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Original poster

DC missed Uni offer (IB)

94 replies

UcasShmoocas · 18/07/2023 06:44

Posted on Chat as well but someone suggested I try here, too. Any advice welcome!

DC received IB results and missed uni offer for Law by two points (both in HL, very unfortunately - predicted 6-7 and 6 and got 5 in both 😞). Big shock and totally unexpected.
DC contacted admissions but got through to 'enquiries'. They said the uni (Bristol) would make a decision but probably not until around the 17 August.
Should DC write a letter to admissions? Or just leave it be? They don't want to go to their insurance so if Bristol says no it will be retakes and a gap year...
I'm feeling quite helpless. Most of DC's year group are disappointed with their IB marks and many have called short of their predictions...
DC has 37 overall, 16 in HL.
31 in LNAT.
Offer was 38 but 18 in HL which all teachers thought was 100% achievable.
I'm thinking they will definitely not firm her offer. 😞

OP posts:
Bunnyannesummers · 21/07/2023 10:53

UcasShmoocas · 21/07/2023 10:49

@TizerorFizz why would DC's own, separate, unique application to this course, and possible extra letter, make any difference to A-level applicants? If they have an offer and they get their grades: great. If they don't they are free to do whatever they can, phone or email, like my DC. Yes the timing is tighter but it's still possible.

Anyway we shall see what happens and I will update the thread when we have news either way in August.

Thank you for all comments and advice and good luck to everyone's DCs if they're waiting for confirmed uni places or exam results!

Show quote history

Because the university will consider all near misses, whether it be IB or A Level together. So the argument would potentially be that should your DC send a letter that could give them an advantage over A Level students.

Except it won’t because they can’t consider the letter for this exact reason!

Peony654 · 21/07/2023 10:54

I did IB and also missed my entry requirement. The head of the IB course phoned the university to argue it, and I got accepted - this was around the time of IB results so well ahead of A level results. Could be worth a try.

TizerorFizz · 21/07/2023 11:24

@Bunnyannesummers We yes, that’s my view. IB students have the luxury of time. A level students are accepted or rejected immediately (as far as they see on UCAS). The fact that an IB student has time to consider pleading for a place above other offer holders with near misses rather reeks of elitism and a letter should not be considered at all. A level students in the same position have so little time to mount any argument. I cannot see any indication on the Bristol web site that pleading letters will affect decisions. Decisions are final unless a mistake has been made. I don’t see why Dc just cannot wait.

poetryandwine · 21/07/2023 13:10

@TizerorFizz and others,

That 31 is impressive, above average even for Oxford offer holders. If Bristol’s goal is to build a strong cohort they will be thinking about this. This LNAT mark motivated my reply.

Furthermore, numerous A level pupils will have written to admissions tutors from the moment they left their exams about their fears of poor results. Whilst some A level pupils will be surprised by poor results and lack the benefit of timing available to OP’s DC, many more should see it coming and judging by admissions tutors’ correspondence many do.

Perhaps not at Bristol and perhaps not in Law, but there will be many degree programmes not filled by applicants making the conditions of their offers. Even if you don’t learn until Thursday that you didn’t get your grades, until you’ve been rejected you are under consideration. If you have documented mitigating circumstances or a discussion point like OP’s DC’s LNAT mark, you have nothing to lose but pride by making contact.

Original poster
UcasShmoocas · 21/07/2023 13:57

poetryandwine · 21/07/2023 13:10

@TizerorFizz and others,

That 31 is impressive, above average even for Oxford offer holders. If Bristol’s goal is to build a strong cohort they will be thinking about this. This LNAT mark motivated my reply.

Furthermore, numerous A level pupils will have written to admissions tutors from the moment they left their exams about their fears of poor results. Whilst some A level pupils will be surprised by poor results and lack the benefit of timing available to OP’s DC, many more should see it coming and judging by admissions tutors’ correspondence many do.

Perhaps not at Bristol and perhaps not in Law, but there will be many degree programmes not filled by applicants making the conditions of their offers. Even if you don’t learn until Thursday that you didn’t get your grades, until you’ve been rejected you are under consideration. If you have documented mitigating circumstances or a discussion point like OP’s DC’s LNAT mark, you have nothing to lose but pride by making contact.

Thank you.

OP posts:
Thefatbutteredpig · 21/07/2023 14:12

@UcasShmoocas my dd has a conditional offer from Bristol as her firm. We are awaiting A level results but a bit meh if she will get the grades.

