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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

Conditional offers - already know the criteria aren't met

28 replies

afromom · 04/02/2023 12:03

I'm hoping someone with more knowledge in Uni admissions may be able to help us please? Sorry it may be longwinded to explain!
DS took a year out after his A Levels and has applied for Uni to start this September. His predicted grades were BBC and his mocks in Dec 2021 were ABC so all was well that he would get his grades. All previous mocks over the 2 years were also along similar lines.
Some stuff happened that year and unfortunately he ended up getting CDD. He didn't apply to go to Uni and took a year off working, travelling and getting his head together. He applied this year knowing his grades would be an issue, but explained the predicted versus actual grades in his personal statement and what he had been doing to turn things around over the past few months. The courses he applied to required him to have 112 and 120 points (below predicted but above actual results - 80). He also applied for a HND to degree option at one Uni and course with a foundation year that did meet the points criteria he had as a back up at each if his chosen Unis.
He is delighted to have got conditional offers in ALL 5 courses! But... one of the courses has provided a conditional offer which relies on him having 104 points, which his application makes clear he doesn't have. Does that mean that the offer actually isn't genuine, or is it a standard email and they already know he won't meet the requirements? We are struggling to get hold of admissions and the student accommodation is disappearing before our eyes online, so don't want to waste time if it's not a 'real achievable' offer.
Thank you in advance for any advice

OP posts:

OntarioBagnet · 04/02/2023 12:06

It really depends on the specific course and university, and mainly how full it is. Seeing as he already has his grades I presume it was an oversight on their part and they should actually have rejected him. Certainly that would be the case on my course but we are strict on criteria, if you don’t meet it your place is withdrawn. Less oversubscribed courses won’t be as strict. He really needs to get hold of someone.

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 12:13

Thank you that's useful and what I thought. We will keep trying the admissions team and hope we get through next week. He has his back up options that he's already met, so at least he has 2 definite options.

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AnotherAppleThief · 04/02/2023 12:13

Yes I'm confused or I've read it wrong. Unless he's waiting for more results, he shouldn't have got conditional offers. Are you sure his application was right?

youhavenoidea123 · 04/02/2023 12:14

I'm surprised he is getting conditional offered if he has his grades.

Friends DC that have applied after a gap year have either been offered a place or declined. However, I have no official knowledge so this may not be always the case.

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 12:17

Yes we've checked and double checked and his ALevel results are entered correctly as 2022 results and as CDD. His personal statement also has a whole paragraph referring to the fact he didn't achieve the grades expected, with both predicted and actual listed. It's really odd. All I can think is that it's a Sports Management course and this year he has spent playing for the football academy linked to the University (not in the Uni matches, but in the Saturday league matches ) through the UDA academy scheme and this has has some sway? We will keep trying to get through.

OP posts:

Opentooffers · 04/02/2023 12:19

What are the offers on the condition of? Usually its A-level grades, but as he already has those.... I'm unsure what the 'conditional' offers are. If they are higher than what he got, he already hasn't met them.
There are other routes to getting a degree in his chosen field, HND then conversion to degree sounds a good path.

LeapingCat · 04/02/2023 12:19

None of his offers should be conditional unless he’s doing resits. Is the paragraph about his grades potentially confusing as it refers to predicted grades? Is it clear that he isn’t resitting?

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 12:24

The one is on condition of achieving 104 points at A Level, which he clearly hasn't met. This is the one he's already linked to through the football academy.
The 2 others we can't seem to see the conditions at all on the ucas site or in the email offer. So I'm not sure? I'm going to do a deep dove into all the comms this weekend to see if we can work it out and then just keep phoning next week to confirm.
The 2 options he has already met tge requirements for (40 and 48 points) are a HND to degree 3 year course and a 4 year course with the first year being a foundation year (he's not keen on that option). So he at least has those two options regardless of what happens with the other 3.

OP posts:

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 12:25

Yes it's clear he's not resisting he talks about what he's been doing for the past year and why he changed his mind about applying. Also the circumstances around not achieving predicted grades.

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Amboseli · 04/02/2023 12:41

That's weird. My DD took a gap year and applied to unis during the gap year with her actual grades, knowing that she met the criteria. She got a couple of offers and accepted her first choice.

