Hellooo Bath admissions - anybody there?

[mondaytosunday]

My DD is cooling on Bath as they have yet to offer (or reject). On the Reddit spreadsheet can't see any offers for her subject (Sociology) either. I heard quite a few STEM offers made from November. Anyone still waiting? Need some company!

My DS is in his first year at Bath studying engineering . He was in a similar position to your DD last year and didn’t get his offer through until towards the end of March. He firmed it and does not regret his decision despite feeling similarly put off by the long wait.
I really don’t know why it takes them so long.

Still waiting on Bristol and Edinburgh here (maths), heard back with offers from the others months ago, agree the wait is irritating.

Still waiting on Bath and Warwick for maths here....
It's starting to make DS a bit despondent, although he does have some other offers through.
Hope it's not too much longer.

My DD is in year 2 at Bath. I think most people on her course got their offers really late.

She absolutely loves it by the way.

Bath often offer quite late. There's a Bath Uni Parents Facebook group and consensus is, it's one of the latest to completely finish offers. (mine is second year and heard mid-Feb 2 years ago, only St Andrews came later)

Thanks. It's my preferred uni, I think because it's the closest at three hours! Plus love the city. She has her grades well above requirements but I guess they just haven't processed that course (why not)? We are off to Durham (offered after a month) and Glasgow (who offered within 24 hours) offer days this month, Bath and LSE clash next month (no word from LSE either but applied months after Bath). Once she firms that's it as offers are unconditional - and we would like to get it done!

Ha ha, dc1 waited till late March, dc2 got her Lse offer late April. By then she still hadn't heard from Edinburgh so withdrew as Lse was her first choice anyway.
With Dç3 it was all so much quicker with all replies by Feb.
Bath is her favourite.

DD in her 2nd year and had an early offer (October) BUT her housemates were all offered much later, some right to the deadline. She is having a blast so well worth the wait.

I've checked all the accommodation deadlines too - fortunately most don't open for her unis til June (Bath starts 8 May). All guarantee accommodation if applied by the deadline.
I know they have a couple months left, but I can't help but wonder why it takes them up to four months after UCAS deadline to make a decision. They can't even claim they are still figuring out the amount of places as people firm other unis if they haven't made any offers! This isn't exactly the most popular subject, no interviews or exams required, and with three A stars and A star EPQ in hand she's a great candidate (typical offer is AAB). I just imagine the applications sitting there and every once in a while someone in the department says 'oh we must get to that soon', then they go do something else! Meanwhile poor students (and parents) are stressing out....

It's the same every year though and with many popular Unis across the country. They will wait until the deadline to Cherry pick the best candidates - you just have to be patient as hard as it is.

Don't Bath pay a lot of attention to the personal statement?

I think they're also cautious of not wanting to over offer as they've had several years of first year accommodation shortages from the Covid years.

That's true. This year's entry (23-24) had more accommodation issues than mine and @honeyandfizz 's (if you are who I think you are 😏 our girls currently doing a presentation together?) DD only knew two people given city accommodation 22-23 and they had Bath as insurance not firm while this year even some of the firmed kids were put in the city. At least they are guaranteed accommodation though, and it's not first come first served like other unis.

For some courses Bath operates a gathered field approach to admissions. Ie until they have all applications in at the equal consideration deadline they do not make any decisions. That means this year the first time they will have considered the application is 1st Feb. Additionally unlike some other universities Bath do look at the whole application, that takes time.
I would be more suspicious of universities who make offers more rapidly and what that says about how much they care about making sure the students they are making offers to actually suit the university.

When DC applied two years ago, she had the option of writing a separate PS for the Bath course as it was 'International Development with Economics' and she'd applied for Geography everywhere else. Once the new PS was sent through in late Oct, she had an offer within a week, A student also called her in Dec to promote the course and to ask if she was going to accept. It was also emails galore from Bath.

OP, Sociology is one of those courses that varies between unis a fair bit. How specific is her PS to the Bath course (as Bath courses can be a bit different sometimes). Could they be waiting for people to submit alternative PS for the course by a certain date? I don't know, but just a thought.

I teach sociology. My applicant is still waiting for Bath, too. Got all her other offers, including Durham. She is getting annoyed and I think will just sack them off. It's just curiosity as to whether they will offer that has her hanging on.

Also, if the typical offer is AAB, she will almost certainly be offered at ABB because they drop a grade for A star in EPQ. Not that it matters in your DD's case as she has top grades as it is. I'd be very surprised indeed if she didn't receive an offer from Bath.

LSE is anyone's guess as they base everything on the PS and I've seen some very odd decisions.

My DS two years ago, however, got his Bath offer over Christmas (for social policy)...

I take it back! Just double checked... my student has had an offer (22 Feb). Sociology with placement year.

DD is waiting for Bath, for International Relations. Also still waiting for Warwick. Offers from Exeter and York, rejection from LSE.

DS got his maths offer at Bath about a week back.
Been waiting a while - but glad to have it!

@JessS1990 except Bath offers for STEM degrees started coming out in November.
I have seen one offer (Social Science) on the Reddit spreadsheet dated today, plus @Piggywaspushed so two, so maybe they will trickle out now from that department!

Which is why I said for some courses Bath use a gathered field approach.

All undergraduate admissions at Bath are dealt with by the admissions office not the the subject departments.

My DD is still waiting too. She has 3 offers and waiting for Bath and St A for cs. She did have contact from Bath last week asking her to submit more info about her personal circumstances if she wanted, so we figure she's in the maybe pile at least!

Well @JessS1990 their field has been gathered! Good to know it's one central admissions not department by department. But her heart is being hardened by the wait.

DD had her offer from Bath yesterday