Lower offer

[uccanotucas]

DD got an offer from one of her UCAS choices yesterday that is less than the published entry requirements. Definitely not a contextual offer- private school and 'affluent postcode'.
Is it likely to be a) a mistake, b) they really want her, c) they think they'll struggle to fill the course next year!

Well respected Russell Group, top 25 or so for the course and it's a popular course in general.

It probably wouldn't be her top choice/ insurance anyway but we (I) am curious! Is it worth double checking with the Uni.

Why overthink this? They like her and want her. They haven’t made a mistake.

(b)
That, and the speed of the offer, are to persuade her to sign up with them.

Does she have a subject at A-level that lowers the offer ? My dd got a lower offer from unis because she had an A-level in science.

I think the lady doth protest too much - who in their right mind would contact a university to say "I'm terribly sorry, I think this offer is a bit low..."

This, everyone is what is commonly known as a "humble brag"

not a good look.

Definitely not a humble brag- it's an anonymous forum anyway.
Genuinely interested as school have said before that noone gets lower offers. She's not a straight A+ student so I don't think it's that they're desperate to have her!

Equally I do know of a couple of people who have got contextual offers by mistake.
DD was confused so just thought I'd ask on here.
It's not a big deal as she's not likely to choose it to firm/ insure so was genuinely just idly curious.

Also gives hope to all the people who ask on this and other forums whether universities ever give lower than published offers.

It's fine my DD got an unconditional offer to do occupational therapy which was unheard of (she did ace the interview though)

Keep digging, you may come out the other side...

It depends on

the course

The uni

Hard to tell otherwise

If it's a language course they've been finding it difficult to fill at most universities

It may be unis just making more sensible offers after having to drop their requirements so heavily in Clearing last year.

@uccanotucas It is likely to be:
d) as your DC is an early applicant, they assume they are applying for Oxbridge, have noted that it is a strong application, and want to make sure they are the insurance choice. (Schools often tell students to make sure that insurance choices are offers with significantly lower grades, not just one grade lower).

Hi, OP -

I am a former RG admissions tutor. I agree with PP that it could be anything, really.

Most likely to me is that it us meant to motivate DD to make the place her Insurance on the assumption she is applying to Oxbridge.

It is a bit early for anyone to be wondering if their standard offer is too high.

I think she should enjoy the compliment and not be swayed by it.

There was a poster on here last year who’s DD got a lower than standard offer from Exeter for no apparent reason. Then my DD got a lower offer from Edinburgh earlier this year, so it definitely does happen.
I’m guessing it’s because the uni likes the candidate, but in both the above cases it was a fairly obscure subject that there may not have been that many applicants for.
Don’t overthink it. Highly unlikely to have been an error!

My DD got an early offer from Bristol lower than the published offer for MFL. This was a couple of years ago. She did choose it as her insurance offer but made her Oxford offer.

This ties in with the explanations above.

well done to your DD

what poetryandwine said :)

My eldest got her UCAS forms in early a couple of years ago, not because she wanted Oxbridge but because she was organised and knew exactly what she wanted to put down (plus I always start uni Open Days in year 12 with my kids, so they have a year to think about their choices)

Four of the five unis offered within about a week and two were below their standard offer

Interestingly Exeter was much slower and offered her her predicted grades, which was actually above standard. Guess they didnt want her :(

Not Oxbridge either- just also organised! Interestingly Exeter is the only one she hasn't heard from yet as well!

My DD had this last year. Very popular course at a very popular university (bath) and they offered her one grade below the published entry requirements (AAB rather than AAA). She asked on the offer holders day whether it wasn't a popular course that year but the tutor said it was as oversubscribed as ever and likely a mistake had been made. She did say to get the offer in writing from the university and confirmation it wouldn't be withdrawn but DD didn't do this as didn't want to bring attention to the error. No idea how much truth there is to what the tutor said but there wasn't any reason my daughter stood out or warranted a lower grade and the tutor was adamant she should not have been offered that. As it was she got the higher grades anyway but mistakes do happen.

Genuinely interested as school have said before that noone gets lower offers.

It's quite worrying that the school can be so ignorant about getting their students into university.

Actually I'd forgotten I'd written that! I had left out that 'she said' that school said that. It transpires that school had never said that - she got confused!