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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Dropping a grade, any experience?

20 replies

yeahokthen · 15/04/2015 21:06

Apologies if this has been asked before.
DS really wants to study Law at Exeter. He's put it as his first choice, with an offer of AAA (not including his EPQ)
What do you reckon would happen if he got A*AB or AAB but with A in EPQ?
I know no one could really predict but some people have said they'd probably still take him others that there'd be no chance.

OP posts:
thecalicocat · 15/04/2015 21:23

Last year my DS had offer from Exeter for English and dropped one grade and still got in.:) However, I think Exeter has upped grades for offers this year and perhaps Law is more competitive. ...

Original poster
yeahokthen · 15/04/2015 21:25

Thanks thecali, that gives us some hope.

OP posts:
stonecircle · 15/04/2015 21:41

DS has an offer of AAA to do Geography at Exeter. He intends to firm them, but hasn't actually done so yet. He told me a couple of weeks ago he'd had an email from them to say they would accept A*AB. Seemed a bit odd and I meant to investigate as I'm not sure why they would bother telling him that.

It does seem common to accept one dropped grade. DS went to an offer day at Royal Holloway and the admissions tutor pretty much told them all not to worry if that happened. But RHUL isn't Exeter I know!

twentyten · 15/04/2015 21:43

Could you contact the admissions tutor? There are stats- possibly unistats? Which tell you how many points existing students have.

Molio · 15/04/2015 22:24

OP how these people know I really don't know, since the admissions guys themselves won't know until results come out and they see what the global picture is.

By way of comparison, last year the History Dept. at Durham put forward around 30 near misses who'd firmed Durham after looking at all near misses who'd firmed but only five or so were approved by the central team. Each department in each uni will have their own numbers and there most likely won't be a pattern at the moment, given wildly unpredictable marking.

It really is impossible to predict, since there are so many variables - but never say never!

Molio · 15/04/2015 22:27

twentyten the admissions tutor will only give a bland yet neutral to encouraging answer, so no point contacting him/her at all. In fact that would only make the student sound wobbly, so best not done, given that there's absolutely nothing to gain.

peteneras · 16/04/2015 13:46

OP, if he got A*AB whilst the offer is for AAA, then I’m afraid he has not met the condition of the offer.

But having said that, he may still get in depending on a host of outcomes beyond his control but nothing is guaranteed.

On a brighter note, I remember a few years back when someone I used to advise and helped in his Personal Statement got four out of five offers (all Russell Group) for a MSc medical-related course. The only rejection was from Cardiff, his fifth choice. All offers being AAA.

On result day, mother of all disasters struck when he got ABD - a mind blowing 4 grades under! Guess what happened? He still got in to his first choice university the same year! I understand he had a stunning interview during the UCAS process. So there’s hope and never say die!

senua · 16/04/2015 14:11

I think molio has it. There are so many permutations - and those permutations change every year - that you can't say. It used to be that a dropped grade was OK, then not, now it's a maybe.
If in doubt, aim high / chance your arm / be cheeky. What's the worst that can happen? He can always reapply next year, if needs be.

Who dares wins.

Original poster
yeahokthen · 16/04/2015 14:16

I'm hearing you, thank you.
He is aiming high, he's quite a bright lad but I wouldn't say exceptional and is working really hard. But AAA is a big ask for him.
He came back from the Offer Holders Day absolutely brimming with enthusiasm and I know he'll be so disappointed if he doesn't make the grade.

Thank you for the comments, much appreciated.

OP posts:
Molio · 16/04/2015 14:25

I suppose it's one thing re-applying with better than predicted grades and another with lower though senua.

OP the EP will undoubtedly help, if he's bagged a good grade - does he have any idea what his mark is yet, from his teachers?

Original poster
yeahokthen · 16/04/2015 14:27

Fingers crossed A*, but if not an A. Oddly enough none of his offers included his EPQ, which he did on a Law related subject.

OP posts:
Molio · 16/04/2015 14:36

None of mine have ever had an offer based on the EP grade either yeahok, but Bristol told DS3 a couple of months ago that they base their offer grades on the whole application, specifically including the predicted grade for the EP. Nevertheless an A in the EP is still something extra to offer up, beyond the three A Levels, if there's a problem on results day and Exeter hasn't confirmed. Isn't their standard offer AAA? If so and he's been asked for AAA then they evidently like him, which gives him a head start.

Original poster
yeahokthen · 16/04/2015 14:42

Thanks for the encouragement Molio, it's so hard as a parent isn't it? We want them to do well enough to study where they want but can't really help beyond encouragement and picking up the pieces.

OP posts:
titchy · 16/04/2015 15:40

Pete - you don't apply for MSc courses through UCAS. The student you mentioned would have applied for an integrated masters (MBiol, MEng or similar). These tend to have offers one or two grades higher than their BA or BSc counterpart, but most universities say to those with offers for integrated masters that if they miss by a grade or two they'll take them into the bachelors, so although being accepted with a four grade drop is unusual, but being accepted with a two grade drop isn't. They is often the chance to swap to the masters version if first year performance is exceptional so they're a good way of holding an extra offer.

namechange0dq8 · 16/04/2015 15:48

"Oddly enough none of his offers included his EPQ"

It's only worth half of an A Level, so it's difficult to fit into the standard pattern of three A Levels.

titchy · 16/04/2015 16:01

Sometimes a good EPQ results in a one grade lower than standard offer, it won't normally form part of the offer, unless it's a points only offer. Can make the difference between an offer and a rejection though so worth doing!

peteneras · 16/04/2015 16:16

titchy, you are absolutely right. Now, what's the matter with me today making typos everywhere? I do of course, mean BSc - my mind was running ahead of my fingers when I was thinking of a medical-related course as I typed and thus typed MSc instead of BSc. Thanks for pointing that out.

Molio · 16/04/2015 16:20

Yes it is yeahok. It's very hard to see disappointment and the combination of a DC brimming with enthusiasm combined with the grades being a big ask would certainly keep me very tense for a very long while. FWIW DS2 dropped a grade last year but got A* in the EP. The uni confirmed his place before he got his results so there was no need to haggle, fortunately, and I'm sure the EP grade helped. I do hope that if the same happens to your DS, the same happens IYSWIM. Very best of luck to your DS.

Original poster
yeahokthen · 21/04/2015 18:44

Just to let you know. DS has had an email from Exeter stating that AAB or AA*C will get him a place.
I think that's a positive sign.

OP posts:
PurpleHebe1 · 30/04/2015 21:53

Last year, many students missed grades due to the results being 'Goved'. All the ones I knew had offers honoured by up to two grades for v. popular courses by unis such as Nottingham. The only one that wasn't was a med school one grade drop but was on an AAA offer, so low anyway.
It was felt that it was the unis making a rude gesture to Gove but may have been a one-off last year.

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