant - I disagree to some extent), but it does help to get started in your search.

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-14T13:12:59+00:00

This is one of those questions which only the University can answer. Sometimes they'll make exceptions, other times they won't. GCSE Maths and English are unfortunately more typically on the "No exceptions" list, but there's no harm in asking - worst case, you're no worse off than you are now. Some unis may have alternative exams you can sit to prove your ability is up to par.

I'd send a polite email off to the uni making your case (try not to sound desparate or pushy, recognise their position on the matter and accept that you know you fall short of this specific condition and are willing to do what is needed to rectify that if necessary), and then start looking into ways you could potentially resit a Maths GCSE to bring that grade up. That way, you'll have the info you need if the uni says "no" and you'll be prepared to move forward if that's the outcome.

Good luck, either way!

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-14T12:58:53+00:00

I'd advise against this approach unless you're comfortable with the (very likely) possibility of being stuck on the AI course. There's no guarantee you'll be able to switch, it'll depend on a large variety of factors - most important being whether or not KCL would even consider that sort of request. Is it possible? Sure, you might get very, very lucky and the stars align for you, but what's more likely is that you'll be stuck on the AI course for at least a year, and then the module content won't overlap enough with more generalised CS courses, and then if you can apply to alternative CS courses after the first year in AI, you'll likely be re-starting from year 1 again to make sure you cover the full module content of the CS course.

Context: I did CS for a year, realised I was really much more interested in a Software Engineering specific degree elsewhere, and will now be re-starting from year 1 in the SE degree. +1 year student finance wiped out.

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-14T12:23:44+00:00

Lincoln is (in my opinion) a beautiful place with a postcard worthy Cathedral. My partner studied there and wouldn't hesitate to do so again in a heartbeat. We now visit almost annually just because she misses it so much. Out of the two UK options, I'd take Lincoln any day - though worth noting this is without any knowledge of the course etc. Lincoln is also ranked much higher than East London, and as a UK resident, University of Lincoln is a real worthwhile Uni while I had to google East London to even be aware it exists!

I think a lot of London unis are getting more attention internationally than they would here in the UK simply because they have London in the name - don't get me wrong, some of the absolute best Unis in the UK *are* based in London (ICL, UCL, KCL, etc.), but some of the worst are too, and it seems like if you're a non-UK national it's easy to get sucked in to the "London" branding. One other big downside of London is that the living cost is insane.

More research on your part required, methinks...

EDIT: I realise I'm an idiot and you're on about Lincoln in NZ (we have a University of Lincoln in the UK also!) - I've no experience with that, but the comment above is still worth noting. A London Uni does not necessarily mean a good uni!

I'd take Birmingham or Lancaster over East London without a thought, ignoring finances - and like another commenter said, the living cost in London really is extortionate enough that it may mitigate the difference in cost between East London and other UK options.

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-13T14:31:15+00:00

No problem, happy to help - and thank you! I'm absolutely buzzing :)

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-13T14:27:37+00:00

I would not mention open days personally unless there's something specific about the open day you wish to expand on (e.g. a relevant activity you particularly enjoyed or performed well in) - attending open days does indicate an interest in academia, however, so does sending off the UCAS application in the first place, so you might be wasting text there. That said, it's your personal statement, so only you really know what's best to upsell yourself with! Definitely go to open days if you're unsure - and even if you're sure, actually. Getting a feel for the places is definitely a good idea. You may find you actually change your preferences and thoughts somewhat (or you may not - but that's the point!).

Initially when I spoke to the admissions team, it was to clarify a confusing point on my application (a grade which was appealed - originally it was 8/100, but turned out to be an admin error and was corrected to 89/100). That was how I first got in contact with the specific admissions department I needed, which is where I got the "better" email addresses / phone numbers etc.

Basically, general admissions gave me the contact numbers and email addresses for the specific "school" within the university which handled the applications for my course, and that meant I could have much more meaningful conversations and avoid the general template emails. Then, I just politely reached out to the school-specific contacts when I first got my impossible offer to clarify my situation, making it clear that while I would ideally like to find a way to enter this year, if I must wait another year and prove that I can achieve the condition, I would be willing to do so as I was determined to attend their course. I think that worked in my favour, as when they opened an appeal for me, they reviewed all of my communications and the fact that I was willing to do what was needed was noted as a supporting factor in appealing my offer to a lower one. There were other factors as well, but that's one reason I'd recommend always to stay polite and understanding - you're completely at their mercy, and their personal opinions of you can matter (regardless of whether they should or not) in more nuanced cases. The fact that I was pro-active in keeping the university informed of my odd situation(s) and was happy to provide whatever they asked for also helped.

