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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

If you miss the grades, will they ever let you in to Uni?

98 replies

Peverellshire · 14/05/2023 14:42

Just pondering this for one of mine. I think they may miss by a grade in a couple of subjects, guessing that means , generally that you lose the first choice, Uni place?

If your offer is A star,A and B an you get A star, A star, C - and the C not in the subject you are studying, is there broadly, some flexibility these days?

OP posts:
poetryandwine · 14/05/2023 19:38

I agree withbyou, @titchy

However readers and their DC need to know that the offers are predicated on the set of ALs being taken when they are made. If we make you a three AL offer we won’t care if you drop your fourth, but some Schools may. You must notify everyone who has made you an offer if you drop one.

RampantIvy · 14/05/2023 20:00

And the lesson there is don't do four when your offer only needs three!

I agree. Some schools still think that four A levels are better than three, when in reality 3 A levels with A grades or higher are far better than AABB.

SoTedious · 14/05/2023 20:17

I do think though that IF you can do four and do well in them, that must be a good thing - it shows you can handle an intense workload for a start.

poetryandwine · 14/05/2023 20:25

More degree programmes are making four AL offers than a few years ago, so in that sense they agree with you, @SoTedious My issue is that in many state schools it is impossible for pupils to timetable 4ALs, so it is wrong to privilege those who can. For the most part admissions tutors cater to this issue.

Also, tutors are virtually unanimous in standing with @RampantIvy in terms of comparing outcomes: quality beats quantity every time. Parents and pupils do not always appreciate this.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox · 14/05/2023 20:27

My child got into Southampton Uni a few years ago to do a stem course and needed 3 A's but when the results came through they got A* A B but they did allow him in.

LaCerbiatta · 14/05/2023 22:28

mondaytosunday · 14/05/2023 18:15

@LaCerbiatta they get offers on their predicted grades, which may or may not be their mock results.
My daughter got A star, B, B, on her mocks, her predictions are A star, A, B.
Since then she's had coursework grade of A star for the predicted B (which may then inch her over to an A if she does ok in exams), and an A star for her non exam subject (which has yet to be moderated, but she's comfortably above the 2019 boundaries) that she was predicted and A in. So if she goes from current standing, she may well get A star, A star, A. Getting that A star in her coursework boosted her confidence which has helped spur her on.
Students can do worse of course - which is why I think it's awful the decisions are on a few exams rather than a few years of coursework, and in only three subjects.

Thanks for explaining! So does this mean your dd has applied to unis requiring lower grades than what she may end up having?

SoTedious · 14/05/2023 22:40

I agree @poetryandwine - hence the big IF! Only good IF your school can manage it and IF you do well in all of them. I admit I am partly trying to persuade myself here as DD is doing 4 and so far will not be dissuaded by my arguments that 3 is enough! She is not thinking about uni admissions, she just doesn't want to give any of them up.

poetryandwine · 14/05/2023 22:59

Well, @SoTedious, someone who loves learning sounds like what we all want. But id she begins to flounder, perhaps show her this thread? Best wishes to your DD

Oblomov23 · 14/05/2023 23:51

There's no simple answer. You must know that? So I'm kind of puzzled as to exactly what it is you are asking. Depends on the year, the course, the demand, so many variables it's impossible to say. If you don't get your firm or insurance you try clearing.

Perspectivo · 15/05/2023 07:12

Oblomov23 · 14/05/2023 23:51

There's no simple answer. You must know that? So I'm kind of puzzled as to exactly what it is you are asking. Depends on the year, the course, the demand, so many variables it's impossible to say. If you don't get your firm or insurance you try clearing.

I too was a little confused!

GnomeDePlume · 15/05/2023 07:16

If the course offer is essentially points rather than grades then a different spread of grades so long as the overall points score is achieved should result in a place.

DD1 was accepted onto a biochemistry degree having missed the grade on two of her A level subjects. However she had an A grade language A level (taken 3 years earlier) which when added to her main A levels took her up to the required points.

She did go on and get a first and now works as a biochemist!

So, it depends on many factors.

Teenylittlefella · 15/05/2023 07:17

It depends on the uni and the course. Last year DS missed by one grade (BBB and got BBC) and he was rejected. He found a place through clearing on the same subject at another uni that was offering ABB as their standard pre-results day offer, but accepted him with his BBC as their course wasn't full.

New uni is just as good as previous uni and he's very happy.

NewbieSoberista · 15/05/2023 07:19

Not recently, but I applied to a well respected uni. Top ten consistently.

Grades were B, C, C or B, B, C back then for my course (now something silly like all As). I got B, B, D and they let me in with an unconditional offer (as I already had my a levels). I have no idea why. I didn't interview and impress them that way. I'm sure my personal statement was good but nothing stellar. Anyway, I did go and did alright. So it can work out. Fingers crossed for your dc

sashh · 15/05/2023 07:26

Yes sometimes, no others.

