Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Higher education

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Uni admissions - will they make an offer if DS has slightly lower predicted grades than their typical offer?

43 replies

namechange7711 · 18/10/2016 11:49

Hello. Is there anyone from Uni Admissions who could advise please?

DS wants to do a relatively unusual course which is only offered at a few institutions. All of the institutions have a "typical offer " of ABB or higher. The problem is that it looks likely that DS will be predicted ABC. Rather annoyingly the teacher who is predicting him a C says that is a minimum target and he should really be aiming for a B if he applies himself.

My question is will universities look at him if he's predicted slightly less than their typical offer or will he fall at the first hurdle? We wouldn't mind at all if they make him offers for ABB because then that would be something to aim for. I'm just worried he'll be rejected automatically.

As a second query, what happens if all 5 of your universities reject you??

Thanks.

OP posts:

eatyourveg · 18/10/2016 13:51

If all 5 unis reject you you can enter ucas extra which gives you a second stab at the places who use extra.

I think if your ds is predicted ABC if the school reference emphasises that a B is achievable, he might get an offer but it really does depend on where he is applying, the oversubscribed places being far more likely to put him in the reject pile more quickly.

Have you looked at how many applicants get offers?

eatyourveg · 18/10/2016 13:54

what uni will give you the applicant success rate

theXfactor · 18/10/2016 13:55

I would be asking the school why they won't put a B if it's achievable and if they're aware they are potentially limiting his universities!

mummymeister · 18/10/2016 15:04

whether or not he gets an offer he does need to be realistic about what he can achieve. so if he accepts say an AAB as his first choice then his insurance needs to be ABC or even BCC. If he is looking at a very niche course then he does also need to consider what he will do if he doesn't get onto this course. defer for a year? try for something else through clearing?

you do need to go back to the teacher and tell them the course he is considering and why putting a C might not be that helpful to him. he/you might also need to accept that the course he really wants might not be the one for him if the grades predicted are lower than the offers that they make.

I haven't vast experience of this but generally teachers are pretty accurate with their predictions. has he done AS levels in these subjects? what did he get?

Sadusername · 18/10/2016 17:25

Eatyourveg, I kept scrolling down on whatuni and it actually and right at the bottom of the page it states the most common A levels applicants took and the most common grade. One of DDs choices asks for AAB for history but the statistics show most students who get in get Bs for history in their A Levels. It's a crude tool, but quite revealing!

eatyourveg · 18/10/2016 17:44

sadusername that would be interesting to know before applying although it may have been students who were predicted higher but missed a grade on results day and the uni decided to keep them rather than go for someone through clearing - I've just looked at my dc's courses and whilst it tells me what subjects most students came in with, it doesn't mention grades at all.

Mindgone · 19/10/2016 00:52

Could he delay applying, study really hard, get great grades for any tests/homework, then pester for a higher prediction? That's what I'd encourage!

stonecircle · 19/10/2016 01:06

Is the C based on an AS result? If his teacher thinks a B is achievable then I'm surprised he's not predicting that. From my experience teachers seem willing to be as optimistic as possible with predictions for ucas.

ChathamDockyard · 19/10/2016 01:47

One of my DC were in a similar situation and called the Universities. They were really helpful. It's a bummer if you are the one kid who has a teacher who underpredicts where most teachers over predict. My DC was predicted a B in a subject he went on to get an A* in. He had a very high B in his AS so it wouldn't have been unreasonable to have at least predicted an A. It worked out as he ended up using the adjustment process to trade up to a better university.

stonecircle · 19/10/2016 17:47

I've been wondering something similar. DS is predicted AAA but 2 of the places he is going to apply to have a typical offer of Astar A A. So I'm worried they may just discount him but don't want to discourage him.

Lalsy · 19/10/2016 20:35

sadusername (great name!), how did you find that out about grades for history? I am having a rootle for ds (we have been without internet for weeks and he is now on a school trip.....school deadline looming oh joy) and can't find that. I have done a comparison and got a table and it shows things like application success rate (but I can't find an explanation of that - is it of everyone or of those who apply with the right predictions). Not sure the site is working properly for me.

Lalsy · 19/10/2016 20:36

Sigh. I am a numpty. Found it. As you were

Original poster

namechange7711 · 19/10/2016 21:38

Thanks everyone. I will definitely be encouraging him to do everything he can to get the teacher to boost her prediction.

