Applying to Durham- colleges

[MelaniaT]

Sorry for the dim question. If you apply to Durham do you specify a college when you apply or is it more like applying for accommodation post- offer?

You apply to the college you want. If you get turned down by that college then you go into a general pool for other colleges so you might get an offer from another college instead.

That is not correct Wheely. I think it used to be that way some years ago but not any more.

You apply to the university nowadays for your chosen course, just like most others (excluding Oxbridge where you do apply to a college). Once you have an offer from Durham (hopefully!), you then use their form online to order the colleges by preference and cross your fingers you get one of your top few.

That’s not true. You apply to the university. If they make you an offer you then get to rank your colleges - they are then allocated according to the system outlined on the university website.

Sorry, out of date info clearly, didn’t mean to mislead!

Durham is my DS’s insurance. He applied for the course he wanted to do. After his offer he then had to rate the 16 colleges in order of his preference. He was extremely lucky that he got his first choice but there is still no guarantee that anyone will get there first choice after results day as the Uni can reallocate again.

Do you need AAA A-levels or above to study at Durham? DS likes it but has AAB predicted currently.

Apologies I posted this in the wrong place!

@Keypad as always it depends. Even if the 'typical offer' is AAB, it might be the case that those applying have three As or above predicted.
Some courses are more popular than others and your YP should look at the requirements for the subject they are interested in.

If you are made an offer of AAB and achieve it, it doesn't matter what grades other students get though @mondaytosunday

A student predicted AAB may still get an offer despite lots of students being predicted AAA. Personal statements count too. And it depends which Department and course and how many applicants per place there are as this varies widely from course to course. Some, like History or Classics are very very competitive but other related subjects/joint honours that are less well known/not studied at A level can have fewer applicants per place.

Typical offers can be reduced in certain circumstances too.

Apply to the uni and they allocate the college

Well isn't that what I said @Mytholmroyd? My DD has three A stars in hand and was rejected from a couple of unis with lower typical offers, possibly because of the competitiveness of the course, her subject combination, her GCSE grades, her PS, or goodness knows what. My point was it's not just the grades.

True it is not - but a student who is predicted AAB may get an offer although a student with AAA* may not so there is no reason not to apply if you are 'only' predicted the typical offer