UCAS submitted, talk me through the rest!

[skyblue11]

So after much ado, UCAS submitted and less than 24 hours later 2 conditional offers through, she's over the moon as the first was her first choice however.....
Am I right in thinking after they all come through (or not) you only choose 1 firm and 1 insurance?
If you don't meet the conditions is it still possible that she could get a place on the same course of her firm choice through clearing? Or do you have to accept the insurance?

[Shente]

Yes you choose one firm and one insurance (usually one with lower grade requirements but occasionally people choose one with the same if they think it might be more lenient). If you get the grades you have to go to 1st choice so the second is a back up not an alternative if you change your mind. Unis will often accept students who are near misses with their grades and often will do this automatically without you asking but if you are a near miss and rejected you can ask to be reconsidered on results day. You are unlikely to be offered a place on the same course through clearing if you are rejected when you ring up to discuss the place as the same admissions tutor is likely to be looking at both cases.

[skyblue11]

Ah, bit of a quandary then as she needs 1B and 300 points and she's predicted CCC but if she just gets CCC then her points (with AS and others which they are accepting) come to 295 but without the B would it be pointless? I suppose all unis are different......

[Shente]

Yes they are all different, you could contact them and ask but I suspect it will depend on how many people do make the grade and how many spaces they need to fill. Give it a go though as you still have insurance as back up and 295 points is very close. Also there is (presumably)no reason she can't work hard and improve on her predicted grades. It will give her an incentive to do her best. Get her to talk to her teachers about what she could do to improve and target one subject she thinks is her most realistic chance.

[skyblue11]

Thanks shente she is already retaking psychology (which was a D) and the biology practical (D) so she has lots of ground to catch up on already, fingers crossed though, I think she should contact them directly to ask about the 295.
Her insurance just needs 240 but to be honest it isn't ideal at all, some don't take the extra point she has in hand so it's difficult to put them as insurances.
Already the accommodation team have been calling asking if she wants to book a place, OK as it's refundable (£250) if you don't get the grades, just so many T & C's connected to getting it back, plus it another cash sum upfront for the next 2 years you effectively 'lose' I am dreading the financial impact going to uni will have on us all, but it's something she wants to so so we'll support her.

[Shente]

Good luck with it, I know how stressful this time is. If she contacts the uni get her to do it herself (even if you write the email it should be 'from' her). They will want to see someone independent who can engage for herself and a good impression at this stage could help her later on.

[rightsaidfrederick]

You choose one firm choice and one insurance choice.

The insurance should have lower entry requirements than the firm choice (otherwise there's bugger all point in having it), but it should still be a uni that she would be happy to go to if she missed her firm choice.

If she missed the grades for her firm choice, then they may choose to take her, but they may not - it's their decision. However, this doesn't involve going through Clearing - the decision's usually made a few days before results are released to students.

If she misses the grades for her firm choice but gets the grades at her insurance choice, she has a place at her insurance. She could ask to be released into Clearing, but this can be a long-winded faff.

If she misses the grades for both her firm and insurance, and neither decide to take her anyway, then she will be in Clearing.

If she gets the grades for her firm choice, then she cannot decide on results day to change to her insurance choice - the offer evaporates (at that point, the options are going to her firm or going through Clearing).

[skyblue11]

rightsaid thank you very much for putting this succinctly, trouble is though I am sure she'd be OK for the insurance at 240 points I think she would be better not bothering!

[rightsaidfrederick]

If she would prefer to either

• try and find somewhere else in Clearing (far from guaranteed) or
• take a gap year and reapply

in the event that she missed her firm offer, then not putting down an insurance choice would be a rational choice.

It has to be her decision though - otherwise if you try to stop her going then she'll probably feel resentful for a long time to come.

[secretscwirrels]

Can I ask a question about halls please? If they miss the firm choice but make the insurance, can they still get accommodation at the insurance uni?

[MrsBright]

Some Unis (not all) use the 'guaranteed place in Halls' promise as essentially a bribe to get kids to go Firm with them. Obviously if they eventually go to their Insurance there isnt the same guarantee - but most kids still get some sort of Uni accom even if are an Insurance applicant, it just wont be 'first pick'. All Unis go full out to help 1st years find accom. - your child certainly wont be in anyway devoid of help if they do go to their Insurance.

[MrsBright]

PS. There is a really good website called Student Room which has message boards and info articles about every aspect of UCAS & applying to Uni. Highly recommended for any Year 13s getting to grips with all this 'UCAS stuff'.