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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Firm offer/clearing Q

23 replies

givemeallthecheese · 12/02/2022 18:48

Hey so DS has applied to uni and received four conditional offers and one unconditional.

His conditional offers are generally BCC however he's been struggling a little due to some issues recently and his latest report stated his predictions have dropped to CCD

Now, he CAN pull his socks up and work hard and chances are he may make the BCC again however we are in a pickle as to whether he should hedge his bets and firm accept the unconditional

Problem is, it's probably his fourth choice uni

So my question regarding clearing

If he firm accepts the unconditional but then come results day he has managed to get the BCC I understand he can decline the firm and go through clearing for his No1 choice uni. Does he have to decline the firm choice before he applies through clearing? Because if so, it's a bit of a risk in case the No1 uni can no longer take him?

I hope this has made sense and those of you more clued up than me can shed some light

OP posts:

Lovemusic33 · 12/02/2022 18:56

I’m not sure, I have been having the same discussion with dd who is in a similar position, we are waiting to hear back from her 1st choice but they are likely to give her a conditional offer of AAA/AAB, her 2nd choice have given her a conditional offer of BBC, her predicted grades are AAB but she only got ABC in mocks. She wants to secure a place at her 2nd choice because she knows she will get the condition grade but apparently this will mean turning down her first choice and she seems to think she can’t change her mind after she gets her grades (she will lose her place if she secures her 2nd choice).

I think the way they do things is all wrong because until they get their results it’s hard to make a final choice and means they may not get priority securing accommodation.

SometimesRavenSometimesParrot · 12/02/2022 19:39

Yes - you have to be holding no offers to do clearing so he would have to temporarily be place less.

LefttoherownDevizes · 12/02/2022 19:45

He works have to relinquish and there's no guarantee the other unconditional place could/would take him.

He could, however accept the unconditional as his insurance so if he doesn't make the higher offer he's got the back up if the guaranteed place. Or is it a conditional unconditional where is only unconditional if he accepts it as his firm?

Don't forget that there's also adjustment which is like Clearing for those who have done better than their offers. And can see what's available before giving up his firm offer.

LIZS · 12/02/2022 19:45

There is no guarantee his preferred unis will have their course in Clearing. If he exceeds his offer the process is Adjustment. He would phone preferred on the day before asking to be released. Why can he not firm one of his higher options and insure Unconditional? Was Unconditional itself in Clearing last year, in which case is it likely to be again if needs be.

Original poster

givemeallthecheese · 12/02/2022 20:47

Oh I was under the impression an unconditional couldn't be a second choice? I could be wrong (very likely lol)

OP posts:

LIZS · 12/02/2022 21:05

Depends how it is worded, an Unconditional if Firm or Unconditional Offer

RampantIvy · 12/02/2022 23:04

The problem with unconditional offers is that they sway the student to choose them because they are a "safe" option. Given that it is his fourth choice I think he should still choose his first choice and work hard towards that, and choose one of the others as his second choice.

NoNotHimTheOtherOne · 13/02/2022 00:00

Don't forget that there's also adjustment which is like Clearing for those who have done better than their offers.

If he exceeds his offer the process is Adjustment.

Adjustment no longer exists. UCAS has abandoned it from the 2022 cycle onwards.

www.theuniguide.co.uk/advice/ucas-application/ucas-adjustment-explained#:~:text=A%20Ucas%20spokesperson%20says%2C%20%E2%80%9CAdjustment

Laceoff · 13/02/2022 11:43

DS has accepted an unconditional offer from a lower ranked but perfectly decent university because it was so important to him that he got the accommodation he wanted & he couldn't bear 6 months of uncertainty. I wish the process were different.

clary · 13/02/2022 12:40

Has he been given a conditional offer with the offer to make it unconditional if it is his firm choice? That's what DD got from Lincoln - so BCC or guaranteed place if you make it your firm. But she still could have held the BCC as a back up.

Lovemusic33 · 13/02/2022 12:46

@Laceoff

This is what dd is likely to do. The uncertainty of her first choice and not meeting grades will cause her so much stress, she has Aspergers and some mobility issues so securing good accommodation is really important and will give her more time to prepare, rather than rushing around trying to secure accommodation and not knowing if her placement is secure.

RampantIvy · 13/02/2022 12:48

Unconditional conditional offers were temporarily banned a couple of years ago because they were considered unethical. I see it is the same universities going down this route again.

I agree with @Laceoff that the current system with its associated uncertainty needs an overhaul.

Original poster

givemeallthecheese · 13/02/2022 14:09

No it's just a straight unconditional offer

I think he's going to accept it, the uncertainty of getting the BCC is getting to him I think

Ugh!

OP posts:

LIZS · 13/02/2022 14:22

Does the uni offering unconditional guarantee accommodation to insurees? He does not need to firm anything on ucas yet.

SeasonFinale · 15/02/2022 07:07

Do you mind saying which uni his unconditional is from? People may be able to give better advice if we know the unis in play

Original poster

givemeallthecheese · 15/02/2022 07:56

Sure, it's uni of Northampton

His first choice would have been Manchester met. And then other unis in more, shall we say, vibrant twins/cities . We aren't talking anywhere prestigious (not on those grades fella)
Also, the course at Manchester Met is accredited. Northampton isn't

OP posts:

Original poster

givemeallthecheese · 15/02/2022 07:58

BUT we did go to a discovery day at the weekend at Northampton and he was impressed with the campus. He walked away quite positive, so that's good!

OP posts:

LIZS · 15/02/2022 08:39

Accredited by whom, in some industries that will give an advantage for grad jobs and exemptions from professional exams post grad. The fact they offered unconditional suggests they beed bums on seats and will have clearing places. Has he checked what grades MM etc have accepted(not just offered) in the past?

Original poster

givemeallthecheese · 15/02/2022 09:01

Thanks @LIZS

It's triple accredited by EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. It's a business course

Tbh I don't know if this is good - they made it sound very important at the open day!
I'm finding it al a little bewildering, we don't come from a wider family of uni-goers , I was the only one of my siblings and cousins and luckily got the grades to go to my first choice so didn't pay much attention to the process

Is there a specific page where I can find out which courses were in clearing last year and what grades they accepted?

OP posts:

LIZS · 15/02/2022 09:23

Try whatuni or the student room. Uni offer grades tend to reflect the relative reputation of each course.

SeasonFinale · 15/02/2022 10:42

I would definitely do what another poster suggested now I know the choices. Man Met as firm if that is his real first choice and Northampton or even another as the insurance place. I suspect Northampton would be willing to still have them through clearing of the worst came to the worst. I suspect Man Met may even take with dropped grades.

Uniadvice · 15/02/2022 11:48

It might be worth going onto discoveruni.gov.uk/ it shows real intake tariff points for every programme rather than advertised tariff.

Also this link www.timeshighereducation.com/student/blogs/clearing-2020-uk-universities-courses-available shows who was in clearing last year.

And worth bearing in mind that universities will often go lower when confirming firm offer holders than they will in go Clearing so if you find out the clearing tariff and you think your DS could meet that then it is likely he will get a place in confirmation.

Uniadvice · 15/02/2022 11:50

sorry that link was for 2020 clearing, here's 2021: www.timeshighereducation.com/student/advice/clearing-2021-uk-universities-courses-available

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