Offer timelines

[randomuseragain]

Just wondering if anyone had any insight into rough offer timelines for UCL, Durham and Nottingham (soc sciences degree) if application put in Early Oct? Just looking for a general idea really, for example know LSE takes ages to offer, are any of those 3 also known for dragging their heels when it comes to giving a decision? It won't change whether an application is put forward or not, mainly just interested.

Many universities may hang back this year with their offers until they know what is happening with next years' exams. FYI DD applied to UCL in early Dec 2019 and had an offer in early Jan 2020 (Social Science course).

Was all a bit of a mess last year. Durham did lots of post a level, international and contextual offers in nov/dec then went v quiet and dragged on. D traditionally drag well into March in normal years though so no point in holding your breath even in normal years

UCL seemed to do a burst of them in winter term and then again went pretty quiet

I think it sensible to have v low expectations of early activity - the universities must be desperate not to be caught out for a third year in a row.

Frustrating as it is to have to wait for a decision (particularly where one or more of one's preferences operate a 'first come, first served' policy for accommodation), I think people tend to forget that the actual contractual obligation that universities (other than Oxbridge and Medicine/ Dentistry/ VetMed) have with UCAS is to deliver decisions to those who applied by the January application deadline, by (in normal years) a date in April and even later in the past two cycles. In the spring, the LSE applicants thread on TSR was full of people complaining that they had been waiting since September for a decision and it just wasn't good enough, when actually, they has only been waiting since the 29th of January, the relevant deadline for that university for equal consideration. That they had applied four months earlier, because they were also applying to Oxford or Cambridge, was really irrelevant.

You just can't tell. DD applied early and didn't hear from Durham until March. Two other universities who are known for sending most offers in New Year where the first two to offer to her and her friends had to wait from them.

Ds1 applied to Nottingham
He got an offer in January
Also social sciences

We know of an offer from York and from Southampton this week.

Last year, DD sent in her application on 9 Oct but didn't get offer from Durham until 24 March. Think they gave some contextual offers for her course in late Nov/Dec and then a few more dribbled out over the next 3 months with most hearing by mid March. She was one of the last to hear. She got offers from Warwick and Exeter within days of submission. I believe last year Nottingham were fairly swift (from friends who applied)

Good to know as DD keeps stalking her UCAS page!

@TangoWhiskyAlphaTango. Definitely encourage her to view it as a done, now let’s move on (unless she is doing a subject where she needs to respond to interview offers!) back to normal life or it is going to be very long winter! Ucas sends an email when anything changes, so no need to lurk!

Anyone know how prompt or slow UCL is?

Durham seems to have form for being really random.

DS soc sci applied last week to three universities. Two offers already: Birmingham and York.

@Piggywaspushed is that grades in hand?

Nope! Predicted grades.

It will be weird this year. Apparently Exeter is already oversubscribed for some courses due to deferrals from last year

No idea how indicative this is, but DS1 last year didn't get his UCL offer until very late in the day (maths). From what others were saying the timing of UCL offers varied both within and between subjects!

Last year was odd anyway I think, DC got her offer early May which she then firmed and withdrew from two other courses she still had not heard from

DD just got an offer from Liverpool and only a had receipt of application yesterday so impressed it was so fast. They offered her BBB stating it was a contextual offer (normally AAB) but we are not sure why its contextual as far as we are aware her college is not low ranking.....

It can be contextual due to postcode too. My friends son goes to a v v posh public school and lives in the village Manor House (not short of a few Bob by any means) but had a contextual offer due to the village being an area of low participation in higher education.

@cloudtree

It can be contextual due to postcode too. My friends son goes to a v v posh public school and lives in the village Manor House (not short of a few Bob by any means) but had a contextual offer due to the village being an area of low participation in higher education.

That's exactly what it is. Dd spoke with college principal yesterday and the college (largest sixth form college in the county) has a huge amount of dc doing vocational courses so their Uni applicants are lower. I didn't realise his was a thing but can only be a positive if she's offered a lower grade boundary!

I have none of my own DC left to apply. But My DN just got an offer for Chemistry from UEA (applied Notts, Bristol,Bath, Oxford also) Application sent Monday.