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Original poster

Languages shocker - Swansea offer of ABB

17 replies

Gobsmackedbytheoffer · 31/10/2023 01:55

My DC has applied for MFL courses last week. Nottingham offered today - as expected ABB. Swansea also offered - ABB too. But Swansea advertised grade is BBB - was intended to be DC’s insurance! Why have they upped his offer from the published one? Can we query?

OP posts:
Hungrygiraffe · 31/10/2023 05:06

The advertised grade is just a guide to the standard offer and they don’t have to stick to this unfortunately. My son’s course at Edinburgh was stated as AAA on their website but his offer was A*AA. I was surprised too at the time. He did get this so I don’t know if they would have accepted lower.

Scarydinosaurs · 31/10/2023 05:13

could it be subject choice or the school your child attends?

Hopefully it won’t be needed.

clary · 31/10/2023 07:28

It could be that they have had a lot of applicants so have upped their offer. I don’t think there’s any point in querying it tbh.

It’s surprising perhaps, given the unpopularity of MFL; but maybe they are paring down numbers bc of that. I saw this week that Aberdeen may be dropping MFL altogether.

What are his PG? Does he have any other possible lower offers?

Revengeofthepangolins · 31/10/2023 09:36

The offer is line with the website which says ABB-BBC. Did it say something different when chosen?

Original poster
Gobsmackedbytheoffer · 31/10/2023 10:23

Revengeofthepangolins · 31/10/2023 09:36

The offer is line with the website which says ABB-BBC. Did it say something different when chosen?

The website said BBB six weeks ago when DC researched the course. But you are right - it does now say ABB. So they have upped the entry grades - which is surprising for MFL. Hey ho.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gobsmackedbytheoffer · 31/10/2023 10:26

@clary predicted AAB but working at ABB/BBB at the moment. Swansea was going to be the insurance coz when researching the website said BBB. All other unis applied to want AAB or ABB so there is no insurance now - aaagh!

OP posts:
lanthanum · 31/10/2023 10:29

If they've just tipped into "if we offer BBB we might get too many", and hence offered ABB, it's possible that when it comes to it, they might take a fair few who missed the offer - maybe even all if their fears were unfounded.

Original poster
Gobsmackedbytheoffer · 31/10/2023 10:36

@lanthanum that is our thinking too! Hope so 🤞

OP posts:
lanthanum · 31/10/2023 10:38

I guess they might also lose some of the people who might have put them as insurance, if they have a lower offer from elsewhere that seems a safer insurance option.

WombatChocolate · 31/10/2023 10:40

I think a number have adjusted their standard offer on their website in last few weeks. People have reported seeing Exeter previously stating AAA as standard offer for humanities subjects, but now saying AAA-AAB - so it can come down too.

It’s a bit annoying though, if you were thinking of something as an insurance and it now becomes same grades as the favourite.

Revengeofthepangolins · 31/10/2023 11:17

Yes, definitely mean to change their plans and websites after the season opens

InDIYHell · 31/10/2023 11:51

DD has just started an MFL degree and looked at options last year.

FYI Lancaster offered her ABB but BBB if firmed. She looked at discover uni to see actual UCAS points of people that were accepted onto the courses and was interesting reading. Eg Exeter offered AAB - ABB but actually accepted a lot lower - DD took a risk and put them as insurance as she loved the uni/course and decided she'd go into clearing if she completely bombed. In the end she got into her first choice (even though she didn't meet their offer)

DD said the numbers on her MFL course are significantly lower than friends she has made doing other degrees so this does support the narrative that MFL degrees aren't competitive.

I vaguely remember Surrey had a lower standard offer as well - could be worth checking them out if you haven't already?

Good luck!

PumpkinKnitter · 31/10/2023 19:03

@Gobsmackedbytheoffer That happened here too - DD3 had planned for Warwick to be her insurance, but over the summer they changed their standard offer from ABB to AAB. Then Bristol gave her a surprise contextual offer of ABB instead of the AAA she expected, so it has pretty much sorted itself out.

I wouldn't worry too much as MFL is rarely oversubscribed and is one of the courses more likely to be flexible on grades. DD2 was a linguist and ended up with four ABB offers (plus a lower offer from somewhere she didn't want to go!). She ended up putting firm and insurance with the same offers on the assumption that if necessary one of them would flex.

SoilTiller · 31/10/2023 19:58

@clary where did you see this news about Aberdeen and MFL please? Aberdeen MFL graduate here - will be shocked and saddened if this was to happen.

SoilTiller · 31/10/2023 21:46

@clary Thanks. Does seem pretty serious if SVP was addressing the whole School. What a huge loss plus devastation for the staff if it happens.

mimbleandlittlemy · 01/11/2023 12:32

When DS applied for MFL he got an ABB offer from Cardiff, which they dropped to BBB a few weeks later if he firmed them, and he got a very late offer of BBB from Warwick where the standard offer was AAB. He went with Birmingham AAB for Firm and the Warwick offer as his insurance (he's now in his 3rd year). OP, it may well be that things change again and offers get adjusted down.

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