Ucas / Results 2014 (carrying on Ucas Forms Sent.... thread)

[Littleham]

Thought we might need a new thread for the results...

[Littleham]

Will put my last post here again in the hope you all find it.

Slightly confused, as the table says AAC. Am I reading it wrong?

www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/data/2013/201415exemptlist2/exemptions_list_201415.pdf

[titchy]

No you're not reading it wrong - AAC is without a shadow of a doubt outside the numbers cap

[lalsy]

Littleham, I would have read it the same as you - the rubric above says "Below is the complete list qualifications that are exempt from the student number control" and AAC is on that list. What does it mean then?

dd, with one subject left, is lying in the garden reading, saying there is not that much to do....gulp.

[titchy]

It means universities can recruit as many students as they like that have the qualifications on the list. They are only limited as to how many they can recruit whose quals are lower. (Note there will be no recruitment cap at all from September 2015.)

[hattymattie]

Hello Lalsy - My DD has also told me she knows everything and so seems rather less stressed that I expect her to be (and than I am).

Thanks for starting new thread Littleham. With the French Bac we will have the results by 4th July. Gulp!

[lalsy]

Ah, sorry titchy - it was your post I read wrong, I read inside .

HM, absolutely, have just snapped at her over trivial things as finding not saying anything impossible.

[HesGotStyleAGrooveyStyle]

Just to correct a mistake on my last post in the other thread.

I meant to say I was surprised that A A plus an A at AS was outside the numbers cap.

[uninovice]

Errrm, what is a recruitment cap, how does it work?

[Isthiscorrect]

Thanks Littleham for the new thread. Interesting reading about the cap. Not sure I really understand how it works. I think I need another look.

[creamteas]

The student number controls were set up originally by government to limit the costs of university places. Rather than an absolute requirement, they allowed the government to fine universities if they took on too many students.

When government funding was largely taken away and students asked to pay £9,000, this was supposed to be part of a bigger package of measures in making universities function as a market. But it was felt that removing the number controls completely was too financially risky, so they only did it for the top grades (AAB first, now ABB). There was always a bit of flexibility as to what qualified (eg AAC, BTEC etc).

This means that if you get those grades, there are no potential fines, so universities can recruit as many students as they want too and/or have room for. If you get below ABB, there is a set number of places that can be offered without a fine (this bit is at an institutional level, so over or under recruitment can be shifted across depts).

To be honest, the way we handle admissions is pretty uncertain from a university perspective. I have to estimate how many people that I offer to will make us their firm, what % of predicted grades will be correct or above, and how many other institutions will accept/reject places where we are the insurance.

On past estimates about 25% of people I offer places to will make us firm and get their grades. So I have to make 400 offers to fill 100 places. These offers are all legally binding, and if they all came, we would be in serious trouble.

So the extent to which universities can be flexible depends on the successes and failures collectively of the people that have applied.

There is also a lot more flexibility in classroom based courses than lab-based ones. It is much easier to put some extra chairs in a lecture theatre or increase seminars by 1 or 2 students than create extra bench spaces (much cheaper as well!).

So generally speaking if you get AAC rather than ABB on a classroom based course, you are likely to be accepted. If lab-based, probably, assuming they don't have too many other applicants getting top grades.

If you have an ABB (or above) offer and you drop to BBB, you might be in a worse position than if you were made a BBB offer. Universities that don't have many controlled places have to take those they offered BBB to, but can reject those who missed the grade.

[uninovice]

Wow creamteas, I had no idea about that! Very interesting, thank you.

[Isthiscorrect]

Thanks creamteas. That helps explain a lot. Trying not to think about DS (as I guess most other upcoming uni parents are). What will be will be etc.

[BackforGood]

Thanks for the PM Littleham and thanks for the explanation Cream Teas.

Sadly, as ever, my ds is very relaxed about the whole A-level taking situation still. He's got 3 left I think.

[Littleham]

Thanks Cream teas. That's the best explanation I've seen. As dd1 has a classroom based course, we may be able to find something then (as long as it isn't too disastrous). Does an EPQ count for anything (in the same way as an AS level)?

[HesGotStyleAGrooveyStyle]

CreamTeas. I am curious about your views on Uni's offering an alternative course on results day to the ones students applied. I think it's called a Changed Course Offer My son was very over optimistic with his first choice Uni which required an A* which he didn't get. On results day he received an offer from them for an unsuitable alternative course which meant a mad scramble trying to work out how to decline the offer and secure his insurance choice.
The same thing happened with two of his friends. One was bizarrely offered a joint English and history degree when they had applied for something completely different.
Do you think there has been an increase in this type of offer? Or is it just chance that it happened to three kids I know?
I have three kids in Uni at the moment so feel that I am quite clued up but even so we found it quite confusing when it happened.
Happily, my son is very happy at his 'insurance' Uni and now claims it is much better than his original first choice

[creamteas]

offering an alternative course

Where I work now we do offer alternatives sometimes. They fall into one or two categories:

Single honours/joint honours - There can be different entry grades so if you miss one, you might be offered a place on the other.

Subject based - if you applied for maths but your maths A level was much lower than predicted, but you have done really well in History, you might be offered History, or something aligned to it (Politics).

The bottom line is that we need to fill our places, and if we think we have a potential match, we will make an offer. We always based these offers on the A levels subjects and results though.

It is also quite common for applicants who have declined, to ring up and ask what subject they can do with their grades as they have set their heart on coming to our university (we do turn these away though, we like students to at least have a vague interest in what they will be studying )

[BeckAndCall]

The only time I'd ever heard of an alternative course being offered is on application - so a rejection for the course applied for but an offer for something similar. So that's very interesting and helpful ( stores away in brain cells til audugst in cae it's useful)

groovey - another HKF fan I take it? Only a few of us on here old enough to remember I'm guessing? I know all the words...........

[HesGotStyleAGrooveyStyle]

[BeckAndCall]

Thank you for that groovey. I'm singing it in my head now in that American drawl-ey style. And doing all the Kung fu moves at the same time.....

[yourlittlesecret]

Hi all.
Well the exams are well under way and I'm sure all of our DC are working their socks off. Whether they are hoping for A*s or Cs the pressure is the same.
We are all hoping they make their first choice and dreading that they don't even make their insurance.
I am hoping for a little respite in the stress in this house after DS's last exam on 27th June and then we will have the countdown to August........

[Littleham]

My second daughter has just visited Exeter Uni and is thinking about her personal statement. Here we go again....

[ISingSoprano]

Re: offering an alternative course

ds missed his grades last year - not by much but enough to miss his offer. On results day there was no update from his 'firm' on Tracker so, as instructed at his interview he phoned the university. The department were clearly waiting for his call as they knew exactly who he was and within minutes he had an email offering him a place on a very similar course. It has all worked out brilliantly for him - he loves his course, is doing well and has no regrets.

[hattymattie]

ISing - that is a great and reassuring story.

Littleham - I have a year breather before DD2 - I'll be a dab hand at this uni thing by the time I get to DS.

[Littleham]

Where do I find the list of courses in clearing last year? Can't seem to locate one anywhere. Appreciate that things change from year to year, but it might give me some idea. I'd particularly like to see what grades they were asking for languages. May as well get prepared early.

Not sure I will ever be a dab hand with this university stuff hattymattie - more likely to be on valium.

Second chemistry teacher going at school.....starting to see tumbleweed!

[hattymattie]

Littleham . Is there not something on The Student Room?