It's not a subject with an AS, so everything will depend on performance in the summer. DS' tests/homework results have been massively variable, so I know that makes predictions more difficult. He has long-term medical issues, so he's definitely not firing on all cylinders.

The sensible thing would be to having a Plan B of another course to apply for, if he isn't successful in his first choice course. But I don't see how this is possible when the Personal Statement is supposed to be focussed on why you particularly want to do this course...

OP posts:

Sadusername · 19/10/2016 22:29

Lalsy- I am glad you found what you wanted, but I actually meany which uni, not what uni!
Here's a link to history at GLasgow.
university.which.co.uk/university-of-glasgow-g28/history-and-history-of-art-4-years-9000-vvd3

ChathamDockyard · 19/10/2016 22:43

Namechange

Another possibility....

There is still a bit of time left before the January 15th deadline. Depending on the courses he is wanting to apply to might it be an idea to ask the teacher to delay making the prediction for a month or so during which time your DS would be able to show he is deserving of a higher prediction?

Lalsy · 19/10/2016 23:39

Even better, Sad, thank you.

justarandomer · 20/10/2016 07:16

I'm not sure if Bristol uni offer the course your dc wants to study.. but their admissions statement says

We recognise that some applicants may achieve higher than their predicted grades, and so we may also consider applicants who are predicted to achieve one grade below the entry requirements (usually in a non-specified subject). Any offer made would be at the standard level.

scaryclown · 20/10/2016 07:26

Speak directly to the Admissions Officer in the Department offering the course usually an academic, and explain this. The uni can offer a place with lower grades and/or they can offer conditional on the higher grades. If she gets the actual grades predicted most unis get ucas to autooffer to any with those predictions but discretiob offer to those who differ..for some courses the auto offer goes to lower combinations than what they say their minimum is.

contacting the admissions tutor direct gets the nane in front of him/her and also suggest resl interest (most students dont make any direct contact) the more nervous and unentitled the contact the better!
if its a STEM subject, worry less!

scaryclown · 20/10/2016 07:27

good work justarandomer! that bristol quote is v. illuminating :)

scaryclown · 20/10/2016 07:30

just as a moan, my predicted grades by my bastard teachers was B, U, U and i got AAC , ended up overqualified for all courses at my uni, but had a thoroughly life changing and brilliant experience so go figure!

Mittensonastring · 20/10/2016 07:58

They have to fill their spaces as bums on seats means money. I was an admissions officer for quite a few years.

Its all about the numbers so one year he would get in with lower grades and in another he wouldn't.

I always remember having to turn down one girl because in that year we were stuffed to the gills she took it with such grace and was so mature. I hated it because in the previous year her grades would have easily got her in. I still wonder 10 years later what happened to her.

Academics do have the final say but their actual involvement depending on them varies. I think back to one who prided himself on never reading a personal statement.

The potential student should contact and not the parent.

ChathamDockyard · 20/10/2016 10:13

The potential student should contact and not the parent.

this is true but I stepped in a couple of times with my DC on occasion and never had anything other than a really helpful and welcoming experience from admissions staff. It's not the MN done thing but I don't think in RL it is disapproved of quite so much especially if there are particular reasons for doing it. Maybe it's a complete no no at Oxbridge etc but elsewhere I haven't heard of it being a problem. Yes it's best if the DC call but if not then I wouldn't worry too much.

justarandomer · 20/10/2016 10:38

Thanks

In regards to offer ranges etc,

My dd called UCL to ask if she'd be offered AAA or AAA as standard offer is AAA-AAA. The chap was unforthcoming and even unwilling to tell her how they decide who gets what. Perhaps on a different day someone else would've been more helpful:)

Camembertie · 20/10/2016 10:44

I work at a RG Uni and I am afraid with those grades it may be unlikely UNLESS the reference or statement (or both) flagged up issues affecting the Predicted Grades.

We invite all applicants to interview though - so it may just mean more likely to get an interview than normal, no other allowances until a level results in which case a slippage in a grade MAY be looked at more sympathetically.

It is all, however, academic really as we are so oversubscribed that we normally don't have to accept much in the way of lower grades.

like others I think if the teacher is saying with application a B is possible then a B should be predicted if it will open up more opportunities, but like a PP said please be more realistic when looking at the insurance place.

Camembertie · 20/10/2016 10:45

Sorry - I meant we only make offers to applicants we have interviewed on the whole, so you would still have to perform at interview to get an offer

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread