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Higher education

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Original poster

History Offer grades

18 replies

mayfly66 · 03/03/2015 01:41

Could really do with some help, please!!

DS1 has offers from Leeds (AAA) and Sheffield (AAB) to read History. He's taking History; Geography and Maths at A2. Scored well at AS (Geog 99.5% UMS; Hist 89% and Maths 74%) but finds Maths challenging at A2.

If he'd taken Politics or Economics at A-level, I'm certain he'd be on target for an "A" but his most likely grade in Maths is a "B" (A* at IGCSE).

My question is, how sympathetic would his chosen Uni's be to a dropped grade in Maths (B or C), for his chosen History degree, given his strengths I the "relevant" Humanities?

Am I being unrealistic to hope that a dropped grade in Maths should not be compared unfavourably with say, a better grade in another humanity when it comes to Uni's looking at offer -v- achieved grades in August?

He's a desperately keen (and capable) Historian who would be sickened if dropping a grade in his chosen of subject of Maths counted against him when he could have chosen another essay-based subject in which he surely would have got a better grade...

OP posts:
ivorynewbuilds · 03/03/2015 06:15

It's imposible to tell how things will go on results day, but things will depend mainly on matters such as whether or not they've already filled all their places with people who did meet their offer, and whether they thing they might be able to get better candidates in Clearing.

The only guaranteed way to get in is to get the grades - I'd focus on that for now, and then start worrying about this sort of thing once he has sat his exams and done his best with them.

Decorhate · 03/03/2015 06:22

I agree that the best thing to do is to aim for at least a B in Maths. They should have more or less covered the whole curriculum by now so he should now which topics he finds hardest. School may be running extra classes already, make sure he speaks to his teacher & asks for help. Maybe even a tutor if you can afford it?

Hakluyt · 03/03/2015 06:27

I have heard of people dropping a grade but going up a grade in another subject and being OK.......

jeanne16 · 03/03/2015 06:41

A friend 's daughter had an AAA offer for engineering from Leeds and ended up getting AAC. They still took her so it does happen.

Original poster
mayfly66 · 03/03/2015 07:07

Thanks for the replies. He will obviously be aiming for at least the B grade (and with a fair wind should achieve it). I guess my question really is about whether admissions tutors place much weight on the relevance and/or perceived "difficulty" of say, a STEM subject at A-level when applying for a Humanities degree?

OP posts:
Littleham · 03/03/2015 09:23

Have you tried asking those universities? At the offer days they sometimes drop hints about whether they might accept a dropped grade.

Others spell it out - so one of my dd's offers for History is ABB but the head of department said they would allow firm and insurance candidates in with BBB.

onadifferentplanet · 03/03/2015 09:46

Not wishing to rain on anyone's parade it can happen but don't rely on it totally Ds dropped one in the subject not relevant to his course and went up to A* in the sciences which were and was rejected.

anonnona · 03/03/2015 10:21

I have pm'd you.

anonnona · 03/03/2015 10:24

Sorry! I pm'd the wrong person because my settings are highlighting random people as well as the person who started the thread. Sorry.

anonnona · 03/03/2015 10:25

What's going on. That was supposed to be another pm not a contribution to the thread.

Original poster
mayfly66 · 03/03/2015 10:50

Thanks, Anonnona. Received yr PM and replied to you!

OP posts:
MillyMollyMama · 03/03/2015 12:23

History is more competitive than engineering though. Universities get loads of history applicants and far fewer engineering ones. Rather surprised he did maths in the first place to go with history. Historians tend to prefer politics if there is a choice. I know everyone bangs on about Maths being brilliant, but not so good if you drop the grade.

Littleham · 03/03/2015 12:57

Don't worry about it anonnona. Daffodil

I think there must be a glitch in the system and my previous post is blue so I think the system thinks I am the OP! Might start a war on one of the more controversial threads though!!! Wink

Figmentofmyimagination · 03/03/2015 13:47

We are in a very similar situation - with two very strong humanities and one not so strong science, holding AAA offers to read English.

I try not to think about it!

JanineStHubbins · 03/03/2015 13:56

In my experience (Humanities Admissions Tutor at northern RG uni), one grade below the offer has been accepted in the past, provided the candidate has CF-ed the university. Where the candidate dropped two grades below the offer or didn't have us as CF, then it became more difficult.

The perceived relevance or difficulty of the dropped grade subject didn't really come into it.

Littleham · 03/03/2015 14:09

Janine Out of interest what would happen if the results were in a different combination for example AAC or A*AB?

JanineStHubbins · 03/03/2015 15:00

So many variables come into it that it's hard to give a blanket answer. We did accept candidates with those combinations last year, if they had the CF, but expect things to be slightly tighter this year. We also didn't go into Clearing last year. We expect slightly more 'trading up' this year as we expect to have slightly more places available on results day.

If you do have a DS with those sorts of combinations, the best advice is to make sure to contact the university/department in person by telephone on results day.

Littleham · 03/03/2015 16:53

Thanks Janine.

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