Justyou, I'm sorry, my intention was not to imply that the recipient was probably someone who is lucky to get offers at all (if that is how you read it? ). Although as Hoghgyni piunted out, if one were in a situation where a full clutch of offers was not a given - having included Oxbridge at all, given the very small number of places in total, would be included here, even for fairly stellar applicants, for example - having a more easily achieved than expected offer from one of your preferences should be accepted as a bonus, surely? And lower offers are given to well qualified candidates, whom the university / department would like to 'reel in'. But unfortunately, it would seem that the attitude of some (applicants, or possibly more their mummies?) to that approach is that of my third observation, This university obviously wants me to choose it, so of course I now would not touch it with a bargepole
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