University Choices

[zbrastripesh]

Hi guys,

My daughter is struggling to pick uni choices. She's sure on her first choice (University of Manchester - AAB). However, she's debating put an insurance choice as her insurance choice would be Heriot-watt (BBB). She does love the uni but is unsure because she might end up with ABB. We've narrowed it down and her options are as follows:

• Firm Manchester with Heriot-watt as insurance (is it likely that they could release her on results day meaning she could find a better place in clearing?)
  
• Firm Manchester with no insurance so if she does get ABB she can find a place better than Heriot-watt (although this is risky as she could get lower than BBB)
  

Is it worth putting an insurance and trying to get released on results day (obviously after looking at what's being offered in clearing the night before)?

Thanks.

[bojorojo]

Does she not have any other offers? If she does not really want to go to HW, then don't insure it. She would be in clearing then anyway. I know quite a lot of people who insured universities that, in the cold light of day, they did not actually want to go to. Better to be happy with a choice than thinking you should have gone somewhere else.

[Spoilt4choice]

I'd go with option B - it seems to open more options. Did she only apply to Manchester & Hw?

[2rebecca]

Heriot-Watt has a very good reputation for many things. It would have been my son's second choice. if she doesn't fancy it then no point putting it as insurance though. She must have liked it when she chose her unis though. Is it just because they've given her a low offer that she's gone off it?

[Headofthehive55]

If she doesn't want it then don't choose it. However she may be grateful of it come the day...

Predictions are usually if anything on the high side.

[bojorojo]

I think, 2rebecca, that schools advise young peope about where they may get an insurance offer, and then the young person decides that will do because there will be other offers. I know loads who never visited the insurance offer, although the OP says her DD loves HW. They only went to the universities they really wanted to go to. When the offers came in, the universities they really wanted were at the same level, except one, so that had to be the inusrance. They did not really want it though. Not everyone gets a full range of offers or chooses universities with the diligence of MN families. HW can be low down in some league tables and is not seen in the same light as Edinburgh for some subjects. Also some people go off the idea of being so far away from home - again in the cold light of day.

[homebythesea]

My DS decided not to have an insurance because the only place that offered lower than 3 of his choices (which made the same offer- the 4th was apirational and he didn't like it anyway) he decided he didn't want to go to come what may. So we have plan A which is get the grades, plan B just miss and get the place anyway, or plan C clearing or gap year. Everything I read about insurance places led me to understand that being released on results day might turn into a massive hassle and delay entering clearing. If the student really can't see themselves at the insurance place I don't see the benefit of choosing it.

[dreamingofsun]

my DS has done similar to homebythesea, - his insurance wants the same grades as his first choice so in all likelihood is irrelevant. he too decided he would rather go through clearing if he didn't get grades rather than put somewhere he didn't want.

my other son got released from his 2nd option and managed to get a better one.....but that was the last year before tuition fees went up, so it was absolute total chaos and very stressful. Plus the releasing uni were oversubscribed anyway and he got an A in his chosen subject .....ie there are a lot of variables and he was lucky

[Headofthehive55]

Having a insurance the same as a firm can work out....my DD was in that position and was rejected by firm and taken by insurance. She wouldn't have got in there by clearing either as they asked for higher grades than she had.

[bojorojo]

I think we know some universities ask for high grades and then do not get enough students with the higher grades so then take lower grades to fill the course. No-one knows where they stand before results day though and guessing what may happen is impossible.

If you think the inusrance offer is too low, OP, then the insurance offer is not worth hanging onto. If you like your firm and insurance, irrespective of the grades required, and you will be happy at either come results day, then hang onto both. With such a discrepancy of grades, it seems to imply that HW is a recruiting university for this course and is not competing to get the best students. The grades required would be much higher if it was selecting. What is the subject? Are there likely to be lots of universities in clearing for this course if she misses Manchester?

[dreamingofsun]

a few threads back someone posted a site that showed the actual grades of students getting onto courses. quite interesting reading - in our case it suggests that DS's first choice (also manchester) is likely to be more flexible than his second choice (both asking same grades at this stage)

[bojorojo]

When attending an offer day at Manchester a few years back, DD was told the grades would be very flexible!! Basically ot bothered abut the 3rd A level. Just depends on the course and the lack of good applicants!

[dreamingofsun]

can i ask what the subject was bojo?

[homebythesea]

I'm hoping that by offering DS a place on a relatively small course (about 90 students in each year) and the fact that he went to the offer day and schmoozed a couple of lecturers will stand him in good stead should he miss his offer perhaps delusional but it's keeping me sane

[bojorojo]

French and Italian, dreaming. They just wanted good grades in French and Italian. Linguists are in short supply!

[dreamingofsun]

thats a shame bojo - not at all related to my DS's subject...

[bojorojo]

I think lots of universites are chasing the same good students in some subjects. MFL applicants are dropping - unlike some other subjets which remain hugely competitive.

[zbrastripesh]

she applied to others but those are the only ones she'd consider

[zbrastripesh]

Thanks for the advice. She's applied to business/management at both universities. Her course at Manchester went into clearing last year and the year before, but I'm not sure about HW. While she has the option of being released on results day (although it does seem to be a hassle), is it worth the risk of being left without a place altogether?