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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wish universities wouldn’t give out so many unconditional offers?

201 replies

LevelUp · 11/01/2019 17:35

Dd is in Year 13 and applying to university.

She’s reasonably bright but has never been super-academic or interested in school. She has decent but not stellar predicted grades and ok GCSEs. She probably could have done better if she’d worked harder.

She struggled to decide what course to apply for at university (she’s never been particularly devoted to any of her subjects - she’s not someone who would go away and do extra reading) but eventually settled on modern languages.

She sent off her application at the end of October - to unis along the lines of Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield etc.

Within a month she had heard back from all 5, with four making her unconditional-if-firm offers and one (probably the highest scoring in league tables of the 5) offering her a place for AAA or BBB if firmed.

I’m quite concerned that without the pressure of needing to get the grades to get her place, she isn’t going to have any great motivation to try in her A-levels this summer. She already didn’t do much work over the Christmas holiday.

AIBU for wishing universities would get rid of these bribing ‘unconditional-if-firm’ offers? If they need to get bums on seats, could they not just be lenient on Results Day and let in students who miss their offers?

I also don’t really understand why they’d be happy to take her even if she bombed in her A-levels - as long as they were her firm choice - but they might end up refusing to take her if it was her insurance choice and she only missed the offer by one grade. If they’re so keen on her application that they want her whatever her A-levels then why doesn’t that hold true if they’re her insurance?

OP posts:
BlaaBlaaBlaa · 13/01/2019 12:27

south that means they will have an unconditional offer providing they make them their firm choice.

It's essentially bribery

justasking111 · 13/01/2019 12:27

Well we have gone against the grain here. I wonder if it depends on what course they are doing. His 5 applications have resulted in conditional offers. He was wanted for interview at three of them as well. Interestingly the northern unis wanted higher grades than the southern ones. So a student could avoid worry by applying at one of those I suppose.

Our local university having made lots of staff redundant in the admin. side last year. Are now dropping a whole department a science one at that. The unis are hurting I think. We are talking a red brick uni. here.

Propertywoe · 13/01/2019 12:54

The thing I do not like is that the unconditional offer in DS1 case came with information of a bursary and the option to get the cheapest accommodation. DS1 does not qualify for a bursary and he is leaving his offer to the last minute but if he did I could easily imagine him taking the unconditional offer just for financial reasons. The poorer the student taking a course when they could get the qualification for the conditional but the chance of the bursary is just too tempting.

Ragwort · 13/01/2019 13:22

Another question ... if you turn down an unconditional offer would it have any impact if you then applied for the same course through clearin? My DS has been offered an U-I-F place but he also has offers for his first and insurance choice (which quite frankly are ‘better’ universities). However if he doesn’t get into first choice or insurance can he still apply through clearing to the uni that made him the unconditional offer or might they ‘unofficially’ now not want him? Confused.

wrenika · 13/01/2019 13:55

I don't get the fuss? We've been given unconditional offers for years...and we're not falling down some pit of failure. I applied for uni 12 years ago (god I feel old) and got 4 unconditional offers. I think it took the pressure off and let me enjoy my final year at school. I did art portfolio (not entirely necessary but a fun subject), advanced higher tech studies, and crash higher graphic communication. I didn't need any of my subjects...I only did the crash higher because felt the topic would be useful. I still got a 1st class degree and a post grad specialism despite being somewhat lazy and casual in my final year of school. There's enough pressure on young folk approaching uni. Why would you make it harder by taking away unconditionals?

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 13/01/2019 14:01

ragwort he absolutely can apply through clearing even if he's turned down their unconditional offer. Universities can't afford to be petty ....we all know they're applying for 4 other institutions but can only choose one firm and one insurance.

KeyboardplayerXXX · 13/01/2019 14:28

My DD has an UiF to study English at Birmingham. Birmingham was always going to be her first choice so the UiF was the icing on the cake for her! She hasn't taken her foot of the gas with studying as she wants to achieve her predicted grades. Out of the five she applied to UEA and Birmingham gave UiF.
In her case, it's helped knowing that if something goes wrong in one of the exams it's not the end of the world...