Bristol do have a v good consideration of ext circumstances policy - your daughter can upload anything pertinent to her dashboard

She could also perhaps get a letter from her IB coordinator to load to her Bristol dashboard. Nothing ventured nothing gained and all that. Bristol give you the facility to upload supporting docs to their portal, go for it!

There is a section on dashboard for her to perhaps load a letter from her school in support of application. Be quick thou, the kids dashboard availability disappears soon due to ucas embargo period

Hope this helps and I wish you dd best of luck

Namechangeforanamechange · 21/07/2023 14:32

Was his coursework heavily moderated down in the HL subjects? Is that why he dropped a grade? Or was the issue he didn't get the marks in the exams?

A lot of students didn't make their offers at my DS's school (not this year) because their coursework in one subject was heavily moderated down. The school appealed but it wasn't upheld. I think a lot of them got places because the universities were sympathetic and could see that their exam results were in line with their premoderated coursework grade and the school was supporting them. Of course, it depended on whether there were any places available though.

Was it a near miss, is it worth asking for a remark of anything?

TizerorFizz · 21/07/2023 14:49

@Thefatbutteredpig So the UCAS embargo stops A level near misses uploading anything but IB get an opportunity post results? Is that right? How is this fair? The A level students might feel they haven’t done well but they don’t have the actual results. IB do. It’s still not treating all offer holders equally. I am not saying the OPs DC would not flourish on this course and probably should get a place but Gerrymandering is being advocated and more than a suggestion that this is ok.

Pip1402 · 21/07/2023 15:30

Are there other universities which your dc would be interested in? There's nothing to stop him calling their clearing phone numbers and asking whether they would accept him or not at this stage.

It can't hurt to find out his other options and if he finds somewhere he'd like to go he could give up on Bristol rather than waiting until post A Level results when clearing will become much busier and places will fill up.

Not all universities wait until A Level results are out to drop requirements in clearing. UCAS applications are down this year so in theory it should be more of a buyer's market, although I guess it's probably not even across the institutions.

Thefatbutteredpig · 21/07/2023 15:31

I didnt say that.

The Bristol portal is open for ALL to load anything they wish in support of their application by 31st July. These are Bristol’s rules, not mine

I am not getting into an argument over timings of exams, or if they shd/shd not send in further paperwork; I was only trying to let @UcasShmoocas know they could contact Bristol via the dashboard instead of emailing if they wished.

@UcasShmoocas all the best to your dd

poetryandwine · 21/07/2023 15:33

@TizerorFizz Everyone with documented mitigating circumstances should upload their evidence and make their case now, as a precaution. There is no need to wait for results. We follow the same procedure at university

MBappse · 21/07/2023 15:34

Sorry if this has been asked already... is there anyway to appeal / request a remark from the IB board?

Original poster
UcasShmoocas · 21/07/2023 15:50

Thefatbutteredpig · 21/07/2023 15:31

I didnt say that.

The Bristol portal is open for ALL to load anything they wish in support of their application by 31st July. These are Bristol’s rules, not mine

I am not getting into an argument over timings of exams, or if they shd/shd not send in further paperwork; I was only trying to let @UcasShmoocas know they could contact Bristol via the dashboard instead of emailing if they wished.

@UcasShmoocas all the best to your dd

Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
UcasShmoocas · 21/07/2023 15:53

MBappse · 21/07/2023 15:34

Sorry if this has been asked already... is there anyway to appeal / request a remark from the IB board?

Yes - it's called an EuR (enquiry upon result) - ask your IB co-ordinator. It's about 87€ per re-mark.

OP posts:
Original poster
UcasShmoocas · 21/07/2023 15:54

Thefatbutteredpig · 21/07/2023 14:12

@UcasShmoocas my dd has a conditional offer from Bristol as her firm. We are awaiting A level results but a bit meh if she will get the grades.

Bristol do have a v good consideration of ext circumstances policy - your daughter can upload anything pertinent to her dashboard

She could also perhaps get a letter from her IB coordinator to load to her Bristol dashboard. Nothing ventured nothing gained and all that. Bristol give you the facility to upload supporting docs to their portal, go for it!

