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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

Offer differs from prospectus

34 replies

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 16:39

DS has an offer from nearby university, BBC but in prospectus states BBC-CCC

Would he still get a place with a lower grade or not?

OP posts:

multivac · 14/02/2023 16:40

Nope. That's what they want your child to get in order to justify them offering him, specifically, a place.

ShandaLear · 14/02/2023 16:45

CCC will be a contextual offer - offered to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is possible that he would get in with lower grades but he would likely have to apply through clearing. I would always advise a potential student to get on the phone to the university’s clearing hotline when the grades come out if they didn’t quite get the grades needed but they are in spitting distance - e.g. if your son got BCC or CCC, but not if he got EEE.

TreacleMcDoo · 14/02/2023 16:57

What are his predicted grades?
How likely does he feel that he can achieve the BBC offer?
And yes they can state BBC as that is what they say their grades are between, albeit at the top end for your son.

titchy · 14/02/2023 17:02

He's been offered the same as in the prospectus

TizerorFizz · 14/02/2023 17:12

If the course doesn’t get enough with the grades they want, BBC, then they might offer to holders of lower grades. After the results are out. CCC is the contextual offer at the moment. They are always caveats saying they reserve the right to change the offers. BBC is his offer. Bums on seats might change that in the summer.

Nimbostratus100 · 14/02/2023 17:13

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 16:39

DS has an offer from nearby university, BBC but in prospectus states BBC-CCC

Would he still get a place with a lower grade or not?

not automatically, it depends on how many other students are holding offers, and what they achieve. Maybe, but best assume not

BlueHeelers · 14/02/2023 17:22

We can never give a fixed, precise this-is-what-everyone-must-achieve offer because offers are based on a range of variables - the school & the contextual background; an individual pupil's GCSEs and A2 levels (if taken); the likely popularity of a degree course (offers provide a certain amount of demand management); the level of difficulty & challenge of the programme.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 14/02/2023 17:26

He needs to meet the conditions of his offer if he wants to be sure of getting in. They might accept him if he misses a grade but only if they want to and if other offer holders miss by more.

The offer he has been given seems to match the one in the prospectus so I don't quite know what you were expecting? Did you expect him to get a contextual offer? Do you think he should have been considered for one?

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 20:31

It's all new to me. Please can you tell me what a contextual offer is?

OP posts:

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 20:43

He's going 3 A levels and then Core Maths which I think is an AS?

He has extra time in exams but we don't live in a deprived postcode if this matters, school is a standard city comprehensive.

OP posts:

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 20:44

It says CCC so thought it would have been lower?

OP posts:

LIZS · 14/02/2023 20:47

You may find they lower it if he firms.

TulipsLilacs · 14/02/2023 20:53

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 20:31

It's all new to me. Please can you tell me what a contextual offer is?

It varies depending on the university. If you Google university name + contextual offer it'll say who qualifies for one. It's done automatically rather than you having to request it. Can be if you are in a postcode with low progression to uni or school with lower results for example

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 20:55

We're in the city centre, very mixed area, not sure will check. Thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 20:55

Would they not have mentioned in the offer if it was one of those?

OP posts:

TizerorFizz · 14/02/2023 20:56

Contextual offers might be where you live or school. It can be quite complex so his 6th form tutor might know if he qualifies. You said it was BBC-CCC. If there’s no reason for CCC, as they see it, he’s got the higher offer. There’s not much lower than CCC really. The extra time is to level the playing field. Did you and DC get info from school about his application? Was there a parents’ evening? An email to the school asking these questions might help clarify these issues. Has he applied elsewhere?

Howmanysleepsnow · 14/02/2023 20:56

Did he have an interview? Sometimes, they’ll offer students who impress at interview a place with lower grades than those who just pass.

EduCated · 14/02/2023 20:58

It also says BBC - it means that the offers they make are typically in that range. The actual offer can depend on lots of things, it might be lower if there are contextual factors or they receive fewer applications, or might be higher if they receive lots of applications.

If a range is stated, it’s generally best to assume the offer will be at the higher end (unless you’ve confirmed how/when they make a lower offer).

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 21:00

Howmanysleepsnow · 14/02/2023 20:56

Did he have an interview? Sometimes, they’ll offer students who impress at interview a place with lower grades than those who just pass.

OP posts:

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 21:02

I think there may have been questions about e.g. free school meals etc on the UCAS form? We don't qualify for them, although not on a high income either.

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MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 14/02/2023 21:04

If you're not in a low participation postcode, he probably just has a standard offer which you'd expect to be at the higher end of the published range - the CCC offers will be for contextual candidates only.

I get that you may not understand how contextual offers work, but given the university stating BBC - CCC on the website, I'm not really sure why you'd expect an offer at the lower end of that spectrum?

Augend23 · 14/02/2023 21:05

I don't understand, if the range is BBC to CCC, why would a BBC offer be a surprise?

Was there a typo in the first post and you meant BCC-CCC?

TulipsLilacs · 14/02/2023 21:05

If you tell us which uni it is we could look it up for you

Original poster

Orangesandlemons77 · 14/02/2023 21:05

When I checked our postcode it comes up with 'not enough pupils at key stage 4' to tell participation?

OP posts:

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 14/02/2023 21:07

It doesn't sound like he would be eligible for a contextual offer, so a standard offer at the higher end of the range is exactly what I'd expect. He'll need to meet it to be sure of getting his place, though there might be some flexibility if he narrowly misses a grade and they still have space to accommodate.

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