How do you know which unis will give an offer when you fill out UCAS( MEng)

[Tr3hern3]

Not done this before. Ds splitting choices to 2 punts, 2 middle and 1 safe but how do you know which will give an offer ie what if the middles are not likely?

The short answer is you don't. However the likelihood is that they will. It's only at the very high end of standard offers (ie excess of 3 x A) where declines are possible. (Caveat - as long as dc is doing the right A levels of course - a kid predicted straight A stars in History, English and French won't be getting any offers for MEng!)

Are you asking how to work out which is a middling choice?

If so then www.theuniguide.co.uk/courses will tell you what the standard offers are for his predicted grades.

Depending on the school or other circumstances there may be "contextual offers" - basically a lower offer than the normal standard, to recognise that the student might be at a disadvantage. This will vary depending on several factors (if you think it might apply to your son then ask another question).

As titchy says, it's only the places that want really high grades who are likely to be asking for more conditions.

Have you explored the UCAS website? There's also The Student Room if you have lots of time to fill

Maths, physics and chemistry. Has been told capable of A*, A and A but they need more evidence. He has a lot going on in his life so we’re pleased with the current AAB but he is also a naturally bright last minute Charlie type too.

Are you saying AAA doesn’t necessarily mean AAA ie they could give him an offer on AAB (which makes it even more complicated).😩Ds wondering if he could ring and ask. We’ve not done this before. Don’t know it all works or clearing. It feels like an utter minefield.

No. If their standard offer is AAA and he is predicted AAB, his offer will be AAA (and he will almost certainly get an offer).

Come August, if he misses his offer by one grade, they may well take him anyway, if he's firmed an AAA type uni.

Beware the last-minute Charlie attitude - that didn't serve a lot of kids well when exams were cancelled and teachers had no evidence to support the higher grades.

I know that but I can’t change him and we’re not around to support him and hence being super proud of his AAB offer. We have a poorly child in and out of hospital

Some universities may offer the BEng instead of MEng if you don’t meet the grades, but if your DC performs well at university they can ‘move’ to the MEng - the first 2 years are the same.

If he is predicted AAB then you might be advised to choose one (or two) where the offer is AAA; he may or may not get an offer here, would expect it to be AAA.
Then two (or three) where the offer is AAB; he should receive an offer here, would expect it to be AAB.
Then one where the offer is usually ABB or BBB - would expect to receive an offer here, possibly BBB or possibly UCAS points.

You can aspire too high - mate of DS2's applied to highly favoured uni for his subject where I believe the offer is AAA, he was predicted ABB I think and got no offer there despite what I imagine would have been a strong and strongly targeted personal statement and evidence of outside commitment to the subject.

DS2 had five offers, three were his predicted (which he achieved), one a grade below and one a good deal lower. DD was similar.

Sometimes unis give a reduced offer if you put it as firm choice but I wouldn't worry too much about that at this stage.

Problem is there aren’t many below AAA.

@Tr3hern3

Problem is there aren’t many below AAA.

Kent, de Montfort, Sheff Hallam, Swansea, Coventry - there's loads!

Nottingham Trent I selected at random and they want 128 UCAS points so ABB

There must be many similar. I would guess the ones Titchy says plus Leeds Becket, Liverpool John Moores, Lincoln, Northumbria...

Caveat - I don't know if they offer engineering or what their courses are like - but their offer is likely to be similar to NTU.

I wouldn't bank on getting offers if your predicted grades are below requirements especially not for a BEng and especially not this year - at least not at competitive unis nor for competitive courses.

@Tr3hern3

I know that but I can’t change him and we’re not around to support him and hence being super proud of his AAB offer. We have a poorly child in and out of hospital

Does your son have any caring responsibilities within the family? For siblings? Could he be eligible for a contextual offer?

Just looked at Nottingham, an RG uni, offer for MEng in electrical engineering is listed as AAA-ABB so even in RG there are possibilities.

What branch of engineering? Harper Adams for Mechanical Engineering (5 year course including industrial placement)136 points - AAB / A*BB equivalent.

I would echo what somebody else said… go for a BEng with lower entry requirements and upgrade to MEng later. Conditions vary, but would probably need to finish the third year with a mark of 60% or more.

That way he might a pace at a “better” uni than he would applying for a MEng straight off. Having said that, always make sure the course suits rather than just plumping for the most highly rated uni in whatever league table you prefer.

@clary

Just looked at Nottingham, an RG uni, offer for MEng in electrical engineering is listed as AAA-ABB so even in RG there are possibilities.

The ABB is likely to be their contextual offer grade requirement so will entirely depend on whether OP's son qualifies for a contextual offer

Clary that’s their contextual offer

@Tr3hern3

Are you saying AAA doesn’t necessarily mean AAA ie they could give him an offer on AAB (which makes it even more complicated).😩Ds wondering if he could ring and ask. We’ve not done this before. Don’t know it all works or clearing. It feels like an utter minefield.

Absolutely your DS can ring, or email, some admissions tutors and ask.

What sort of engineering is your DS wanting to do? There can be different requirements between the various fields eg when dd was applying, some unis were offering a grade lower on Electrical vs Electrical&Electronic - but the course had a common first year and so it wasn't set in stone which path they ended up on.
You've already had some info on the BEng alternative - that's definitely something he may want to ask about.

Mechanical Engineering as it’s broader is what he’d like to do. Would BEng with a year in industry be as good as a MEng job wise?

Ah forgot about contextual offers.

OP I can't help with queries about engineering. But please don't get hung up on a "decent" uni. Yes, some universities are more popular, doesn't mean no others are worth bothering with.

Maybe research a bit more which universities offer a course he would enjoy and which are well respected. If AAA is the offer from a uni and he is predicted AAB then he may get an offer, he may not. He may make that grade, he may not.

It's not the end of the work if he does not. If he ends up going to a uni which has a lower offer, the degree is still valid. My dd had offers from decent unis but did less well than she hoped, and ended up through clearing at a uni I imagine you would not consider decent, even tho fir many on her course it was first choice. It's fine. She will get her degree, it will be worth while.

You have to cut your cloth. Not everyone can end up at RG unis, and that's fine, it really is.

haha end of the world, not work, obvs

Loughborough had some good FAQs which may answer some of your questions.

www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/meme/undergraduate/faq/

They're strong for engineering with good industry links, I believe. The BEng is at your DSs predicted grades, the MEng at his hoped-for grades so that's one to consider seriously.

My DS got offers from both Exeter and Cardiff for an MEng with his (already achieved) grades of AAC.
He also looked at Swansea and Surrey, which I believe have requirements of AAB or ABB - both good courses.