Exeter admissions

[breeze77]

Hi all, we went along to the Exeter open day yesterday and absolutely loved it! It’s jumped straight to the top of the list. However we are a bit confused about how offers are made in a competitive uni like this.
The expected grades listed on the website for DDs subject are AAB. If she has this or higher in predictive grades, will she get an offer? They didn’t seem too bothered about anything other than grades in the admissions talk we went to. They talked about how they teir the applications into grade groups (3 a stars followed by 2 a stars and an a, etc). Am I correct in thinking that they then work down this list until all their places have been offered? So predicted grades of AAB might not be enough if there are lots of applicants with A stars?
We should have gone to speak to them about how it works but the day was so full that we completely ran out of time.
Thank you!

No difference to a lot of diversity initiatives in recruitment @PPettsWoodParadise

I believe the uni DD is going to 45% or more identify as non-binary anyway.

Where is this please?

I am surprised female students mark down a course due to lack of males, it makes it sound like they are going to university for the wrong reasons.

Well, it's actually not the most bonkers response students have given in the National Student Satisfaction survey (NSS)!

As I - and other academics on here - always warn: the NSS is not always a sound indicator of actual teaching quality.

I was a Head of Department at a very big civic university when it was introduced. It was voluntary at that point, and we refused to participate, because our (world) expert social scientists (experts on statistics, surveys etc) said the survey was bogus in pretty much all its aspects, and wouldn't have got past peer review had it been a proper research project.

Completely off topic, but would you mind if I just picked your brains on Lancaster and the ‘usable’ water?

@breeze77 hmmm, I was a fell walker rather than an open water rower or surfer. It might be worth a look at the Lancaster Student Guild site and the Sports Union site to see what clubs for water sports exist, and what they do.

I've sailed on Coniston Water (my siblings & I re-enacted Swallows & Amazons a bit) and I know a lovely tarn on Blawith fell for wild swimming.

I think Morecambe Bay is probably too tidal and shallow (and in parts dangerous) for sailing, and certainly it's not a surfing area. But maybe there are opportunities in Heysham?

Bus or train up to Windermere and beyond is very easy. 40 mins from Lancaster to Windermere by train; a bit longer on the 555 bus (best bus route in the world). The Lakes are very well set up for public transport - and if I ruled the world, I'd ban anything but local cars from all but a handful of main through roads ...

Will they do an EPQ? my son's Exeter offer was reduced from AstarAA To AAB because of an Astar or A in EPQ

I suspect you won't get an answer as this is bollocks

Depends on the course, over subscribed courses may not give offers to everyone who meets the minimum tariff and that's only a guide. Be optimistic but also have a plan b

@era took me 3 hours to get home from Exeter and I'm only 78 miles away, Fridays in summer!!!

Not the best paper to quote but it refers to an original survey
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11475423/amp/Less-half-students-Cambridge-University-heterosexual-survey-suggests.html

I mis-remembered article and should have said nearly 50 % don’t identity as heterosexual, apologies for using non-binary.

They also have a prefer not to say option in those surveys

@breeze77 ooooh DD and I went to the Exeter open day on Friday and DD has fallen in love with it. She wants to do straight English Lit. What did you make of the lecturer who did the English talk? We thought she was wonderfully eccentric! 😂

We are also going to see Durham, York and Cambridge in the next few weeks and Lancaster and Warwick in the autimn?

@MFLmother My DD is at Exeter and her offer was for one grade lower if she firmed, not that this swayed her, but it was very reassuring at the time. This wasn't for MFL but a popular subject so your DC might be lucky and get a reduced offer.

@Dobbyismyabsolutefav oh that is good to know that they might drop a grade if you firm. Thanks for that. DS is probably ABB (maybe AAB) candidate and loves Exeter - but would be competing with those who also apply to Oxbridge. If he got a place, would be alongside AAA students - he thinks he would rather be higher up the cohort (hence Swansea). @breeze77 we have dug deep into Lancaster - your DD wants to be near sea too. Lancaster is near sea (so could work for your DD) but my DS is a surfer and there’s nowhere to do it nearby. So we have cancelled that open day x

this reveals your prejudice. How on earth could you confuse the two!

It took us seven hours to drive from Leicestershire to Exeter on a Friday in summer. dS has still picked it as his insurance but it’s a lot of travel.

For most courses Exeter is an accepting university not a selecting university. So the grades they publish on their website are the grades in a typical year (there is some clever data analysis they will have done) above which one will recieve an offer if ones predicted grades meet those or are higher.

(Interestingly there is a pscyhological study in this somewhere, if a university increases those grades on their website, they may actually end up with more applicants not fewer).

Warwick tends to be the next university on students lists applying to study law after those that require LNAT so can be particularly popular.
Also it is unlikely for students applying for courses starting in 2023 that universities used GCSEs as a criteria (not many do in any year) since they were not the result of exams.

Were they applying for courses starting in 2020, 2021 or 2022?
I wouldn't base anything for future years on those years, because covid distorted the grades students were given.

Anything with MFL will be most unpopular with students.
So if her predicted grades match the published entry requirements, she will get offers.

DD is into surfing too which, as you say, is no good at all in Lancaster. We’ve kept it in as a wildcard as the actual uni looks fab and it does very well for MFL in the rankings. But I’ll be very surprised if it manages to top Exeter. X

‘Wonderfully eccentric’ is the perfect way to describe her!! She gave us art teacher vibes. 😁 I do love hearing people so passionate about their subject.
I was looking at the very impressive list of modules they offer. Sounds like a fantastic course.
Sadly Cambridge dont do joint honours courses and DD didn’t fancy Durham. I loved the look of York and Warwick but they are too far from the sea for DD. Lancaster is our next one too!

@jgw1 thank you for your replies. This is all very reassuring.

DD likes the course at Exeter more than any other so far. The sheer volume of modules that allow you to completely tailor your degree is great. And to hear how research-led the teaching is is inspiring and I imagine it would never get dull.

And what a beautiful campus. DD has already worked out what accommodation she wants so I think perhaps she’s getting a little ahead of herself given that it’s only the first place we’ve looked at. 😬😂

I like it when students are really clear why they want to go to particular universties beyond just the brand name, being within easy reach of the sea seems to me to be excellent way of choosing. A student who chooses based on a factor that is going to be good for their welfare is far more likely to be successful in their course.

I love this reply! Thank you.