Very specific degree course questions! - History and Arabic/Middle Eastern Studies at Manchester University

[buffbuff2020]

My son would love to apply to study BA History and Arabic or BA Middle Eastern Studies. Not many places do these courses - seems to be all the top end Russell Groups but is available (and just about attainable) at Manchester and Leeds.

Initially I advised my son to keep his personal statement generic so he could also apply to study History as his backup at some other universities. However, the more we've both been thinking about it the more its clear that he definitely wants to pursue his interest in Middle Eastern history.

My question is, does anyone here have any experience of applying to study History and Arabic or Middle Eastern Studies and what was the response like in terms of receiving offers? I'm worried about putting all his eggs in one basket. As it stands, there are 4 courses he would like and to apply for (2 at Manchester, 2 at Leeds) and then will probably have to throw in a backup history one with lower offer grades and hope they're not put off by a personal statement professing a love for Middle Eastern history!!!

My son is doing Arabic and international relations at Leeds. He applied 2 years running for a mix of PPE and languages courses and got 5 offers each time. He was able to submit a separate personal statement for some of the language courses, he just contacted the courses direct.

thanks for that, helpful to hear. If you dont mind me asking, what were your son's GCSE results like? My son is 2020 cohort, so predicted grade results - 4 As, 4 Bs and 4 Cs, which don't feel like "Russell Group grades" to me, but not sure how much it will affect him?

Has he looked at SOAS?

I'm not convinced he would get an offer from somewhere as prestigious as SOAS! Also the cost of living in London makes me wary.

He's actually feeling a bit nervous about applying for 4 courses that require ABB and says he would rather apply for 3 of his favourites and then have 2 'insurance' History options (maybe Swansea and Portsmouth).

He will probably be predicted ABB but he's very nervous about actually being able to achieve this. I think its because he's never sat exams with last year's being cancelled. He did do his English Lit at the end of Y10 and got an A, but he has a tendancy towards caution!

He's get an offer from SOAS believe me.... Of course if he doesn't want London that's fair enough.

Really? Even with his relatively average GCSE grades? What makes you so sure?

The reluctance about London is more from me as a parent, but if you have reason to believe that an offer from SOAS is not out of reach i would definitely put it to him to consider. Is SOAS not as presitigous/elite as I'm imagining???

SOAS is fab! But it's not regarded as elite no. But an excellent specialist in the subject.

(I work at another London uni and know SOAS well.)

SOAS Arabic: www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/baarabic/

AAB to ABB.

Ok thanks, will throw it into the mix!

Not many unis look at gcse grades - it is all.about A level predicted grades.

SOAS aren't running Middle Eastern Stydies anymore but there is info here about a potential alternative www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/bamestud/

He may be interested in anthropology perhaps?

Yes I saw that SOAS had stopped doing ME studies. They do HIstory and Arabic which he would also be interested in.

The problem we're having at the moment is that he's very nervous about not getting offers so wants to use 2 of his 5 options for 'backups' to make sure he gets an offer from somewhere he can use as his insurance.

Is it risky (or stupid!) to have your insurance choice as one that is asking for the same results as your firm? The courses he is most interested in all want ABB.

He'll get offers OP - he really really shouldn't worry about that!

However it's hard not to when it's your first time. A good strategy might be to apply to just two or three early on (assuming his school can get their end of things done quickly?) - that way he would probably get those early offers in which would hopefully mean he has the confidence to apply to places he perceives as more prestigious as he has back ups already sorted.

If the firm never goes below ABB and the insurance usually does then there's nothing wrong with that strategy.

However grades will have been very peculiar in the two years before he is due to go so there's no real way to be sure that strategy would work. A conventional strategy of firming the highest offer - even if higher than ABB, and having an insurance around BBB might be safer.

No one actually knows yet how grades will be awarded next year. Gavin hasn't said.... but if they are pegged at pre-pandemic levels, that will mean there will be fewer A and B grades than last year and this year, so an ABB offer may well drop to BBB on the day.

Dd is doing something similar and applied to 5 of the top 10 unis for the subject. She got 5 offers. She got 9 8 8 7 7 6666 at GCSE.

I'm just about to graduate from Manchester doing history and economics, which is set up in the same way that course is. Happy to 8ffer any help I can, what are his required grades.

School are really on the ball and have set a deadline for 30 September for personal statements. He's got his almost wrapped up so hoping application will go in nice and early. I didn't realise you could apply in stages. When I applied to uni back in 1998 it was done on paper, 6 choices all in one go.
If this is the case, then that would really help out, I dont want him using 2 options for backups if he doesnt need to.

I feel like im going through the whole process myself again - but its worse this time around!!

Not many people know you can apply in stages either! But yes, as long as it's no more than five in total, and all before the January deadline it's just a case of adding the extras as and when.

Realistically, ME and Arabic degrees are simply not that popular. If his predicted grades meet the A Level entry requirements, it's very unlikely he won't get an offer.

Manchester, Exeter and SOAS already have their courses in clearing. Currently they are sticking with their original entry requirements, but the fact that they are already in clearing means they are anticipating being short on numbers and they will probably end up taking people with lower grades.

Somewhere like Portsmouth for history will almost certainly be in clearing with something below BCC, so it's a bit pointless someone predicted ABB wasting one of their safety options there.

For what it's worth, I think the lack of courses may be because it is a little to early to specialize into Middle Eastern studies at Undergrad level. To keep options open etc, I'd go for History, Ancient History or Arabic. I know some unis will do History and Arabic joint honors. He can pick modules around Middle East and specialize his dissertation onto it, but I would really warn against specializing so early

Yes and his personal statement can reflect and interest in history (general - short paragraph) and then sa I am currently readinga round Middle East and his view views etc on that which could easily lend itself to a standard history application too should he decide to add a standard history choice too.

As a previous poster has said some unis are more likely to accept on dropped grades so he should list his first choice as his first choice but with his other offers look at where may accept with dropped on results day and where may not.

It is definitely worth looking tomorrow when results are out which these may be. Either way he should still want to go to his insurance choice in case he doesn't meet his firm offer.

I wouldn’t too worried about grades- these are not over subscribed courses. If he thinks he will get ABB he will be fine to apply to a couple of AAB courses.

Why is he not applying to Exeter? Their department is fantastic for ME studies