Does it make any difference as to when you get the UCAS form in?

[Tr3hern3]

No advantage to getting it in earlier?

It's hard to say really. Broadly I would say no, OTOH DD submitted hers by end Oct (three years ago) and had all five offers in well before Christmas, so there was less anxious waiting.

DS2 was last year, his was submitted a lot later, partly due to COVID, ended up submitting around Christmas, one offer was rather late coming through (end Jan/Feb I think) which was a bit nervy.

Some unis (many?) clearly make offers before they have all applications in, but possibly they are being a bit more cautious this year after last year's kerfuffle, so that may not happen.

Broadly speaking, if it is done and you are happy, I would get it submitted. There cannot (should not) in fairness be any actual advantage tho.

It's not hard to say - the answer is no.

OP seriously stop worrying about it. He's got decent predicted grades, he should be engaging with this with his school not you - you're making heavy weather about the whole thing. It's fairly straightforward - find five with a range of standards offers, write PS, submit before schools deadline.

When someone asked this on WIWIKAU the discussion was locked by the administrators - this is clearly a very controversial subject.

I cannot see that there are any disadvantages to getting an application in early if you are ready, you know what you want to apply for and where, and your personal statement and reference are ready.

My son had four offers before Christmas last year. This year it might be different, but it's nice to get offers in hand early on.

I think last year due to the cancellations of AL/IB, there were students rejected from universities when in another year you would have expected offers .

So I think it is hard fo say.

However if he has the predicted grades and no chance of improving them further , and personal statement is ready - why wait?

Bristol have a thing where they put applications "on hold" and don't make offers before the deadline, specifically to ensure this isn't a problem.

Durham - though it's not officially stated as a policy - don't make their offers till after Oxbridge have done theirs (some time after the deadline)

I expect quite a few other places do similar things.

Don't panic.

@titchy

It's not hard to say - the answer is no.

OP seriously stop worrying about it. He's got decent predicted grades, he should be engaging with this with his school not you - you're making heavy weather about the whole thing. It's fairly straightforward - find five with a range of standards offers, write PS, submit before schools deadline.

Ha sorry I only just saw that this is the same OP as has posted a number of threads.

You're quite right of course @titchy - but my DCs' school was (I bet) not the only one to make it sound as tho getting the form in early was advantageous. But really, that would make no sense.

A couple of advantages

1. It is done and dusted and therefore leaves the rest of the year to concentrate on work and revision towards the best grades you can get.

1. If you do get early offers the student may relax more.

1. Some unis do use past year stats to make a certain number of early offers but then hold the rest to ensure that they give equal consideration to the remainder of the applications. But that cutoff could be reached at any time and you still get equal consideration.

I think the only advantage is potentially getting some certainty early . My DD submitted hers several weeks ago and already has a very achievable offer from a uni she would be very happy to go to plus an interview scheduled for another. This will obviously depend on what unis you apply for because each has a different policy about how they go about making offers . It is however extremely nice to have something in the bag at this stage.

I doubt there are any advantages really. But my Ds1 chose to submit early. He was sure and just wanted it done.

Titchy I don’t think we are. There are very few decent unis with anything below AAA for Mech Eng. we don’t know the system and it’s a lot of money. Don’t want him spending 40k on a degree that isn’t worth that. Also don’t want him without places or offers. We’ve never done this before.

We’ve never done this before

The school have though. Many times.

DS's school used to get them in early purely so that they were done and out of the way, and no other reason.

What are you regarding as 'decent'? Forget Russell group. For Engineering all you need is an accredited MEng. The former polytechnics are often much better because their focus has always been on vocational, industry driven degrees. Which is exactly what you want. And there's lots that meet that criteria.

Deadline is mid January for equal consideration. Those also app,ting to Oxbridge have an October deadline so unis anticipate that most early ones may also be applying there. Your ds could put his form in with one or two higher grade choices and add others later if he is unsure. However he also needs to check if those are likely to interview and when those may take place. There should be a nominated teacher at his school overseeing the UCAS process if he needs advice and running sessions about personal statement, open days and making choices.

My ds went to a grammar school, which is pretty on the ball with uni applications.
they were very clear that it is better to get it in before Christmas.

In their experience the earlier applications seemed to get more/better offers.

The other side of it is that it takes some time to process and check through school, and get support with personal statement etc.

They also said though, that some students changed their mind/decided late, and as long as that application was in before the final deadline (isn't that january??) then it would still go through.

I’ve had 2 kids apply to Uni, 10 different universities between them. Their (different) schools encouraged early submission just so it was done and they could then focus on their studies.

Both received some offers within a week, one within 24hrs of submission. All offers were in before Xmas except one (Exeter) which is notoriously late.

Given that universities (using algorithms) will make X offers for Y places on each course, the fact that they make offers very quickly as and when applications are received MUST disadvantage later applicants who by definition are chasing fewer “available” places on the course. I know they are supposed to treat all applications equally but the maths just doesn’t work does it?

Given that universities (using algorithms) will make X offers for Y places on each course, the fact that they make offers very quickly as and when applications are received MUST disadvantage later applicants who by definition are chasing fewer “available” places on the course. I know they are supposed to treat all applications equally but the maths just doesn’t work does it?

Yes of course the maths works - we're not stupid you know. We know how many applications we are likely to get, and how many of those once offered will convert. We also know that we'll get x more applications after the January deadline (the vast majority of unis are in clearing) so there's wiggle room. We're also not capped so if we end up with more firms it's not the end of the world (cf all the extra places offered in the last two years - caused problems for a few but no one had their place withdrawn.)

Thanks for the explanation @titchy - no need to be snide

Thanks for assuming that because you don't know how we do things that means the 'maths is impossible' and implying it does make a difference when applicants apply.

No need to denigrate an entire sector just because you don't understand how something is done.

Yes, there are advantages to submitting a UCAS application earlier rather than later.

Benefits for time management: revision for mocks, planning coursework / NEA.

Psychological benefits: submitting earlier can sometimes (but not always) mean receiving decisions earlier, which gives some assurance about the next step and can help motivation and focus.

@titchy you are reading far too much into my words and you will note the question mark at the end which was in effect an invitation to be disproved. Which you have done. For which I thank you. I’ve been proven wrong in my assumptions about the maths.

I would add that sometimes the date you form an offer will dictate priority / access to accommodation booking. Trent is notorious for this - they open the first come first serve accommodation booking for people with firm offers even before their spring open days. One of my kids’ unis prioritised accommodation allocation by reference to date of acceptance of an offer. So in these types of scenario getting offers in early is clearly beneficial

@titchy

Thanks for assuming that because you don't know how we do things that means the 'maths is impossible' and implying it does make a difference when applicants apply.

No need to denigrate an entire sector just because you don't understand how something is done.

I think your reaction was a bit stroppy. All you needed to say was "it might seem like that but no, it's fine and this is why".

But maybe this is why the discussion on WIWIKAU was locked!

@VanCleefArpels

I would add that sometimes the date you form an offer will dictate priority / access to accommodation booking. Trent is notorious for this - they open the first come first serve accommodation booking for people with firm offers even before their spring open days. One of my kids’ unis prioritised accommodation allocation by reference to date of acceptance of an offer. So in these types of scenario getting offers in early is clearly beneficial

Yes York was like this too - you could apply for accommodation very early.

@Tr3hern3

Titchy I don’t think we are. There are very few decent unis with anything below AAA for Mech Eng. we don’t know the system and it’s a lot of money. Don’t want him spending 40k on a degree that isn’t worth that. Also don’t want him without places or offers. We’ve never done this before.

All MEng degrees are accredited by the Engineering Institutions against a fairly detailed curriculum. Accredited degrees are all at an acceptable standard.

DD was late last year as the college took forever, her first choice had so many offer holders and a first come first serve on accommodation. Nine choices and she didn’t get any of them.