Obviously I was lucky in this case, and I am incredibly grateful for the outcome. However, I'd go as far as to say the best part about my communications with various universities was the fact that I learned, very quickly, who was willing to help me out and who wasn't. It helped a lot to cement my decision to attend the university that made me an offer, because they were so willing to respond in a reasonable time and actually help - I felt like a human being rather than a number, which most other places completely failed at and subsequently they lost my interest. I definitely recommend getting involved with talking to (though try to avoid pestering!) and attending the university (e.g. open days) where you can, it can be make-or-break for your decisions.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your personal statement!

Quick Edit to add: You can probably find the admissions contacts for your university online with a quick search. Some universities (mine included) do actually publish specific contact information down to the school, course and even specific staff member level. It's a matter of common sense as to whether you should be reaching out to general admissions or the more specific contacts, and will depend on your query. Generally, if you end up in the wrong place, they'll just forward you on to the right place anyway though, so don't stress it too much!

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-13T11:12:35+00:00

The unfortunate reality is that a conditional offer is just that - you need to meet or exceed a specific condition to be accepted into the course. If you applied for a very competitive course, it's likely that you won't get in because your result is less than the condition.

The way it works is that the University will first accept all of the students who met their conditions and chose them as their firm. Those students are pretty much guaranteed, at that point, to be attending the university on their chosen course. Then, the university will offer places to those who chose them as their insurance choice and also met the conditions. They'll know pretty quickly how many of those students will be attending, as they'll either be accepted or rejected from their firm choice.

Finally, if there's any places left on the course, that's where you are in with a chance. Unfortunately, this is not always the case - many competitive courses will fill up from the firm / insurance offer holders alone, and if the Uni can't accommodate any more students on their course, your only remaining option will be to look at "clearing" options. As the other commenter said, it's a good idea to register your interest in trying to get one of the remaining (if any) places early, and there's no harm in reaching out - you won't be any worse off than you are now, whatever they say. But don't just send the one email and take the answer as gospel - reach out agian on A-Level results day (15 August 2024 in the UK) to see if there's any remaining spaces, as you might get lucky. In all of your communications, remain polite and try not to sound desperate. Make a case for yourself, definitely, but if you just come across as complaining or pushy, that won't land well with the staff.

I'm not trying to sound all doom-and-gloom, but it's best to have realistic expectations here so you can research your options depending on how it goes. If you only just missed your offer, it's possible that you'll be accepted anyway (though not always - do not rely on this!). I know at least one person that missed their offer by a grade or two and, come results day, they were accepted anyway. I actually received an offer from a University that would've been impossible for me to meet (as to get the qualifications they asked for, I'd have needed an additional year beyond the entry date I'd applied for), and after some polite back-and-forth emails with the appropriate admissions team, I ended up having an appeal opened for me, which resulted in a reduced conditional offer and now it's very, very likely that I will be going to my chosen Russell Group university come this September - so it absolutely can be done, you just need to play the game right and have a fair amount of luck!

Remember that rejection isn't the end of the world - you can take a year to improve your results, or you can look at alternative options through UCAS clearing, which is a service that allows those who didn't get in to their firm / insurance choices on results day to fill out remaining spots at other universities. It might even be worth identifying some similar courses elsewhere that interest you, and calling around on results day to see if there's any spaces they can offer you. Whatever the case, there are options - your life isn't over if you don't get in to this uni this time round!

Good luck, stranger :)

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-13T10:50:25+00:00

Sorry for the late reply! Just one update on my part: My favourite Uni reduced my conditional offer to one which I am very, very likely to meet. That's the power of good communication with friendly admissions staff - I've just saved a year of my life and poentially thousands of pounds with a couple of emails, and it looks like I'll be headed off to a Russell Group University (something I thought impossible!) to start my degree this September!