Ragwort · 13/01/2019 14:29

Thanks Blaa, That makes sense. I know it’s my DS’s decision but hopefully he will accept the offer from the uni he really likes the best, even though he needs to work a lot harder to get the grades. Grin He has also been offered a small bursary if he accepts the U-I-F, fortunately it doesn’t need to be a major factor for him but I can see it would be tempting for students who may struggle financially.

Ragwort · 13/01/2019 14:31

That’s fantastic Key for your DD, Birmingham is a fab uni (DH went there); we went to an open day there but our DS didn’t even apply as I know the grades would be too high for him. Good luck to your DD.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 13/01/2019 14:36

ragwort you're welcome. Yeah the financial incentives attached to U I Fs bother me an awful lot.

DustyMaiden · 13/01/2019 14:41

I would have loved DS to get an unconditional offer, it would mean we could plan properly. He got offers with extra exams.

KeyboardplayerXXX · 13/01/2019 14:42

Than you Ragwort. Good luck to your DS too.

thereallifesaffy · 13/01/2019 17:43

Oooo and UEA, my old uni. When DC were in sixth form UEA was chucking out unconditionals like sweeties. They grumbled!

And one of their contemporaries who was offered an unconditional for English at Birmingham took her foot off the pedal dramatically. Shame for the school really bc she'd was expected to get A and A*s. And got Bs and Cs instead.

GeorgeTheHippo · 13/01/2019 18:04

Someone above said - IF it isn't Birmingham. Do they fill up so much with the UIFs that they don't take anyone in clearing, or who drops a grade, then?

DS might put them as his insurance, in which case the offer (as it will not be firmed) will be AAA. He has the same offer from Sheffield - if they are more likely to accept a dropped grade, he might be better with them as insurance.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 13/01/2019 18:07

George universities don't technically ' fill up' they can take as many students as they can fit it. Plus, there just aren't as many potential students around at the moment. There are lots of unfilled places.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 13/01/2019 18:10

*fit in

Biologifemini · 13/01/2019 18:13

I’d also point out to your kid that employers look at mediocre and crap A level grades.
Because of degree grade inflation it is tricky to sift through CVs. One way is to look at A level results. If they are bad then I move on.
Of course a few years after you graduate it doesn’t matter but all other things being equal I look at A levels. There are way too many 2:1s and I have worked with some hopeless firsts.

LoniceraJaponica · 13/01/2019 18:13

"I applied for uni 12 years ago (god I feel old)"

You are nobbut a slip of a girl wrenika . You must only be about 30. Also, you are referring to the Scottish education system which is significantly different to the English (and Welsh?) one.

"Why would you make it harder by taking away unconditionals?"

Because in the English A level system it encourages the students to take their foot off the pedal. There are lots of posts from teachers on here confirming this.

UsedtobeFeckless · 13/01/2019 19:27

DS is applying for a music degree and has been asked for two interview/auditions - both from new universities. If they are desperate for bums on seats why the interviews? It makes sense if you have tons of A* candidates fighting over your courses, but not really if you are going to take anyone that meets your offer ... Any one know why?

ShalomJackie · 13/01/2019 19:34

usedtobefeckless Music isn't offered everywhere so there are fewer places. It also requires an element of actual talent other than just academics which can be measured "on papeŕ" so to speak hence the need for interview/audition.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 13/01/2019 19:42

usedtobe because music is still highly competitive and performance based.

There are 'recruiting' and ' selecting' courses and universities. Recruiting courses/universities will generally offer places based on predicted grades and 'selecting' courses will Interview/audition and often ask for higher grades because they are oversubscribed.

Deadbudgie · 13/01/2019 19:46

I had no idea unconditional offers were a thing. What happened to university education being the preserve of the academically elite? Is it just crap univerties giving them out for crap degrees? If so is there any point accepting it? How long before employers start asking for this information to weed out people who took the easy route?

LoniceraJaponica · 13/01/2019 19:50

"How long before employers start asking for this information to weed out people who took the easy route?"

That is an interesting point, and a very good question.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 13/01/2019 19:51

It most definitely isn't crap universities offering them for crap degrees. I wide range are offering them as standard. It's an unsettling trend.