University Offers for 2022 Start

[Calmed]

I've heard universities are being more cautious this year, with some stating that they are not going to make most offers until the January deadline, when they can see a clearer picture - because of the over-subscription that happened for last year's students.

I thought it might be interesting to see which universities are making offers for which subjects.

We've only heard from York so far, for Computer Science. York University do seem to be making early offers.

Anyone else heard from any universities? Think it would be good to know what is happening out there :)

DD has offers from all her choices York, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and UCLan for Philosophy. She sent off on the Friday (5th Nov) and had them all by the Tuesday.
She has recently (May) been screened for dyslexia/Irlen and has extra time in exams, coloured paper so think that may be why two of her offers are slightly lower than we thought she may have even though she's not formally diagnosed.
As a pp said some careers you do need a degree. Mine for example (though I'm old haha) and my DS 23 wouldn't be where he is without his degree/masters.

That's so quick @angieloumc !

@NCTDN

Offers within a fortnight is amazing! DD has only just submitted her form which I know is still very early. Looking at this I wonder if Warwick will be the first she hears from. *@Seeline* which other unis has she applied to? I remember you saying about liberal arts. Dd is Durham, Bristol, Warwick, Loughborough and Manchester.

Depends what subject she is applying for. 2019 when ds was doing his applications he got three offers within 72 hours then another after interview in February and Warwick didn't come in until the penultimate week to make offers - and then came in with a staggeringly low offer so he made them his insurance. This was for an arts subject. All his Science friends heard from Warwick within a fortnight - so there seems to be a bit of variance with their STEM/Arts departments sometimes.

Those that have had offers, can I ask how the grades compared to the course entry requirements. I assumed that universities would be quite hard about min. grades for 2022 after the last 2 years of over offering resulting in problems with accommodation etc
My DS has offers from Cardiff & Newcastle which are 1 & 2 grades below the course entry requirements, no indication they are contextual.
Has this happened to anyone else?

DS has offers from Manchester and Bristol and the offers are absolutely spot on the entry requirements - I was surprised as I thought they'd be higher due to possible grade inflation, deferments from last year and the fact that he's at a private school.

DD sent hers in on Monday and got offer from her 1st choice York today! She will be doing sociology and political sciences. Would be interesting to know why some, i.e. York it appears, are so much quicker than others?

My DS has had an offer for Lancaster for politics and international relations.

@MillicentFaucet

Those that have had offers, can I ask how the grades compared to the course entry requirements. I assumed that universities would be quite hard about min. grades for 2022 after the last 2 years of over offering resulting in problems with accommodation etc My DS has offers from Cardiff & Newcastle which are 1 & 2 grades below the course entry requirements, no indication they are contextual. Has this happened to anyone else?

My DS has been given contextual offers for Computer Science from Newcastle, York and Lincoln so all 2 grades below standard. It mentions that the offers are contextual in the email from the uni but not on UCAS. He does not qualify for a contextual offer from Sheffield but they do offer alternative offers for relevant A levels and EPQs so he has three different ways to meet the entry requirements.

@Linneasweet all unis use different algorithms and other strategies to work out numbers if offers required to ensure all places are filled. Places like Durham know that the majority of applicants will chose them as 1st or 2nd choice so can wait until all applications are in jan and will still fill all places. Other unis don’t want to be caught with half full courses come September so will offer as and when applications come in on some of their courses but their most popular courses they may take their time to offer waiting to see what demand is like just offering to the top students and pooling the other applicants until later in the year. I think I read that only 20-25% get or exceed their predicted grades so many students will go to their insurance choice so there is so much movement on results day (well there is in an exam year)

Good news DD has had two offers York and now Lancaster for Biological sciences. Form went in on the 9th November.

@Linneasweet, DD's first offer, 3 days after submitting UCAS, was for her 'stretch' choice at York, closely followed by one of her other choices also York. Then a 'golden ticket' arrived in the post. I think the first offers are so exciting that it's a tactic to influence the student in their choices.
Mind you, DD was already smitten with York so it just confirmed her thoughts.

SJ1975 DS says that emails definitely don't mention that they're contextual offers but after reading your post I've checked both university pages for his course & our postcode is flagged under the POLAR criteria, which is news to us. Off to check if his first choice (Bath) will do the same

DS sent his UCAS form off yesterday….

Two offers today!!

Politics and International Relations

Predicted- ABB

York- AAB (standard offer)
Aberystwyth- BBC (I think standard is BBB)

Really pleased. Fingers crossed the others follow quickly!

@MillicentFaucet

SJ1975 DS says that emails definitely don't mention that they're contextual offers but after reading your post I've checked both university pages for his course & our postcode is flagged under the POLAR criteria, which is news to us. Off to check if his first choice (Bath) will do the same

We didn't initially realise that we qualified either. DS probably won't need the grade reductions to be honest but I suppose it will reduce the pressure on him at exam time. Hope your DS gets the offer he wants from Bath.

Sons had.offer from Gloucester nd Chichester

SJ1975 thanks, has your son decided where he wants to go yet? I'm a Newcastle lass so a bit biased
Bath will also do a contextual offer of AAA for DS's course, he's predicted A A A so fingers crossed for him (he's also applied to Cambridge but is realistic about his chances)

@MillicentFaucet

SJ1975 thanks, has your son decided where he wants to go yet? I'm a Newcastle lass so a bit biased Bath will also do a contextual offer of AAA for DS's course, he's predicted A A A so fingers crossed for him (he's also applied to Cambridge but is realistic about his chances)

His first choice is probably going to be Durham if he is lucky enough to get an offer. He has the predicted grades required but we are aware that it is very competitive so just keeping our fingers crossed for now. He will probably go for Sheffield or York as his second choice. We were impressed with Newcastle but it is the farthest from home. As an overprotective Mum, I would prefer him to be closer but obviously we will support whatever decision he makes.

I live & work in Durham so if you want to pick my brains feel free!

@MillicentFaucet Thank you. That would be great

DS2 has offers for Philosophy and Politics from Liverpool, Sussex and Kent, 1 rejection from Manchester.
Got the Sussex one about 2 days after submitting form which surprised us.

Good luck all!

Can I join?

DD1 has submit today. She's applying to Keele, Leicester, Birmingham, Plymouth and Leeds to study Geology.

She has ASD and is currently predicted BBB, but could easily get AAB if she can get her head round obscure exam questions.

What is a contextual offer?

Dd has had her first offer back today from Warwick, asking for the grades that it states on their website.

@Siriusmuggle

What is a contextual offer?

One which takes into account the context in which the applicant's qualifications have been / are being taken (e.g. a school with a history of overall low attainment or a relatively low number of students progressing to higher education, or a home address in an area of higher than average deprivation or low participation in higher education). Usually, a university taking this into account would make an offer one or two grades lower than the 'typical' one or, in the case of e.g. Oxford, iirc, lower the threshold for inviting to interview (but then not take the 'context' any further into consideration).

@Siriusmuggle

What is a contextual offer?

It's an offer where the grades required are lower than the standard minimum entry requirements. Different universities use different criteria but most refer to home postcode/care-leavers/supported progression programmes etc. You should be able to find out what a particular uni/course offers by searching 'contextual offers' on their website. I had no idea until tonight that our postcode (listed building in a pretty village in a conservation area) was classed as deprived so DS has been given lower offers