Question by Michael: Worried about qualifications and uni?
I dropped out of school after failing my GSCE exams. I never revised for an exam because I just didn’t care, parents were going through a divorce at the time and all this family trouble.
I took a year off doing work and then I went to college, I did an intro to TV course so I could get a place on the HNC TV course (because I don’t have qualifications)
When I got on to my HNC I worked hard and I gained an unconditional to my HND course (present time) I’m the top student, I was the highest recommended A student to the Ministry of Defence and ended up becoming a project manager / director while doing a project with them. anyway, it’s been solid work with the MOD and college since August, I try to one up myself on projects, I’ve done work with firearms in public places and had police support, I’ve got a lot of support from locations, I’ve managed to get Churchs, shops, ice rinks, bars, graveyards, etc. Where as other people use their homes or a friends house for filming. Last project was an advert where I hired out a massive church and directed about 20 actors (not friends, people that actually want to act for a living.. I managed to build a pretty big network of actors). I’m doing a sports documentary now and I managed to get access to film my cities professional hockey team.
I like raising the bar of work but I hate the unsure feeling of diving in the deep end. Anyway, out of college I spent over £2,000 on it since October on camera equipment and I’ve done work in 3D, read a whole heap of film making books, done extensive colour artist work and visual FX..
I’m everyones go-to-guy for info, camera or VFX but I have this dread of filling in my UCAS form for Uni… Writing in my qualifications kills me because the only real ones that I have are from this year and last. (I’m not even sure what my qualifications from last year are because the SQA hasn’t sent them out the results (they were supposed to do this months ago) I know I got an A for my graded unit though)
My showreel’s packed full of good videos some cultured, I’ve a big fan of Iranian cinema and the people protesting in Iran, (actually taking Farsi lessons lol) I’ve done videos on cultural things like that. I’m working on more.
I mean my main worry is the Universities looking over my application and just think it’s all bullshit because I have no good qualifications prior my course (my tutor tells me everyone just bullshits on their CVs and applications) Which kind of sucks because the mass amount of work I’ve put in isn’t bullshit.
I have completely changed since I was 16 and dropping out of school. Don’t know what to put on the application though, my exam results from back then are like C’s, D’s and E’s
Do you know if the first thing they look at is your personal statement or the qualifications you have?
Or do they read the reference first.. It’s probably worth mentioning that my tutor hates me, so I donno how my reference will workout.. I refuse to kiss his ass, he’s too egotistical and he tries to powerplay me ever since I elaborated on things he said during a class about directing actors (I read Judith Westons book on directing actors) I wasn’t powerplaying him, I was just sharing info.. He’s taken it the wrong way though and I constantly get singled out in class and he calls me a gimp and a twat lol It doesn’t bother me too much, he can do what he wants.. The reference worries me a little though (but he usually plays by the rules, he ALWAYS wants us to stay legal when making films)
I donno, would appreciate a heads up what the best way to go about this UCAS thing is
Best answer:
Answer by Manxy
Hi there, first things first, try not to worry too much.
Have you written your Personal Statement yet? Have you placed emphasis on how you’ve changed in this? Have you got predicted grades yet for your upcoming exams?
Each University will be different in what they look at first, and I’m sorry to say some will look at your grades and just put you in the reject file but some will take the time to look through it all. You need to choose your universities wisely, there is no generic way that they will all do this first, and this second and this last, although you can normally tell by looking at their standings in league tables.
The UCAS application process is stressful, and it’s getting harder, but as long as you can sell yourself well to the admissions tutor then they will most likely offer you a conditional offer.
Best of luck for the future and hope this has helped at least a little bit.
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