DS missed grades but accepted anyway- will he cope?

[NCworries]

DS uni offer was ABB but he got CDD. Not high in the grade boundaries, they’re all middle of the road. Firm uni has accepted him without blinking. It’s RG so I was surprised. Is he guaranteed to struggle to keep up? I’m thinking they don’t care because if he drops out they can swallow a year of fees. Should he be looking at a course somewhere else? Anyone else’s DC gone in like this and been ok?

DS got accepted last year with BBC for a course that typically offered AAB. (Although in his case he actually had a contextual offer of BBB, so only dropped a grade). He’s been absolutely fine. His marks have been around the high 2:1 /1st borderline for the first year. He says it’s much easier when you’re only studying your favourite subject, and not having to find time to do an extra couple of subjects you find dull.

My university has taken decisions out of admission tutors hands and it's bums on seats over student welfare frankly. I am cross that one applicant missed their offer by absolutely miles and they still waved them in. There's no way they'll cope with the grade they got (lower than your DC).

IMO decisions are being made without thought about if students will cope or not.

His ability to cope will cone down to his work ethic.

I'm not clever. I've never been academic. My degree was a slog. I got a 2:1 from a RG University because I studied. I attended every lecture and I started very essay weeks before the due date.

DC needs to ask himself if he's prepared to consistently put in the work. Why does he want to go to uni? If it's for the experience or the social iife ge should bother. It's an expensive experience.

Depends a bit on the type of degree t to bh

My son got CDD and yes, he had to do a foundation year which mainly boosted his confidence but he ended up with a 1st in Physics and a Distinction in a Physics research masters at the top uni for this particular field. He flourished at uni-a different way of learning. Hopefully, your son will find the independent learning suits him a lot better-they wouldn’t have made the offer if they didn’t think he would be ok. Universities do not want their students to drop out or fail.

@NCworries I would be very wary in that situation. My eldest missed lots of grades during the pandemic and I was astonished to see they had been offered an unconditional place. A uni with a great reputation in the subject but I think they just really wanted numbers. Needed to repeat a module after failing the resit and eventually dropped out after two and a half years having met some great friends but also acquiring a huge amount of debt.

Could a foundation year be incorporated to help bridge the gap between school and uni and encourage good study skills?

In a similar situation but have been offered Foundation year on original first choice course (if they reject this, the insurance offer is now unconditional). Bit torn as an extra year of fees etc - but now thinking may be best in the long run as the A level results have knocked their confidence. Also considering gap year to be sure it is what they want. Such big decisions as do feel the Unis are about keeping the coffers topped up ( so pleased to note contrary views from those working in the sector). Good luck with your deliberations.

Wow @NCworries I agree that is a big drop and I would be concerned about it.

I wonder if it is possible to find out from the uni roughly where he sits in the cohort? As a pp says, he probs is not the only candidate accepted with CDD. Gosh tho. DD had RG offers of ABB and got BCC and no chance of either of her offers or any other RG unis accepting her (this was in 2019). It turned out OK in the end tho and in fact where she went (Leicester) was good in lots of ways. Anyway.

I also agree - why did his grades drop so much? Assume his PG was ABB or similar? Two grades per subject is a big drop. Does he struggle with exams? Will the uni course be exams or assessment (DD's was the latter and she shone there, like @Cinaferna's DC she avoided exams)? Or is there poor revision technique? Were his GCSEs better than this? Was there some personal issue (breakup with partner, family issue) that meant he did worse than expected? If it's some reason like that then that may be less of an issue for uni.

Can you say what uni and what subject? That may make a difference. Some PPs say "the uni think he will cope" but really they may just want people on seats there. I don't imagine they know him well enough based on his application to know if he will cope or not. Apols if that sounds harsh.

Good post friom @WombatChocolate yes I agree with that advice.

And @rhabarbarmarmelade I agree re non RG unis as well. Both my uni DC are/were at non RG and both are having or have had a very good experience. This is Lboro and Leicester – but see also Lancaster, Bath, Keele, Kent – I know students at all these and don't see that a very much more amazing offer is availabel at Liverpool or Cardiff or Southampton tbh.

Also worth remembering how grades were inflated during the covid years. So as awful as it sounds, his grades would have been higher a few years ago yet the uni would still have been requiring the same as now

Yes. Most RG unis have to do this now. Students are a wide range of abilities plus often lots of international students with limitef English- let the uni choose. He certainly won't be the only one.

Test grades don't always denote potential. I am a retired professor who thinks learning isn't always simple. He must have shown ability somewhere.

Have him figure out his "learning style" before he starts. Talk with his advisor.

I am a current professor. This may be true, but what the offer of a place is about is getting in paying customers who shouldn’t be too much bother plain and simple.

I went though similar, loved school, did well at GCSE, unexpectedly hated sixth form but was predicted decent grades of ABB. I got CCD but was still accepted at my first choice uni which was RG. I worked hard and the environment suited me a lot better than sixth form, I came out with a 2:1 and went on to do a Masters.