A Technology consulting firm require 26 ucas points and I have 24.Given that I studied computer science at a top 10 university, do you think I could still apply?The company havent responded to e-mails and I dont want to waste time and effort on an application that fails at the first hurdle.Any advice would be appreciated.PS I didnt have any illness or anything to explain why I didnt get 26 ucas points

If they aren't responding to email, why not lift the phone and speak to someone on the Grad Recruitment team? They'll be able to advise you, and answer any other questions you have about the process. The focus on UCAS points is not exactly a valid indictor of future performance, so I am always a bit nervous around the firms that use it as a screening method.

I would just apply - the HR people you are trying to contact are probably the normal donkeys.I work at a Big 5 - the HR lot once sent all the rejection letters to the successful candidates and Vice Versa. If they are any good, they will look beyond the 24 points to see the person and skills behind a slight miss on your part.Good Luck

RecruitGal may well have inadvertedly hit the nail on the head in mentioning a "screening" method. With hundreds of well-qualified candidates with good degrees to choose from, it's not that surprising that they might choose criteria such as this as one means of cutting down that pile of forms to a more manageable size. After all, all other things being equal, why not use A-Levels as an indicator? If nothing else, it might be considered evidence of consistency. As for whether it will count against you in this case, who knows? 24 points not all that good these days tho and wouldn't get you in to most courses at most top universities TBH.

Im afraid im a student and i couldnt disagree with you more. There has to be a cut off point and without sounding arrogant 24 points is at best average. What about Joe Bloggs who gets 22points, could he argue the same point. If mechanisms are not in place then grad recruiters as they all ready are become swamped and burdend with applications from people who not competent enought to do the job. That saying there will always be people with exceptional circumstances that may indeed have just cause. 26 points isnt a man mountain to get and i believe is a respectable figure. Why not if you have a 2i and not the required UCAS points dry and demonstrate your skills elsewhere, or perhaps if affordable undertake a masters degree?Best of luck with your applications however. I believe in destiny and if its meant to be, it will be!

Disagree. 24 points isnt at all bad (depending on your a-lev subjects)...its 3 B's.Also - depends on which courses you want - is its an arts or humanties course, they are over subscribed so points requirements are higher!

As you already know i disagree with MS. 24 points wouldnt even allow you to complete some application forms for consulting firms. 24 points is no great achievement but it depends on what you are comparing yuorself against. With 24 points you can forget about the established strat firm etc. In todays competitive market 3B's is seen as nothin outstanding. Sorry

Let's settle this once and for all. 24 points is - indisputably -NOT a good score. This would not get you in to many courses at a Russell Group university. It would NOT place you very high in your cohort. I'd be surprised if that's even an upper quartile score. With 20% of grades being "A" these days, why should they bother looking at you?

I have just been offered a place with Accenture.To RG: I raise my middle finger.To the rest: So long, suckers!!

Jim, really no need for the agressive image. As you see from my oringinale thread i agree with RG, but i did say their are exceptions but generally 24 is not a great score. That said id like to congratulate you on securing a position at Accenture. I hope you pass on your experience to others in the same boat to give them hope. All the best. p.s. what position did you get at Accenture... NATP? S&BA? regards

in relation to the topic: i never knew my Ucas points. i've been told that my marks from uni override it anyway (especially i got 1st!). but still some employers require ucas points. what do i do? my uni wasn't helpfull, does ucas keep 3 years old records? I actually applied after BSc in my home country and we don't have any A levels, so i don't hw to calculate it myself. Please advice...

Thanks.I originally applied for S&BA but have been accepeted on the NATP.Sorry, if I sounded harsh. I have never felt that UCAS points were that important but according to some people my life was over based on my UCAS points - RG in particular.I know that Accenture isnt that great to some, but to me it is like wining the lottery - especially as I have been unenployed for the last 6 months

I'm not so bad that I wouldn't congratulate you! Well done - hope it goes well. I would agree that recruiters should judge on more recent achievements but that just isn't always the case with fiercely competitive graduate recruiters. Accenture may take a more lenient view / make a more sophisticated judgement of your merits - a friend also recently got it with a not such a great degree (barest pass from Cambridge - ie not even a Third or something), again after a period on the "rock 'n' roll". Just as well it's not like McKinsey everywhere as there are certainly capable people who can do the job out there that haven't got the perfect paperwork.