There is a section on dashboard for her to perhaps load a letter from her school in support of application. Be quick thou, the kids dashboard availability disappears soon due to ucas embargo period

Hope this helps and I wish you dd best of luck

Good luck to your DD! 🤞🏻

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 21/07/2023 17:52

@poetryandwine Yes but unfortunate mitigating circumstances pre result are not the same as pleading post result with no mitigating circumstances other then the result wasn’t what was wanted.

ChateauMargaux · 21/07/2023 18:10

How close were her marks to the grade boundaries? DS missed his offer last year.. got a totally unexpected 5 when was predicted 6 / 7. Needed 38 and 666 got 39 and 567.. they wouldn't accept his 5.. He missed it by 1 point, remark found 5 extra marks. He also missed getting 7 in his other higher ny 3 points and the same for one of his standards but didn't get those remarked. It was totally worth the €87!!

ChateauMargaux · 21/07/2023 18:19

I haven't seen the full statistical bulletin for the IB for this year but from something in the region of 90,000 candidates getting IB diplomas last summer.. 750 got the full 45. This year.. the perfect score was awarded to something close to 170. This is much closer to the percentages receiving this pre 2019.

It feels lthe total ike total points might tell a different story. 666 and 36/38 is often asked for along side AAA but only 15% of IB candidates get 37 and above (based on 2022.. so that may even be inflated..) whereas 28% of A level students get AAA and above.

Temporaryanonymity · 21/07/2023 18:20

Look, it’s worth a go. I spectacularly missed by IB offer and was told I’d have to wait for the A Level results to come out. Bizarrely they changed their mind and firmed my offer offer before the August A a level results. Many years ago now though! Good luck.

Original poster
UcasShmoocas · 21/07/2023 18:43

ChateauMargaux · 21/07/2023 18:19

I haven't seen the full statistical bulletin for the IB for this year but from something in the region of 90,000 candidates getting IB diplomas last summer.. 750 got the full 45. This year.. the perfect score was awarded to something close to 170. This is much closer to the percentages receiving this pre 2019.

It feels lthe total ike total points might tell a different story. 666 and 36/38 is often asked for along side AAA but only 15% of IB candidates get 37 and above (based on 2022.. so that may even be inflated..) whereas 28% of A level students get AAA and above.

This is very interesting and in line with what I've been reading.
IB and A-levels are very very different qualifications. Not better or worse than each other but completely different.
Anyway thanks all and I promise to report back either way.
Good luck to all DCs (and their worried parents!).

OP posts:
Spirallingdownwards · 21/07/2023 18:50

As you probably already know Bristol are one of the unis that set out their admission criteria really clearly and they specifically state that in the tiebreak situations they will use the personal statements to decide between applicants.

I would therefore suspect any letter would not be looked at. In effect if there are a number who have missed their grades and not enough places for all they will look at the personal statement as the tiebreak as per their admissions criteria.

poetryandwine · 21/07/2023 20:02

@TizerorFizz We have no idea what happened on the exams. My experience with personal tutees is that at one end of the spectrum a few will throw out a parting remark in June that their Mum’s death at Christmas is still bothering them but they didn’t think it fair to bring it up.

Bristol will know how to sort things. I think it is fine for them to seek a strong cohort and to consider this case accordingly. I am not terribly optimistic but it is worth a try.

lastdayatschool · 21/07/2023 20:34

@Spirallingdownwards isn't that tiebreak situation Bristol refer to in their admissions criteria related to making offers ?

I don't think they'll go back and look at personal statements when deciding between those who hold conditional offers

Spirallingdownwards · 22/07/2023 15:41

lastdayatschool · 21/07/2023 20:34

@Spirallingdownwards isn't that tiebreak situation Bristol refer to in their admissions criteria related to making offers ?

I don't think they'll go back and look at personal statements when deciding between those who hold conditional offers

Yes they do. Basically they revisit the actual applications and will not look at letters etc submitted unless they are mitigating circumstances submissions. So when there are say 50 people who miss grades and 25 unfilled spaces they will reconsider the applications vs each other. If they decide that they may get better applicants through clearing then none of them may be accepted with dropped grades

MeAgain9327 · 27/07/2023 17:07

@UcasShmoocas I recommend DC gets remark if they were close grade boundary. I work in Admissions and we have had a lot of remarks back this year for I. that have been increased. We receive many many emails from practically every applicant who didn’t get the grades and don’t take any notice of them.
Law is very competitive, and we don’t accept any resits the following year for Law. Make sure DC checks this out with each University before applying again, if that’s what they decide to do.