The accommodation portal didn't open untill August and she got her accommodation.

Are you sure the offers are conditional? Can't he just accept his preferred uni on UCAS portal?

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 12:44

I've just found the actual wording around the offers. It looks like two of them just require him to confirm the quals that he has claimed in his application (which I've double checked and are correct). The other definitely states 104 points needed, which I'm guessing must be an oversight:
All 5 are conditional offers. So strange!

Conditional offers - already know the criteria aren't met

OP posts:

titchy · 04/02/2023 12:45

Agree with others - he shouldn't have any conditional offers. Are you certain that's what they are? In which case he needs to contact all five unis and ask them to make unconditional offers, or reject him.

titchy · 04/02/2023 12:46

Cross post - ok so that's straightforward enough. The others need an email though.

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 12:48

The accommodation thing is that he's looking at private student accommodation (a studio flat) that students can stay in right through their stay at Uni, so it's not run through the Uni accommodation scheme. They seem to book out pretty quick and lots of students from previous years have first refusal on rooms for the next year. He has some MH and allergy issues that mean bathroom and kitchen sharing would be challenging for him.

OP posts:

Ellmau · 04/02/2023 16:51

Perhaps they think he's retaking?

PhotoDad · 04/02/2023 16:59

I help deal with UCAS at a school. The 104 points offer is just weird and probably a mistake (sorry). But I guessed the other "conditionals" would be "...you just need to confirm your qualifications" before I got to that post! As soon as your DS does so, they will update to "unconditional."

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 17:37

Thanks to everyone for your help, it seems like @PhotoDad's suggestion is the most likely. We will chase up the 104 offer next week and confirm certificates with the other. The 104 offer is a local Uni, which he is less keen on, but the course is a better one so he's got some thinking to do about it all.
I'm glad I'm not 18 again!

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poetryandwine · 04/02/2023 20:58

As a former admissions tutor I agree that @PhotoDad ’s idea is the most likely. We would often make someone’s offer Conditional on paperwork. It is the most efficient way to get said paperwork. However in this case I am slightly surprised: the results should have all gone to UCAS originally, and UCAS is the best source for confirming them now, I would have thought

It will do no harm simply to send the requested paperwork and see if those offers go Unconditional. Your DS - and tutors definitely notice whether it is an applicant or parent doing this, but if he can’t, he can’t - really needs to contact the admissions team of the place that seems to think he will be resitting. Email is fine if easier. We want to help! Best wishes to him

Original poster

afromom · 04/02/2023 21:05

Thank you @poetryandwine. That's really useful advice. DS normally does all of the communication for these things, albeit sometimes with me sat alongside, but it's useful to know thats important in this case. We will keep our fingers crossed this weekend that it's all sorted for him next week.

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PhotoDad · 04/02/2023 22:14

And, @poetryandwine, illustrative anecdote from this cycle. One of my little group was applying with grades in hand. One rejection, one "unconditional" straight away, and three "conditional on sending paperwork."

I've always wondered why candidates have to fill-in their exam grades (GCSE and anything higher) when they have a unique reference number with the exam boards, but that's another question!

poetryandwine · 05/02/2023 07:58

It’s really great that your DS does this, @afromom. No one knows you are beside him!

@PhotoDad , we need to have all the info laid out in one place when assessing the applications. Ideally UCAS would collate it from official results, ensuring integrity, but that’s asking an awful lot from them. Massive IT changes, I imagine.

Original poster

afromom · 09/02/2023 12:00

Just a little update in case it's useful to anyone else. DS submitted his certificates to the University who were offering a place on the course requesting higher points than he has (104 ) and today he has had confirmation from admissions that his place is confirmed as unconditional if he wants it. They didn't offer and explanation as to the confusing points issue, but he is happy that it seems to be resolved anyway. It must have been an error in the offer wording.
Thank you to everyone who helped with advice and information, onwards and upwards for him now, with the difficult decision of deciding which course to go with!

OP posts:

Ellmau · 09/02/2023 12:15

Excellent news!

poetryandwine · 09/02/2023 12:28

That’s great news, @afromom . Thanks for updating us. Congratulations to your DS!

alexisccd · 09/02/2023 13:39

Congrats to your son! Exciting times ahead!

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