Reapplying with same grades?

[braggingaboutbrasize]

My DNiece just missed out on a university place last year (got grades Astar A B, she needed AAA). She applied for Economics. Didn't get her insurance either, didn't see anything she fancied in clearing, so is currently on a year out, reapplying now.

She is making exactly the same application as last year, same course, same universities and is confident that this time round she will be accepted straight on to her original firm. How realistic is this? I think she's hoping that having grades in hand and the proposed lowering of grades again this year will work in her favour.

Just hoping to get some expert opinion on this!

Which university was her original firm?

it’s unlikely they’ll take her unless they’ve lowered their grade requirement

How come she didn't get her insurance offer? Surely it was lower than the AAA offer, otherwise it wouldn't be a back up?

Yep no point in having an insurance that isn’t actually a back up with a lower grade requirement!

Harsh reality is she probably has less of a chance of an offer than last year. Last year they thought she might get A or above in all of her subjects. So they made the offer. This year they know she has a B

Very unlikely. A B isn't going to magically change to a A, why didn't she go back to college and try for an A?

Failing that apply for a place where she needed AAB.

Exeter was/is her favourite. Her back up was the same offer, so she didn't get that either.

Tbh, comments so far have confirmed my worries. I think she is relying too much on the idea that offers will be lower this year than last year

She’s been very badly advised if her insurance was the same grades as her first choice. An insurance is supposed to be lower so that if you fail to get your grades for your first choice you still have somewhere to go.

why does she think offers will be lower this year?

Exeter is a very highly rated university. What course is she hoping for?

Is there anything that makes her stand out, on her ps . Like relevant work experience or self study. Otherwise if she is below the typical offer her application may get ignored. Is she applying to any whose offer she meets?

We gave this passing thought last year as mine got the same grades and dithered about applying to a different course. The unis she'd have wanted were AAA.

School advised that although some universities would definitely take her for the course, the favourite ones for that subject quite easily might not so she (sensibly in my opinion) decided not to risk it as she was already in somewhere she really wanted to be.

Was she turned down totally or was she made an offer and then they rejected due to the B?

She needs to apply to places with AAB requirement as well as Exeter this year. I mean Exeter is worth one of her choices because she’s got one grade above their requirements and one below. Some universities are more bothered about ucas points rather than individual grades and some the other way. What subject was the B in? If something not related to economics they may be less bothered

She needs to switch one at the very least to grades she's actually got - she's in danger of having nothing again.

Grades awarded next summer will be pegged lower, however the number of applications will be higher (demand plus demographics) so there's every possibility that next year will be even more competitive - esp at the more selective end.

If she gets no offers, she should be able to use UCAS Extra for more options or add further choices if she did not apply to five initially.

Economics is one of the most competitive courses….some kids last year with predictions of 4 A stars didn’t get offers from most of their choices. Seems a bit risky tbh

Yes but selective unis won't have places left once she's had all five rejections.

My friends son had 4 A star predictions in economics, maths, further maths and history. He only got one offer. Economics is having a moment. It’s incredibly popular.

True @titchy but you can add more until the January deadline, if fewer than five choices were previously listed, and have equal consideration.

Her hope is, as titchy says, grades awarded will be lower this year. Lower grades means lower offers means bingo she gets in this year when she didn't get in last year. Of course this plan might not work if, as titchy also says, there is also increased competition and also if she is marked down for getting her grades in an 'easier' year.
She was predicted 3xA*s, got 3 offers and most of those were higher than those advertised as required by the universities. Yes, economics seems crazy competitive at the moment.
And yes, I think she has got one university on her application that she does meet the grades for. But it's not her favourite, and it's a bit of a case of managing expectations, if you know what I mean

Is she doing anything during the year out that would enhance her application? If nothing has changed, I don't she why they would offer her a place now if they didn't a few months ago.

Of course this plan might not work if, as titchy also says, there is also increased competition

Not an 'if' I'm afraid. There will be more competition this cycle. The last cycle saw the proportion of accepted applicants drop for the first time in donkeys years, and that trend will continue.

Why doesn't she email the admissions officer at each university she wants to apply to to see if it is worth applying? And why does she think grades will be lower?

It's pointless applying to a university who wants AAA if she doesn't have AAA.

DD took a gap year and applied with grades in hand and got unconditional offers straight away because she already met the grade requirements.

But Exeter BSc economics are asking for AstAA this year. So I understand that she had an offer from them of AAA last year, and they wouldn’t accept AstAB instead? Because if so, why would they accept it this year when the tarrif is AstAA?

If universities were going to make lower offers in recognition of the return to pre-pandemic grading, they would make their lower offers to the people affected by the change. Your DN was not affected and her grades will be judged in the context they were achieved.

There is also no evidence that universities of the level of Exeter will be making lower offers. At the university where I work, we have actually increased our standard offer for economics this year.

The only thing really going in your DN's favour is that she offers certainty because she already has her grades. This would particularly work in her favour if the A* is in an important subject and the B in a less important one.

Can she pay for a remark? And then apply.

Way too late. Either she resits or lowers her sights .

Sorry to hear that