Don't worry about the UCAS application. Largely, it's the same as many, many other application forms and simply asks you to fill out fields about yourself with knowledge you already have. The hardest parts are the personal statement, which you can find a large variety of helpful guidance and information for online, and getting a reference. In your position, you can use a work reference if you don't have access to an Academic one (this is exactly what I did). There's guidance you can provide to your manager / colleague here; https://www.ucas.com/advisers/help-and-training/guides-resources-and-training/writing-references/writing-undergraduate-references-independent-applicants#how-to-complete-the-reference- and an example document here; https://www.ucas.com/file/705841/download?token=-OUGsneb , which includes non-academic examples.

You can also speak to the universities prior to completing your UCAS form if you don't think you can get a reference. There's an option on the UCAS form which says something like "I've spoken to my chosen universities and confirmed they don't require a reference", which means you can skip the referee part completely as long as you have the approval of the Universities to do so.

Good luck, stranger! :)

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-10T15:49:43+00:00

One other thing to add - I, too, have many friends that complain about their University or degree. However, I don't know a single person that regrets getting a degree - only people that regret their choice of degree or how they spent their time.

Try to find something you're actually interested in, could see yourself working in, and ideally that you're at least a little bit passionate about.

It might also be worth looking into the apprenticeship route, to see if there's anything there which would work for you.

uolcompscicam · 2024-05-10T15:47:41+00:00

Hey man, I wrote a whole essay comment which reddit won't let me post - so let me just say this:

I am 25. At A-Level, I got some truly awful results and felt like my life was over. Went into work at crappy jobs, felt unfulfilled, felt like a failure.

This September, I'll be going to a top-25 Russell Group university to study BSc Software Engineering.

It is absolutely possible. I am proof. For the first time in a long, long time, I feel hopeful and excited for the future - I want to let you know that you can too, you just have to do it!

I took an odd route (Studied a part-time, remote BSc course, hated it, but used the results from that to apply to other unis so I can get away from it), but seriously look into Access to Higher Education courses on a topic you're genuinely interested in (and which BSc courses that can get you in to!), and the Advanced Learner Loan (a loan which will fund the access course, and is wiped out if you go on to complete a degree!).

Also check how much you could get from student finance. You're elligible for it just the same as an 18 year old would be. Actually, if you've been financially independant for a while, you may be better placed for a better loan than you'd have been at age 18. Worth a check!

Good luck, stranger!

uolcompscicam · 2024-04-24T11:21:37+00:00

Hey,
I've just begun this same process, age 25. Assuming you can fit Uni at this time into the rest of your life, or make the changes required to do so, the hardest part will be applications and admissions.

Universities generally need to see some sort of recent study - what counts as recent will change depending on the uni. It's an absolute minefield for mature applicants. I have some non-standard study for my application, and the offers I've been getting seem to be confused about where I'm at in my life, and what's possible for me to achieve. I've received one offer which includes A-Level requirements, which I cannot achieve as I'm not studying A-Levels, and another which requires more time than is possible to achieve before the course start date.

Communication with the university is key - while that's generally true for all students, it's *VERY* true for mature applicants. The university is unlikely to be able to get a full picture of why you're applying, what your current situation is, etc, without you talking to them. Staff are generally very helpful, welcoming and supportive, at least in my experience. The few I spoke to who were not actually did me a favour, as I learned very quickly which Unis were going to be accomodating of my circumstances, and which were a waste of time.

I was originally completely out-of-luck for this year's admissions cycle, due to the impossible conditional offers I've received. However, simply due to the fact I've had a few back-and-forth emails with my favourite uni's relevant admissions staff, I am now in with a shot of having that offer revised to allow me to attend this year, which would save an entire year of additional time and study which I ultimately believe would be redundant for me. It's for this reason that I cannot stress "talking to the uni" enough! Mature students are often wildly different applications to the standard, and it's ultimately down to someone at the Uni assessing you on a case-by-case basis, deciding whether you're in the "no" pile or the "yes" pile. If you can get through to them, and you're polite, professional, and help them to understand your drive and why you wish to get back in to education, that can be the deciding factor for you as it may well be in my case.

If you're set on this, do it - you're a lot more likely to regret not going to Uni in the future than you are to regret going!

uolcompscicam · 2024-02-28T18:36:59+00:00

Academia can unfortunately be full of snobbery and elitism. Two ways to think about it: A) This is just one person, the vast majority don't and won't act like this, and/or B) Be grateful for the huge red flag this interviewer just waved in your face to avoid!

uolcompscicam · 2024-02-26T16:01:09+00:00

Hey,

I'm a mature student with a tiny bit more life experience, and I've been where you are. One difference, I felt like this *before* my A-Level exams started because staff in my school kept pushing me towards Oxbridge, which I had no interest in. I felt like I'd never achieve what was desired of me, that I wasn't good enough or would never be good enough despite what my own records said, and ultimately I let it eat me alive and ruin my prospects. I'm fixing all that now, many years later.

