Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I've been accepted by accident?

91 replies

lynkat · 24/08/2022 10:28

I am due to start a postgraduate course in a few weeks. I have enrolled and paid the fees etc and my status is showing as enrolled and I have my timetable through.

However, I did terribly at interview, really bad, hardly said a word and there was only a limited amount of spaces so I was really shocked to get a place.

Today I was emailing with the course leader (who did the interviews) and asked him to confirm something - he replied, 'Let me check with admissions as you are not on my list of people who had accepted a place and were eligible to enrol. Our system is probably just not keeping up with developments. Please check back with me on Friday.'

I am now really worried that I wasn’t actually accepted on to the course and this has been done in error. I’m also worried that even if he comes back to me and says everything is fine that I’m not actually deserving of a place on the course but they just accept me due to their mistake.

AIBU to read the email in that way?

OP posts:
bloomflower · 24/08/2022 10:30

I don't know OP! Sounds strange. At least if that is the case you have an inkling now so you can mentally prepare if anything does happen. Oh and if it does, if you need to make a complaint to the uni because that's really unacceptable!

OchonAgusOchonOh · 24/08/2022 10:34

If you have been offered a place, unless you don't meet the minimum criteria, they are highly unlikely to withdraw it even if it was an error. The fact they interviewed you presumably means you do meet the minimum requirements.

Even if it was an error, so what? You did badly at the interview but I assume that won't impact on your ability to complete the course. Also, the interview is only one factor in the application process. Maybe everything else was so good it overrode the poor interview.

Original poster
lynkat · 24/08/2022 10:36

OchonAgusOchonOh · 24/08/2022 10:34

If you have been offered a place, unless you don't meet the minimum criteria, they are highly unlikely to withdraw it even if it was an error. The fact they interviewed you presumably means you do meet the minimum requirements.

Even if it was an error, so what? You did badly at the interview but I assume that won't impact on your ability to complete the course. Also, the interview is only one factor in the application process. Maybe everything else was so good it overrode the poor interview.

Yeah I met the conditions and my offer was changed from a conditional to unconditional once I got my degree. Very true, I'm just worried that he might think I am not cut out for the course and the wait until Friday is going to be painful and long. I'm such a worrier.

OP posts:
OchonAgusOchonOh · 24/08/2022 10:39

lynkat · 24/08/2022 10:36

Yeah I met the conditions and my offer was changed from a conditional to unconditional once I got my degree. Very true, I'm just worried that he might think I am not cut out for the course and the wait until Friday is going to be painful and long. I'm such a worrier.

Show quote history

Once they have made the offer and you meet the conditions, they would be on very dodgy ground if they tried to withdraw it. Look on it as an opportunity to prove you are cut out for the course.

Chrysanthemum5 · 24/08/2022 10:40

Almost certainly the systems just haven't updated - it can take forever. If your offer changed to unconditional and you've paid the fees you will be fine

Owlsinmybedroom · 24/08/2022 10:43

If they have confirmed to you a condition offer, then confirmed to you an unconditional offer, then allowed you to enroll, and pay fees it is highly likely its a system error.

mindutopia · 24/08/2022 10:44

Sounds absolutely fine so I wouldn't worry. I work on a postgraduate course and to be completely honest, you would be amazed how many of us with PhDs can't filter a list of names on a spreadsheet! You're likely there and he hasn't looked properly or someone forgot to push a button somewhere.

Bluetrews25 · 24/08/2022 10:54

You ARE worthy of the place, OP, believe it! You are not an imposter!

GingerFigs · 24/08/2022 10:54

You are absolutely worthy of being on the course. Your offer was changed from conditional to unconditional and you have enrolled. You meet the criteria. Do not worry about the interview, lots of people freeze and don't say much in a variety of different interview scenarios. You know you can do the course and now is your chance to prove it. You can work on your interview skills as you go along.

Good luck and hold your head high!

