Referees

marxcoo

I am in the (slow) process of filling out application forms for Masters courses next year. The hideous task of getting reference forms filled out is upon me now. I graduated over three years ago and feel a bit doubtful that any of my lecturers remember my name let alone my personal characteristics. Also the reference forms seem to be really targeted towards a university referee rather than a previous employer. Anybody else encounter these problems??

moretothegirl

marxcoo wrote: »

I am in the (slow) process of filling out application forms for Masters courses next year. The hideous task of getting reference forms filled out is upon me now. I graduated over three years ago and feel a bit doubtful that any of my lecturers remember my name let alone my personal characteristics. Also the reference forms seem to be really targeted towards a university referee rather than a previous employer. Anybody else encounter these problems??

yeah i no what you mean. i suggest you contact the university and tell them u graduated 3 years ago and ask can you give employment referees instead. if so just get a reference from work, signed sealed headed paper etc. and just send that in instead of the forms they asked for. you could also check with them to see if thats ok

graduate

If your results speak for themselves they may waive the need for references in any case. References really come into play when results are marginal.

marxcoo

thanks for the feedback. The Universities I am applying to seem pretty adament that one reference must be from your third level institution and one must be from a previous employer. I will contact them though and see what they can do.

DCU student

If I were you I'd email one of your old lecturers (maybe the head of your course?) and ask for the reference. I imagine that if the lecturer doesn't remember you he'll just look up your results and write a standard reference based on that.

There is certainly no harm in asking.

Roro4Brit

Don't worry I had similar problems. I did my undergrad in UCD and i kid you not when I say that I never had a one on one conversation with any of my lectureres in my three years there....and issues I had I dealt with the ladies in the school admin office......

Anyways I emailed two of my lecturers and just gave them my details and they sent 2 letters directly to the college I was applying for masters in. Never got to see them but I'm sure it was just some generic bull....

Either way it worked. I'm pretty sure all references are standardized now so it will be a matter of cut & paste your name and results so you will have no bother with it!
Good luck!

Cannibal Ox

marxcoo wrote:

thanks for the feedback. The Universities I am applying to seem pretty adament that one reference must be from your third level institution and one must be from a previous employer. I will contact them though and see what they can do.

E-mail a lecturer whose course you got good grades in. Tell them what marks you got in your undergrad, the college your applying to, the course, why your applying to it, and any work experience you might have in the area. If you can, send them a CV too.

If they passed you, and gave you a decent grade, then they were certifying that you're capable in what ever subject you got the marks in. So, technically, they should give you a reference because they've already said your competent in the area by giving you those grades.

I was in the same situation last year, and to be honest I think the referee I didn't know gave me a better reference, and was quicker about giving it, then the one I did. You shouldn't have a problem with it, just give yourself plenty of time to get them.

petethebrick

I went to UCD and never really had any relationship with any of my lecturers.
I contacted two of them for refernces 5 years after leaving there and they were more than happy to help me out.