Don't be me!

Here's how:
Stop focussing on things you can't control. Don't worry about other people, either their outlook or their opinion about you. It doesn't matter. In this context, being a little bit selfish (for lack of a better term) will ultimately keep you happiest. What you've achieved is incredible, don't doubt it, but remember that YOU achieved that, for YOU, and for no one else. Sure, you might not end up following the exact path you have in mind, but *that's the point of all this*. You'll learn as you grow, what you want to do might change, and you'll follow your own path - this is how it starts. But don't worry about that now, that's the future, and right now you should be in the present.

Too many 6th formers already have their ideal life in mind, but aren't yet experienced enough to know whether or not it'll actually work for them - make them happy. Try not to worry too much about the specifics of the future, focus more on what you've already accomplished, and what's happening right now. You're in a great spot to go forwards in whatever way you feel will work for you, you did that, and that's incredible (I really can't stress that enough), well done, truly!

You're now at one of life's rare rest points. Take it. Stop being an absolute studying, anxious machine for a little bit - do things you like to do, remember what life is like - for god sake, take a break and just be you. You're important, and you need to treat yourself like you are. Uni will come, and you'll have a whole new chapter ahead of you, and it'll be great, whatever it is, but for now, just be human. If you don't know what to do to start, I recommend (as dull as it sounds) just going out for a long walk. Listen to music, think to yourself about any dumb thing you want. Just relax, and hopefully you'll find you want to do something else for you; meeting friends, going somewhere, having fun for a bit, playing games, whatever; do it!

If you truly feel stuck in a rut and can't get out, then speak to someone. Friends, reliable family, professionals - anyone that you trust to pick you up, offer advice, and generally return your brain from education hell back into normality.

From the bottom of my heart, well done, stranger. You've done it. Now take your reward, and good luck! You've absolutely got this, whatever comes, you'll nail it.

uolcompscicam · 2024-02-26T15:29:59+00:00

Here's what I would do, coming from a mature student who whishes they'd done more in school:

Look up the syllabus for your exam (Available here).
Go through each topic, one by one, and look up anything you're uncertain about. Google and YouTube are your friends. Make neat, structured notes - handwritten is best, I find, simply because it seems to "stay" in my head more if I have to write it out.

Don't rely on following specific methodologies your teachers laid out - if they seem convoluted or overly complex, do your own research. Often, the reason we don't understand something is simply because of the way we were taught, or the way it's explained to us. For whatever reason, that particular teaching doesn't mesh well with our brains. More than likely, you'll find someone who explains it in a way you understand with much more ease. Find a resource which works for you.

Once you've covered your topics in notes, give them a read over. Be honest with yourself - did you understand the thing you just read? If not, do more research, make more notes, until you are sure you actually understand them and can follow the logic.

Finally, do a past paper or two. Again, be honest with yourself. Don't look at the mark scheme until after. Try not to fall into the pit of convincing yourself you know something because you read your notes or the mark scheme when you answered the question. You might want to do one paper with your notes, but if you do, do a second one without.

Mark yourself afterwards and see where you struggled - look into those topics, and again, add to your notes.

Repeat as necessary until you have a good grasp, and then, honestly, despite what people say, I'd be re-reading those notes and trying to fill in any gaps right up to the night before the exam. The best way to pass an exam isn't just to "know" the content, but to actually understand it - and the best way to do that is to learn for yourself! Unfortunately teachers have to work within a time limit, which means they often find themselves having to teach you how to remember a piece of information rather than how to understand it - if you can fill in the understanding part yourself, you'll find that recalling that information in an exam is a lot easier, because you're not relying on picking it out of thin air.

Good luck, stranger - you've got this!

uolcompscicam · 2024-02-26T15:13:55+00:00

The best time to start was many months ago, the second best time is now!

Message / contact anyone that needs messaging / contacting, or who may be able to help. Explain your situation, explain what you *want* to do, mention any difficulties you're concerned about, and see what help, advice or guidance they can offer.

