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+-- Forum: Applying to university (https://www.studentdiscussion.co.uk/forum-24.html)
+--- Forum: UCAS Forms & Personal Statements (https://www.studentdiscussion.co.uk/forum-2.html)
+--- Thread: is it ok to use abbreviations? (/thread-1078.html)
is it ok to use abbreviations? - Guest - 08/09/2006
im having trouble getting my statement down to size and i know it wont make a lot of difference but for example, when mentioning sixth form - would 6th form be acceptable? and rather than putting advanced extension award, would universities know what the AEA (advanced extension award - an extra exam taken in subjects to help differentiate between A grade students, although it isn't offered in all schools, it might make a difference) is? or should i put it? but thats so many characters argh! im not asking to put eng lit instead of english literature....
or perhaps i just need to rejiggle my entire statement. that's probably the case and perhaps i need to talk to a teacher or someone about that. but would abbreviations like the ones mentioned above make much difference?
RE: is it ok to use abbreviations? - ijakings - 09/09/2006
How much do you need to cut? If you're talking about 30 characters or so you might be able to do it by using some abbreviations.
AEA would be fine - all admissions tutors will know what they are so there's no need to explain. Also as a qualification there's no need to include it in the statement - if you feel there's more to say about it than just you taking the exam get it put in your reference.
As for 6th form - you're not saving that many characters so unless you're having a problem on that specific line I wouldn't bother changing it.
Give us a bit more information as to how much over you are (put it in Apply and see exactly what it says) and we might be able to help a bit more.
RE: is it ok to use abbreviations? - carmelmarie - 09/09/2006
thank you again. i didn't realise there was space to put aea elsewhere i missed seeing it on the ucas website but i do see it now. the tutor referree is also a better idea than taking up loads of room in my statement which probably isn't meant to be about that. im needing to cut probably more like 200 characters actually, but i was thinking that abbreviations in some areas might just take the edge off the amount of what i had to cut.
by the way - i dont suppose you know, when you put music qualifications in i have private tuition and dont know the centre name or numbe. i read somewhere its ok to leave it blank, but theres a frightening exclamation mark saying unfinished next to it now. can i leave it at that or not?