Original poster
lynkat · 24/08/2022 11:56

@Bluetrews25 @GingerFigs thank you for those kind words

OP posts:
Heartrate · 24/08/2022 12:02

My DS has had a similar issue when applying for (undergraduate) accomodation. It was just that there were some gaps in the admissions data at their end because he hadn't applied through UCAS

TBH were slightly amazed he got the place too, so had similar concerns.

crymeapond · 24/08/2022 12:20

Yes I think there's been a mistake and that if he did the interviews, you probably weren't on his 'offer' list so probably given in error. Sorry OP.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 24/08/2022 12:55

crymeapond · 24/08/2022 12:20

Yes I think there's been a mistake and that if he did the interviews, you probably weren't on his 'offer' list so probably given in error. Sorry OP.

Highly unlikely he would have been looking at an offers list at this stage. Who the offers were made to is irrelevant. What is relevant is who accepted those offers and that whole come from a central system.

Castleheights · 24/08/2022 13:00

Of course you have place ! They have not updated their list. Best of luck with the course.

crymeapond · 24/08/2022 13:32

@OchonAgusOchonOh highly likely actually. I work in admissions at an RG uni.

TrashPandas · 24/08/2022 13:34

Most people are REALLY bad at judging how well they do at interview. Do not feel like an imposter!

OchonAgusOchonOh · 24/08/2022 13:42

crymeapond · 24/08/2022 13:32

@OchonAgusOchonOh highly likely actually. I work in admissions at an RG uni.

Well then you have crap systems. I am the academic course director for one of our courses and I would never use a list of who I had asked admissions to make offers to. I would always look at the list of acceptances.

crymeapond · 24/08/2022 13:49

@OchonAgusOchonOh then how would you keep track of who you made offers to? If I keep a list of 10 people I ask admissions to make offers to and then notice there is 11 people enrolled on my course then I am able to go back to that list and see who should not be there (in this case the OP). If I have a list of 10 and only 9 accept then I am able to go back to my maybe list and choose from that.

The man that interviewed her clearly didn't ask admissions to offer her as she is not on his list, this has been done in error.

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/08/2022 14:04

Chrysanthemum5 · 24/08/2022 10:40

Almost certainly the systems just haven't updated - it can take forever. If your offer changed to unconditional and you've paid the fees you will be fine

Absolutely this. It’s a crazy time at universities.

BabyofMine · 24/08/2022 14:05

His wording is not “you were not on a list of people who were accepted” but “you are not on my list of people who had accepted”

ACCEPTED. I don’t think his list has anything to do with the list of people they gave offers to. He’s looking at a list of people who have accepted the place and met the criteria. I would take it on face value, his list isn’t up to date.

I really don’t see how you or anyone else is connecting it to the list of people he made offers to (which I’m sure you were on or he wouldn’t have reassured you!)

BowiesJumper · 24/08/2022 14:07

@crymeapond you’re obviously not taught tact or empathy in your job then…

try not to worry OP, you deserve the place if you’ve met their criteria.

UnshakenNeedsStirring · 24/08/2022 14:07

OP, I hope you manage o get it sorted and the result is a positive one for you. Sending you positive vibes.

BabyofMine · 24/08/2022 14:08

Also I wouldn’t wait till Friday I would phone the admissions office today!

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/08/2022 14:09

crymeapond · 24/08/2022 13:49

@OchonAgusOchonOh then how would you keep track of who you made offers to? If I keep a list of 10 people I ask admissions to make offers to and then notice there is 11 people enrolled on my course then I am able to go back to that list and see who should not be there (in this case the OP). If I have a list of 10 and only 9 accept then I am able to go back to my maybe list and choose from that.

The man that interviewed her clearly didn't ask admissions to offer her as she is not on his list, this has been done in error.

@crymeapond

You haven’t the first idea if it’s been done in error, you can express an opinion but you have no business stating it as a fact.

Pack it in.

FinallyHere · 24/08/2022 14:10

All the very best @lynkat, this time of year is crazy in Uni admissions.

It might be worth your having a Google for imposter syndrome. Lots of us have it, it's better to realise where those thoughts of 'going to be found out' come from , so you can distance yourself from them.