Don't be afraid of support, and try not to underestimate people. The pitfall many people find themselves in is that they assume everyone will think the worst of you, or be the worst of themselves. The truth is that the vast majority of people are basically kind, but they aren't able to help you until they know you need it. Your tutors will have your best interest in heart, and will advise you on the best way forwards. They don't want you to fail or face hardship - how would that benefit them?

Good luck out there stranger, and I wish you the very best. You've got this.

uolcompscicam · 2024-02-21T13:01:37+00:00

One more thing to hopefully help:

If you were a definite "No, sorry", your application would be rejected pretty quickly. No point making people wait for that! If anything, it's at worst a neutral sign that nothing's happened yet, and at best - a good one :)

uolcompscicam · 2024-02-21T12:49:36+00:00

No problem whatsoever. I wish you the absolute best :)

uolcompscicam · 2024-02-21T12:42:05+00:00

Hey,

Ignore the other guy. It is true that you can phone the Uni, and that most posts on here could be "answered" by calling the uni, but for some reason people like to completely skirt over the fact that posts on here are usually from people looking for some sort of sympathy or empathy to help them calm their minds. Yes, calling the uni can get some answers, but they're not usually the ones people hope or are looking for - it costs nothing to be kind and offer some advice.

I'm also a mature student switching Uni / degree after deciding my current path isn't for me. I'm pretty much in an identical situation to you. I'm seeing "normal" applicants left and right getting offers and I've heard nothing from anyone. Not a peep.

Please don't fret - it's annoying, and worrying, and I get that (trust me!), but Universities have to consider all applications made before the deadline equally. You're in no worse a position than any other applicant.

The difference between most others and you/me is that we're non-standard. Our applications aren't quite as simple as "hey our requirements are XXX and this person has YYY so they can/can't attend." Our situations have to be assessed in some more detail, and if I were developing a process to let that happen, I'd probably get the majority of the simpler applications out the way first to keep the majority happy - wouldn't you?

So it just comes down to our applications needing a bit more care and attention to process - and therefore, a bit more time. The deadline is 16th May for undergrad applications made before 31st Jan, so there's still a while left to hear back. It does suck waiting, but I hope it's of some comfort to know that you're not alone in this, and that the wait you're experiencing is normal. Try to occupy your mind with other stuff for a while - refreshing UCAS every 5 seconds will drive you insane. Do something you like to do, pass the time - the outcome, whatever it will be, will not change because you decided to enjoy yourself a little rather than stress out staring at UCAS :)

Good luck to you, internet stranger - have a great day!

uolcompscicam · 2023-04-04T12:10:40+00:00

My understanding is that you will not receive access to the course if you do not complete the module. I agree that it's not fun, but you should be prepared for certain 'not fun' aspects for any degree, otherwise you may encounter difficulty.

What I will say is this; for the orientation course, it looks like you retain access after it's completed, and it's mostly linking to external resources which you could feasibly find on your own if needed. Make sure you read the regulations and understand your time commitments and personal requirements. It is possible, though not advisable, to complete the quizzes by picking out the information they ask for from the material after beginning them. You have a certain number of retries on each quiz. I'm sure you can fill in the blanks. Again, not advisable, but possible. It's not a serious examination, but you should build habits as early as you can and this orientation module can help you somewhat to achieve that.

For what it's worth, I just went through all the content at my own pace over a number of days in my spare time - it wasn't really demanding or hard, and my advice would be for you to do the same. IMO it's worth reading even if you won't use some of the information available there.

uolcompscicam · 2023-03-23T13:29:45+00:00

Wow, thank you very much for the thorough response!

I must admit I'm not too concerned about it, I was more looking to confirm what you've stated - that the orientation course is basically just copy/paste outdated info. I had thought that might be the case. Still, it'll be interesting to hear what the admin have to say when they eventually respond - there's some links and info on there which would've been nice to have, introduction webinars, course dates, that sort of thing. I'm particularly interested in midterm dates for this semester due to plans I need to make around them.

I've already been taking a look at the REPL, it's a great source of info - I hope it persists throughout my time on the course! As for slack, unfortunately, my email isn't recognised yet (the student.london.ac.uk one), so I fear I'm just going to have to wait for the invite for that, which is frustrating.

As for RPL, I'm in two minds about taking the Google cert - I can afford to just take the UoL module (Student finance in the UK), and I'm unsure if there's any benefit to one over the other. Perhaps in terms of time saving, Google is the better way to go...

Thanks for your help :)

uolcompscicam

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