Do you think the offers will come out faster this year?

[IheartNiles]

Been reading back a few threads. Last year sounded chaotic, some not received until May, way after the offers holder days over Easter.

looking back at a 2019 thread, many early applicants had most of their offers by mid Nov and those applying nearer to the deadline received offers a couple of days to a few weeks later.

Now we are back to exam assessments and covid backlog is clearing, will it be any different?

Some unis just seem to drag it out every year unfortunately . It’s just how they do things . No reason to think it will be any different this year .

There was a definite worsening last year compared with precious years. Yes, the same ones were slower but those ones were terrible last year. To the point that students gave up and firmed others rather than miss out on accommodation.

Some offers from Bristol already have gone out to those who have applied there (my daughter said someone in her year got an offer last week and another on MN said their child had too). I think some schools offer as soon as and some offer late (isn't Durham notorious for this)? I always think this means that places will surely run out! People say not as those getting early offers must be outstanding candidates but common sense would suggest it's better to get applications in asap if the course is competitive.
Where my daughter is applying they say they do not review applications until after the deadline but to still get applications in early (maybe they look at them in date order).

It depends on the university.
Some are always later because they are more "prestigious" and wait until Oxbridge have had their pick.
DD had one within 3 days last year, and waited until late May for the final one.

DS1 has had an offer already (Bristol) and the application only went in last week. He's really pleased as it's his first or second choice and it was a generous offer.

My son got a Bristol offer about 3 days after he applied last year - he was stunned as it was a competitive course (engineering) but I guess they knew he was an Oxbridge candidate from the timing and the PS. He didn't get one from Durham until about Feb/March which was significantly after he'd got his Cambridge offer.

DD has just put her application in today, and Bristol is on her list so I hope they are moving as quickly again, although she's applying for a different subject (and obviously isn't an Oxbridge applicant too).

My daughter got an offer from Bristol a couple of days ago, it was a v nice surprise to get it so early. Hasn't heard back from anywhere else though

DD had a York offer today which was a nice surprise.

It’s not true to say offers were always earlier for early applications. DD1 waited for Durham until mid March 12 years ago! DD2 never did hear from two universities by 30 April. It was an art course snd one saw her portfolio and interviewed her in February! Assumed it was a No. The course went into clearing. You just have to assume some universities are crap! (after you’ve been through the mill of interviews and portfolio!).

The Equalities Act requires all home applicants who apply before the January deadline to be treated equally.

(Different for Oxbridge and medical schools as they have an earlier deadline.)

It means that on very oversubscribed courses Universities cannot start to make decisions until January except for the outliers. (The very strong and the very weak.) Some Universities/Departments can cope with over recruitment by going over numbers. Lab subjects or a shortage of space or of student accommodation, are very reluctant to do so.

With the recent grade/applicant number unpredictability this has become messy. One option might be to give other oversubscribed courses the earlier deadline. However they may feel it might limit applications from certain backgrounds and that they are better off remaining just a line on the UCAS form.

We received offers the day after the application went in.

No, it’s not just because of covid etc why some offers came out late last year, it’s perfectly normal for some to offer late every year, Durham being one

Delays are often more about course, and the competitiveness of that course.

Economics, say, tends to be more competitive than languages.

The LSE and other Universities will have clear policies.

The LSE policy info.lse.ac.uk/staff/services/Policies-and-procedures/Assets/Documents/uGAdmPol.pdf

3.2. Gathered Field
Applications received by the 26th January deadline will considered equally. In order to give fair
and equal consideration applications may be held as part of a gathered field alongside all ‘ontime’ applications. All decisions will be made by the 19th May at the latest.

1. Admissions and registration targets

The number of student places at the School is determined through the School’s capacity to teach them. The School meets this requirement by setting caps on the number of Home and Overseas students on each programme of study. This system therefore involves two selection processes for each programme (i.e. one for Home students, and another for Overseas students) although it is important to note that the entry requirements are the same for both groups of applicants. The number of undergraduate places available each year at LSE for Home students is usually approximately 850. The number of undergraduate places available each year to Overseas students is usually approximately 850. LSE receives many more applications from highly qualified candidates than there are places available. In 2021 approximately 26,000 applications were received. The level of competition for places is intense, and therefore, the School is unable to make offers to many of these highly qualified candidates.

My observation is that unless you are exceptional you are unlikely to receive an
offer before about February for a subject like economics. DS did not hear from Warwick, UCL or LSE till late March. This was about eight years ago when the vast majority of decisions were made by the end of March. In more recent years more seem to have been held over till 19May. The only silver lining is that by taking a cautious approach the LSE did not seem to over recruit in the way some Universities did.