Getting around the UCAS criteria online application

by Mr Happy on 12 September 2012 10:19

Hi,

Graduated this year.

Need tips on how to get round the UCAS points for online applications.
I'm a mature student left college at 17 after doing my B-TEC then worked so no UCAS.

I got a 1st, this is not a boast just to show I have no A-levels but I must have a brain sort of.

I been told I have a good skill set and CV just this criteria is stopping me hitting graduate schemes. So currently I'm forced to apply for Junior role so competing against experienced candidates. The suitable for graduate roles in the field I'm looking at, always ask for 1-3 years commercial experience. I still apply for them.

by matthew on 14 September 2012 15:03

There is no way around it, some graduate schemes us an auto rejection software and what that does is that if you don’t meet the entry criteria the system will auto reject you, i have had experience of these. Graduate schemes also look at your GCSE’s for the entry criteria, there is some I know who has O-levels, and when they speak to the graduate scheme HR people they say “not GCSE’s or A-levels you’re not going to get in” UCAS points and GCSE’s are just used as a way to filter the amount of applications that a company has to look at, it is nothing personal just too many graduates coming out of universities and employers can pick the cream of the crop.

by Mr Happy on 15 September 2012 11:37

Thanks Matthew.

Just was looking for away past the automaton in HR.

I'll just have to see it as their loss, not mine. Must admit I find it annoying as it totally cuts out an opportunity, worked hard, got a 1st but as I did no A-levels I have no value. Have commercial experience of:
Presenting & Report writing
Working on Projects
Business analysis
KPI/OPI/BI Reporting

The reason I had to go to university was that HR in companies find it hard to understand transferable skills into a new sector. A lot of replies I was getting was you have great experience but you haven't worked in this sector..

So my 3 years of rebranding seems not worth it.

by Paul on 18 September 2012 09:29

I suppose you could try ringing up the HR department and explaining your situation, I don't know how successful this would be but it could be worth a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that. Also some application forms have a section for extenuating circumstances, might be worth filling that out?

The automation can be a right pain at times. A friend of mine was applying for a job that required a B grade in GCSE Maths, now he only got a C but then went on to study it at A Level, got an A and then studied Maths for his degree and got a 2.1. Despite this the HR department said they couldn't let him apply because of his GCSE result. I suppose with so many people applying for these jobs they can pretty much do what they want...

by matthew on 18 September 2012 19:53

@Mr Happy
have a look at other countries like Australia and Canada and see if your skills can be used their, on your “rebranding” look in a year’s time if your degree is worth it.

@Paul
I rung some of the HR departments and to quote a member of a HR department for a graduate scheme “there are that many graduates coming out of universities, we don’t have to move the goal posts i.e. entry criteria to accommodate graduates who got less than the entry criteria”
When you look at the quote when I first heard it I thought that’s a bit harsh but after looking back there person was right, there are so many unemployed graduates you can be extremely picky on who you choose.

by James on 18 October 2012 20:29

Hi,

To make it clear, most qualifications do have a UCAS tariff, including BTECS. These can therefore be used to fulfil UCAS points requirements. Check out UCASs websites.

James

by chris on 17 February 2013 16:32

I am intrigued by this question and I am currently in the same boat. I no choice but to leave school at 16 and find employment, I come from a poor background (financially). I worked in factories all my working life, specifically in the printing industry.

Aftre many years of being made redundant again and again as the printing companies went down the tubes, I decided to try and get some qualifications to try a get a better job.

I started with a City and Guilds Programming in Pascal, the following years I did 2 City and Guilds, next 2 years I did and HNC, then Diploma in Computing from the OU, finally I did a DipHE at Glamorgan university and topped that up and got a 2:1 Bsc Hons degree.

Where did that get me? Nowhere. No UCAS points, no job, but then again, I feel ageism is playing a huge part.

Any advice people? Any sensible response appreciated.

by Lovely on 19 February 2013 12:07

I believe some of your diplomas are equivalent to A levels. So when you apply there is a section which always ask for A level equivalents and you can put the subjects on your diplomas. Your degree was not a west of time. The University that accepted you knew that you had attained A level equivalent subjects on your diploma level. To be honest Universities know better than companies when it come to levels of education so it is up to you to explain to those companies that you are applying to. After all it is all about selling yourself.