What spread of grade requirements for ucas application?

[Dannexe]

Ds is currently finalising his choices and has the following:
russell group AAA standard offer
russell group AAA standard offer
Russell group AAA standard offer
non Russell group AAB standard offer

the final one is undecided, it’s either a Cambridge punt at AAA or a safety non Russell group ABB

He’s predicted A star A star A

is this a safe enough spread of grade requirements to ensure he gets an offer somewhere? I’m assuming it is given that his predictions are higher but obviously other factors also come into play. If he would be advised to have a lower offer than AAB then he’ll add in the safety ABB (although this is Loughborough so it’s risky for other reasons given that he isn’t sporty and it’s massively oversubscribed).

any views?

@Iamsodone Nottingham

I would say that just because Loughborough isn't RG doesn't make it lesser. Ahem- Bath just named ST University of the year.... St Andrew's always top 3.

In terms of your question : my DS had same PGs as yours. His offers ranged from AAB to ABB. Cambridge is a different story, of course, despite its apparent achievable offer.

With PGs like that he has a great range of choices. Doesn't need to go too low. Otherwise, if he gets a Cambridge offer, his insurance might end up being somewhere he really doesn't want to go much.

The subject makes a huge difference. All the people sat without offers last year that I know of had applied to economics.

I would say that just because Loughborough isn't RG doesn't make it lesser. Ahem- Bath just named ST University of the year.... St Andrew's always top 3.
Ah bless you for this @Piggywaspushed - as indicated in my post but maybe not clearly, my ds rejected offers from three RG unis (which he got the grades for) in favour of Loughborough, which was always his first choice. I genuinely do not think RG is in any sense the be-all and end-all. When Allestree said and done, it's a club unis can belong to, but of itself does not seem to promise great teaching, or pastoral support in a great experience.

Dd has just graduated with an excellent degree from Leicester, also not RG, but they couldn't have been more supportive of her (she had a tough time) and she was able to tailor her modules to suit her tastes and assessment preferences. Maybe she could have done that at Warwick too; but I guess I am saying (in general, not just to the op) don't discount non-RG unis just on that basis.

Haha when all is said and done stupid phone!

great one I think !

I think some of the posters above are slightly missing the point when they say “no point in having three AAA choices”. Yes, not much value in three such offers, but putting them on the Ucas form is not the same as an offer. Once upon a time an Astar Astar A applicant maybe could be sure of offers from everyone, but I think it will be a while, if ever, before those days return.

In which case there is an argument for applying to where one wants to go, as slots spent on insurances one doesn’t want to go to are rather wasted.

I think one can punt Cambridge or have a safety offer. Doing both can be extravagant.

Agree @Revengeofthepangolins that choices do no equal offers. I said that there is no point in three AAA offers, as in, decide which you would prefer and put that one down; no point in three x AAA offers if you only really like one. Agree tho that things may well still be different this year from, say, 2019/2020. Also sounds as tho Op's ds has picked a v competitive course so may get wise to spread his net wide.

But that’s my point really - choose which of the three you like best and out them down assumes that an offer will be automatically forthcoming. It very well might not.

op - what course is your DC planning ?

Yes sorry, that’s quite true, I’ve put it badly. What I was trying to say was there’s no point in an offer for a course you don’t want. Ds2 had a lower offer from Newcastle but didn’t like the course so didn't keep it as his insurance (against a higher offer from his (gasp) non RG!) as he didn’t want to study that course, ultimately.

Why put it down at all - I think he was just filling up his form lol. I guess the landscape is different this year.

Hi, sorry I should have said in the OP. He’s applying for History but wants courses where he can pick some modules from other subjects because he wants to do some international relations/international politics modules.

So sorry op I thought he was applying fir economics at LSE and the like. Muddling you up with a different thread, apologies. Hmmmm History at Lboro maybe not an obvious one. If he is not sporty (or maybe musical, or into drama or some such typical uni passion) then he might find Luffers a bit dull, as per my previous post.

If he has requirements based on ability to pick other modules as you say, then that is a key thing to consider, surely. Do all his current choices offer that? Does Cambridge? Isn't it getting a bit late in the day to prep your application for Cambridge? (Disclsimer - not my area).

So, it sounds like he has thought through the unis in terms of modules and mixing in IR and politics. Therefore, this should lead his choices, I'd say.

Given it's history, I am now surprised that you are surprised by York's published offer since York is renowned for history . I am surprised they aren't asking for higher!

The others you lists (Exeter, Warwick, Lancaster ) are also great unis for history and I'd throw Birmingham your way too as a suggestion.

Agree that Lboro isn't an obvious choice for history but am guessing this is because of their flexibility over modules - this is certainly the thing at Lancaster.

Receiving actual offers with those PGs won't be an issue . Taking Cambridge out of the equation for now, I reckon he will get offers for all the rest for a history application. My DSs' application for politics and IR type degrees all came in almost the second the applications went in and history is (sadly) not as hugely popular as it used to be (because STEM). So it then becomes about an insurance offer if he is successful with a Cambridge punt.

if he wants flexibility to mix in other things, has he considers scottish unis?

Mine had 4 predicted Astar and all the courses he applied to were either Astar Astar A or Astar AA, which always felt realistic. In the end, his firm choice was the easiest of his offers and he's ended up being awarded a significant scholarship based on his A level results. So it's really individual.

When you say 'punt' at Cambs, how serious is he? Because surely being 1/2 hearted about an Oxbridge application is never recommended.

We discussed it all last night. He was in the oxbridge group at school so has been doing the prep but was put off by the fact that most of the others are straight A* students. Then he spent some time with a friends sister who is in her second year at Cambridge and absolutely hates it and wishes she was somewhere less pressured and having a bit more fun.

I think he’s decided to draw a line under it and pick somewhere else as his fifth.

This is scaring me because I thought they didn't apply till January?

The deadline is January sarah. Most schools ask for applications to be in much earlier than that for checking and uploading references and so on. Oxbridge deadline is mid October, though, hence OP's urgency.

January is I think the very last chance for applying. At DSs school they all apply once applications open in a few weeks.

Oxbridge and medical applications need to be in shortly.

I don't think you need an ABB in that situation. Both daughters were in a similar situation and we felt ABB was unnecessary. They both went to an AAA uni with AAB uni as insurance.

This. With the CAGS saga a few years ago my DS suddenly ended up with no offers with A*AB since with AAA offers.