On results day check UCAS, the uni get the results the day before, if the place is still there they are probably in.

Butterflybutterflies · 15/05/2023 07:29

@LaCerbiatta DD was originally predicted Distinction, C,C based on her GCSE grades. DD was the first covid year not to actually sit her GCSEs.

When it came to her predicated UCAS grades she asked for one of the Cs to to be bumped up to B which the teacher agreed to do. In her other C subject she was lucky to scrape a D in any assessments so was happy to keep the C!
DD ended up getting Distinction, B,C and got into her first choice who dropped from BBB to BBC in the condition it was her firm choice.
DD was really proud of her C as it was her hardest subject and she was well within the C boundary.

Iliketulips · 15/05/2023 10:52

Every uni is going to be different. I think they all need to take sure they've got a good back up that they're happy with.

DD needed three As, she got AAB and phoned her first choice uni as she hadn't got in there. It was a flat refusal despite arguing that the A was higher than forecast and effectively balanced the B. Her A* was the only subject relevant to the course she'd chosen.

SmartHome · 15/05/2023 11:06

Does having accepted and signed up for first year accomodation have any bearing on whether they would accept one dropped grade in a third non related subject do we think?

SoTedious · 15/05/2023 11:13

SmartHome · 15/05/2023 11:06

Does having accepted and signed up for first year accomodation have any bearing on whether they would accept one dropped grade in a third non related subject do we think?

I doubt that admissions would care about that tbh - I think for them it's just a numbers game, how many have they got who made their offer (whether firm or insurance), how many spaces do they still need to fill, which of the near misses will be the best bet. Some also keep you hanging on for a decision while they wait to see if anyone better comes along in clearing.

SmartHome · 15/05/2023 11:21

So if you near miss in third A level for your firm choice would they then consider insurance kids above you? That seems a bit strange (but I appreciate how variable it is and that all institutions have different policies).

God it's going to be nerve-wracking.

Is how quickly they made them an offer any indication of how attractive that candidate is and hence 'which of the near misses will be the best bet' (clutching at straws)

troppibambini6 · 15/05/2023 11:23

As others have said totally depends on the uni and the course. Dd has been offered a place at Leeds to do law A star AA offer and we were told a absolutely no wiggle room and over 70% this year got higher than the entry requirements.

I completely cocked up one of my alevels and still got into Lancaster although that was 27 years ago.

SmartHome · 15/05/2023 11:26

Xoxoxoxoxoxox · 14/05/2023 20:27

My child got into Southampton Uni a few years ago to do a stem course and needed 3 A's but when the results came through they got A* A B but they did allow him in.

Was this processen automatic or did they have to phone up on results day and make their case? Did they enjoy their time there?

SoTedious · 15/05/2023 11:26

So if you near miss in third A level for your firm choice would they then consider insurance kids above you?

They wouldn't have a choice if the insurance kid makes their offer. So if someone has them as insurance and is rejected by their firm but makes their insurance offer, the uni has to take them.

Eg firm is Nottingham ABB, insurance is Aston BBB
if you get ABB Nottingham have to take you. If you get BBB Nottingham might still take you but it's up to them. If they don't, Aston has to take you. Anything less than BBB (even if you got Astar Astar C), it would be up to first Nottingham and then Aston to decide if they want you.

SmartHome · 15/05/2023 11:27

Does all this horse trading happen automatically or would you have to phone both?

SoTedious · 15/05/2023 11:45

Is how quickly they made them an offer any indication of how attractive that candidate is and hence 'which of the near misses will be the best bet' (clutching at straws)

I don't think so, I'm afraid! It all depends on how many spaces they have and how many other offer holders made the grades.

Something that might help to calm your nerves a bit is seeing whether the course still has spaces. (Some people apply late or can reapply if they didn't get any offers.) If you search for the course on UCAS you can filter for courses which still have spaces. If it's there, that might suggest that they think they might not fill the course, so might be keen to keep more near misses iyswim.

Having said that, courses which aren't available now might still be generous with a dropped grade if more offer holders miss their offers than they are expecting. And courses which are available now might not be generous. It's a very long, tough wait until August!

The other thing people say on here is that unis tend to be more generous to offer holders because they prefer to have someone who actually wants to go there. So if your DC's offer is BBB and they get BBC, a uni is likely to prefer them to someone in clearing with BBC or maybe even BBB. But if someone comes along in clearing with AAA they might get the place ahead of your DC.

titchy · 15/05/2023 11:48

Horse trading all happens before results are released to applicants. In the example below, Aston has to wait till Nottingham have made a decision whether to accept BBB before they know whether they'll have the student or not. So if Aston is very close to it's target, and itself has firm offers that have been narrowly missed it may not be able to decide on them till it knows whether it will be getting insurance applicants. Which is why unis get the results five days earlier!