Missing grades, still getting place

[avenueq]

How likely is this? Friend's daughter had offer of AAB for chemistry, got BBC but still got in at Nottingham. She had been for interview so maybe that helped?
Probably unlikely for Oxbridge, but other universities- especially with a low birthrate year?

DSS needed BBB for his insurance place at an RG uni got BBD but still got his place. About to graduate with a 2.1

It'll depend on a wide range of factors including:

• impact of low birthrate
• impact of Brexit (fewer European students)
• the university's ranking
• competitiveness on the specific course
• the university's financial position

The Russell Group university where I work has increased tariffs in recent years to improve on its ranking. It would rather cut the number of support staff to save money than let in students who haven't made the grade.

It depends on the university and the subject. One young man I know needed AAA for history at Oxford, and his second choice Edinburgh. He got ABB, was rejected from both and ended up going through clearing.

Curious that you’d have your insurance at the same grade requirements as your first choice?

How does this work - - if you miss the target grade do you contact the university directly, wait for them to contact you with a ‘sorry’ or ‘we let you in anyway email’, or go through clearing and they do the comms?

When DS was choosing who to firm and insure looking on studentroom's thread 'I miissed my grades but still got in' helped him see if either of his choices had leeway on the grades.
Birmingham uni did which was why he chose 2 AAA offers. When he got AAC his firm rejected him but Birmingham university accepted him.

DS1's offer (2018) was ABB. He got BBC and was still accepted on the course. He seems to be academically suitable for that course (is doing well so far).

Apart from Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Oxbridge, it's possible that a university might accept applicants with grades slightly below the offer. It depends on numbers, so will vary each year.

The Clearing lists for each year show exactly how far they were willing to lower the threshold for each course.

The birth rate dipped in 2001-2002. It's possible that from the early 2020s onwards, universities will find it gradually easier each year to fill places, and won't need to lower their grade thresholds as much.

"Curious that you’d have your insurance at the same grade requirements as your first choice?"

Yes, because he is an idiot.
I think UCAS track gives an update. I'm not sure how it works because DD achieved her grades so UCAS just said congratulations you are going to Nottingham University, or something like that.

Hollybollybingbong
Most of the courses DS2 (Y12) is looking at have the same typical offer (A* A A). On results day this summer he plans to check which universities lower their requirements during Clearing, to give him an idea of which might be candidates for an insurance offer.

MrKlaw
Even before results day the university has an idea of how low they will go. They have access to the grades (at least) a day before results day.
In most cases the university submits the decision to UCAS before the results come out. On the morning of results day, the student can log in to Track and see the decision even before they have collected their A-level results.

I have heard that occasionally the decision takes longer.

I really wish I had thought to screen shot last year's clearing to help choose DS's options . Too late now. It's a shame you can't find them online afterwards unless any of you have unearthed them?

There is a poster on here who knows how to access previous Clearing info, but I can't remember the name.

The guru of clearing is eatyourveg. Certainly helped DD’s confidence knowing that 3/5 choices had been in clearing for last few years for her course. Good luck.

Well remembered eatinglesschocolate
eatyourveg (any relation?) gave us info about past clearing at DS1's firm choice that helped to reduce his anxiety while waiting for results.

Haha..no relation. She’d messaged me with the info I was after so had a look back.

I didn't know that you could at last year's clearing figures!
@eatyourveg is there a clever way to get this info?

It would be really useful to know whether it's worth having a punt at 2 x high tariff courses in the knowledge that other more achievable courses may be available at clearing (and at what grades!).

DD is still very old school and recommends selecting an aspirational and an achievable whereas it may be worth going for 2 x aspirational with the hope that one is more flexible if you miss the grades on results day with the insurance being clearing.

I tried googling this info and failed miserably!!!

Hello all - Last year's listings only appeared online which would have required literally hundreds and hundreds of screen shots. I did however make a note of all the subjects I have been asked about in previous years and kept a list of where they came up

I do however still have the complete lists from 2009-2017 which include course variations within a subject so if that helps at all in allaying any anxiety just pm with the subject and course code and I will check out how often it has appeared.

Clearing has changed in the last few years - there are a lot more institutions involved these days and lots with very good courses. Nowhere on the lists however will it tell you what grades an institution accepted. Previous threads here from the last couple of years mention many dc dropping more than one grade and still being accepted at their firm. There are however no guarantees - each place will make their own decisions and some will not budge an inch while others will take more than one dropped grade.

The way the press reported it must unis were dropping their requirements they were so desperate! However the kids I know who got AAAs or above were still rejected from Cambridge and other top unis. Some will drop, some won’t. What I hate are the unconditional offers which means a lot of kids then make no effort at all!

Curious that you’d have your insurance at the same grade requirements as your first choice?
DD2 did this last year. First choice AAB ( big ask for DD2), second choice AAB but, if she made them first choice, ABB (more realistic).
She took the chance that, should she get the lower grade, the second choice would actually offer a place on results day, however should she exceed prediction, she would go to higher ranked university.
She got predicted grades, second choice DID offer a place which she accepted.

Curious that you’d have your insurance at the same grade requirements as your first choice?

If the course you want has the same grade requirements at most universities, you have no other option.

TheFirstOHN another thing to bear in mind when faced with the same offers, some universities which have star offers for an MSC may offer a BSC if the start is missed. Warwick offered this Durham didn't.

Thank you Hollybollybingbong
A BSc would be his back-up plan if he doesn't get the grades; that's very useful to know about Warwick.

if you miss the target grade do you contact the university directly

No, as someone else has said, the universities know your achieved grades in advance of results day (by the previous weekend, not just the day before). Therefore, on results day, you should see on Track that your place at your firm choice is confirmed, that your place at your insurance choice is confirmed, or that you are in Clearing. This last gives you a clearing number, without which, univetsities you approach for a place are not meant to consider your request formally. There is no point in contacting a university which has turned you down, unless you have requested a review of marking. Also, if your firm choice is showing no decision (or, I suppose your insurance, if you have definitely been rejected by your firm?), you can contact them to ask when a decision will be forthcoming. Or to ask them to reject you, so that you can go into Clearing, rather than wait.

The only person I know who missed their offer (IB so achieved the points, but needed 666 at HL and got 665) was rejected, but this was Durham.

Just though of another one - offer was ABB, but got BCD and was rejected - that was Bath, but quite a way below the offer. Ds at Warwick and he knows a few students who missed their Imperial offer and were rejected.

DD1 missed her first choice by quite a few UCAS points. She was accepted immediately by her second choice (as she exceeded their requirements). Top choice was showing still pending. She called them and they told her they would have a decision in two days. They accepted her. She’s now finishing her first year at Warwick and loving it.