How to use the BridgeU Reference Writing Tool

For UK (UCAS) applications, the reference letter is often the part of a student’s university application where admissions officers start to really understand the full extent of a student’s academic achievements, participation and value in and outside the classroom. A good reference can be invaluable for students, which is why we built a reference letter tool specifically designed to facilitate communication with other members of staff for university advisors, and assist report writers in the reference writing process.

Who Can Use the Reference Tool?

  1. The school administrator (usually Head of Sixth or University Advisor) – they see all contributions and finalise the reference before submitting it through UCAS.
  2. Teachers (as report writers) – they see student information and can post a report that will go into the combined reference.

How to add a Report Writer

University advisors can choose to add other members of staff to contribute to a reference letter by clicking on ‘Add Report Writer’ on the right hand side. University advisors can add anyone to the reference letter here — not just people who have BridgeU accounts. This means that where personal references are sought from coaches, parents or even friends (as some universities require), it will be just as easy for the university advisor to incorporate their perspectives.

How to write a report

After the university advisor adds an email address to the reference letter section, the person in question will receive an email inviting him or her to write a report for the student. To accept and begin writing the report, report writers can click on ‘Write The Report.’  

The report writer will be led to the student’s reference letter report, where he or she can begin writing the report itself in the allocated space. Important information about the student and his or her application is listed on the right hand side. This information will help the report writer remember the student and jog his or her memory, resulting in an accurate and thorough reference for the student.

Sending The Report To The Advisor

Once finished, the report writer can send the report to the advisor. The advisor will automatically be notified that a new report is available for a student and the report automatically shows up in the student’s reference letter. On the right hand side, the advisor can see a summary of the student’s application, as well as an overview of the reports to be included in the reference letter.

Subscribe to Our Blog

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *