A level predictions and university offers (particularly Oxbridge)

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Hi all,

DD doing A-levels next year. I was just wondering how much the predictions might affect offers and if universities tend to offer on the highest grades a candidate is predicted to achieve, regardless of the usual offers for the course?

Let's say a student is predicted 3 A stars, and the average offer for the course they are interested in is 2xAs and 1 A star.

What would the offer most likely look like in that situation? Particularly curious about Oxford and Cambridge offers...thanks so much!

Hi, OP -

You have good advice above regarding your explicit Oxbridge question. But the question of who gets the offers, at Oxbridge and elsewhere, hasn’t really been addressed.

At Oxbridge and a few other places some subjects will require entrance exams, and as has been said supercurriculars can play a role. But even places that will make a standard offer may elect to make that offer from the top. Eg a standard offer of A star AA may first be made only to those predicted three A stars or two A stars and two As. If this isn’t estimated to fill the cohort, it will be extended to those with PGs of A star A star A, etc.

Of course only selecting rather than recruiting units of admission can take this approach. It is one big reason that some with PGs matching or just above the standard offer often hear late from a few universities famous for attracting large numbers of those who did not make Oxbridge.

BTW this year we also have reports on this Board that Edinburgh are making some offers above their published standards

Best wishes to DD

(I am a former RG STEM admissions tutor)