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!

Can she get relevant work exp to support her application

Sorry but in my experience she needs to reset her expectations. Very unlikely to get Exeter with those grades. She must ensure she applies for unis with lower requirements. Economics is hugely competitive. What is her maths grade, what's the 'B' in?

If she doesn't like the options she need to rethink her course.

What about something that might be less popular? Economics AND something. Politics maybe? Switch after the 1st year.

AND add something very relevant onto her work / volunteer history too.

But I’d have a plan B too

What about something that might be less popular? Economics AND something. Politics maybe?

those courses are harder to get onto not easier since you have to get accepted by two departments rather than just one.

plus at Exeter most of the “and” courses are in Cornwall.

if they’re now asking A* AA she stands very little chance

At most universities it is easier to get on a course when you combine economics with something else.
Dd is studying economics. She required A star A, A. If she studied for a combined degree , she would have needed to get A, A A/ A AB ( contextual offer)

As others have said Economics is extremely competitive.
It is unlikely that she will get Exeter. She has to apply somewhere else

Grades aren't being lowered this year. Boundaries for students sitting the exams next year will be higher as they're moving back from the grade inflation of the last few years. But the universities will be well aware that she benefitted from this grade inflation, so will consider her grades accordingly.
If the course only requires Astar A B she may get an offer (but it's not guaranteed as they may want to wait for students who will get AAA as she was offered last year).
She should definitely apply to some with lower grade requirements as well, just in case.

I work at a top RG Uni in a business related subject. The grades required for economics were AAA. We hit the targets in our school immediately. We didn’t even go into clearing. The students accepted had a minimum of 3 A grades and we did not accept variations even if the overall grade points were the same. For example, an A, A, and B, or even two A and a B were not accepted. Almost all students had higher grades than AAA. The whole university was out of clearing by 3pm on the day the results were released. It’s brutal. In her position I would phone Exeter and ask them now if her grades are acceptable, and if she could get an unconditional offer now. There’s no point in hoping for the best and waiting until August, because she’s likely to find herself in the same position. She should also consider retaking her B grade A level to get a higher grade.

It’s illogical thinking which doesn’t hide particularly well for an economics student.

firstly she says if results are down then offers will be down but results come way way after offers. It’s illogical. Universities aren’t lowering their grades this year.

secondly it’s like she’s assuming there were only just enough kids getting aaa to fill the course. There weren’t. Many many of those kids will have had higher than aaa.

my Ds has applied to Exeter. He is predicted A star A star A plus an A star in EPQ plus core maths. He isn’t confident of an offer for his course (AAA) simply due to the level of competition (and it’s less popular than economics but with more places available) and so I think her confidence is misplaced.

exeter is asking AStar A A to AAA for that course. This is what they say about her applucstion

“Applicants with achieved grades are placed in tiers according to their achieved grades, in line with our typical offer. For example, where our typical offer is AAA-AAB, applicants will be tiered from Tier 1 (AAA*) to Tier 5 (AAB).

Applicants who have achieved grades below our advertised typical offer are held within a ‘Grades Low’ Tier, and will be considered if we can make further offers once we have considered all other applications.”

so basically she will only get an offer if they can’t fill their places which is extremely unlikely. Economics is one of the most popular courses.

Sorry that should have said it doesn’t bode well

And the tier 1 was three a stars

Thank you for all your replies. For those asking, her A star is in economics, A in maths, B is biology.

She has already contacted the universities on her list to ask if they would consider her with her grades. All but one (I think it was Manchester) said they would. Now I'm wondering if that's because they make contextual offers that low. She wouldn't qualify for a contextual offer.

Honestly, I agree that it seems a bit mad to be rejected from a course one year, but get onto it the next year with the same grades. But how much weight do universities give to the year in which students were awarded their grades?

See my response above. This is literally taken from the Exeter website

“Applicants with achieved grades are placed in tiers according to their achieved grades, in line with our typical offer. For example, where our typical offer is AAA-AAB, applicants will be tiered from Tier 1 (AAA*) to Tier 5 (AAB).

Applicants who have achieved grades below our advertised typical offer are held within a ‘Grades Low’ Tier, and will be considered if we can make further offers once we have considered all other applications.”

she will be placed on the “ grades low” tier and won’t heat anything until all other offers have been made. She will only get an offer if they haven’t had enough applicants. Then she will rank behind this years grades low applicants since she had her grades in an inflated grades year

So it’s a bit misleading to say they will consider her. They will but as a grades low applicant only if they haven’t had enough applicants

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.

Grades were more generous last year due to the effects of covid. University admissions are aware of that!

In other words, applicants from the 2022 cohort will need higher grades than those doing A levels this year. Your niece will therefore be disadvantaged imo

But how much weight do universities give to the year in which students were awarded their grades?

Admissions are fully aware of the inflated grades between 2020 and 2022!

There are 5 slots on an UCAS form, so if she really does want to try, there's no harm in using just one of them on a long shot.

But she does need to be realistic about her chances, as explained above.

She also needs to put down other courses where she meets the requirement, and one where she exceeds it.

Because the grades in 20/21 (no exams) and 22 (exams but 'softer' boundaries and more information about which topics would come up) might not be regarded in the same way by universities.

What might make a difference (no guarantees) were if her raw marks were very high in her A* subject (so would be a star in any year) and towards the top in the others. Can the school highlight that, if it applies to her?

Also what has she done since leaving school? Will it strengthen her PS (relevant work experience, volunteering, even online courses)

I think she’s maybe messing up a bit, she should have had three applications that gave her a range of options one being an insurance choice if she didn’t achieve, that she was willing to go to

her logic is skewed, if grades were over inflated last year then hers were. So those applying from last year will have the same hurdle. It’s not a blanket offer for everyone

but more importantly what she’s done in her gap year can be critical, what work experience did she gain, what volunteering what was her plan for the year ro advance herself and what has she achieved. This can make the difference and get her in.

Gummibär I am sure they are aware, but I haven't seen any information given out to prospective students about how the year in which they were awarded their grades might affect their application. And surely this is an important factor in university applications at the moment. Please point me in the right direction if I'm wrong about this!

Shlo, apologies for not having read your post properly last night. That does sound as if she is heading for a long wait and then most probably rejection. Sighs.

Activelyannoyed she is aware of the importance of doing something worthwhile with this gap year. Although it's a bit of a funny one because her UCAS application has already gone into school. From the point of view of university applications, it seems to be more about having impressive plans!

Has you DN also checked if her last years choices will consider her again as some universities won't for the same application 2 years in a row unless they has been substantial progress in the 12 months eg grade has been corrected after an appeal, reset the exam and achieved higher grade, very relevant work experience in the gap year etc

mumofthree22 oh dear no, I don't think she has considered that. Does that apply when rejected at offer stage, or rejected because of results? Or does it just depend on the individual university?

According to their website, Exeter are asking for A*AA for their economics courses this year. She still doesn't meet the criteria. Unless she qualifies for a contextual offer which is AAB.

UPDATE: Just in case anyone is interested, she has been offered a place at Exeter this year. Same course, same grades as last year's rejection. So in her case at least, doesn't look as if the year in which she got her grades made any difference

Great news