Warwick Offers Question

[ChangeforOneQuery]

So I'm name changing for this. My DD has been offered a place at Warwick for History. Their standard offer is AAA according to the website, and they've offered Astar, Astar, A.

I'm not sure if she should be offended by this (or I be offended on her behalf).

She has applied to Oxbridge, so the UCAS form went in relatively early.

Do we assume they don't really want her, or that the applicant pool to Warwick for History is cranking out A stars like no tomorrow?

That is weird if it's not a mistake. Maybe as others say, they really don't want to be an insurance choice and are trying to set themselves apart from what they think most offers will be, AAA-AAB. I guess for whatever reason, being declined is preferable to being insured 🤷‍♀️

Family member applied to Warwick for history, early because also applying to Cambridge, and was rejected within 24hrs 😱
They went on to get a first from Cambridge but that Warwick rejection still rankles!

None of it makes sense. Saying they don’t want to be back up to Oxbridge assumes everyone who applies to Oxbridge gets an offer. You apply to Oxbridge and you apply to the other good unis that appeal and any of them could be firmed - it depends which offer.

And if the candidate has the choice of say Durham at AstarAA, UCL at AAA and Warwick at AstarAstarA, they would have to be very very keen on W to take that increased risk. While W is good for history, it isn’t compelling enough for that risk. So in all likelihood W at that tariff would only be firmed by the candidates who didn’t get an offer from C or O or D or E or UCL etc. Which is a somewhat niche market to have as your departmental strategy. Not that I suggest you take that line in the inquiry email 😀

My DD had something similar when she was applying to Uni a couple of years ago.

She got standard offers from three unis, one grade below (from Bath). Exeter offered Astar AA (two above standard, her predicted grades)

We assumed they offered applicants their predicted grades if they didn't want them, so she binned Exeter and firmed with Bath

That is an interesting point... are DD's PGs A star A star A, OP?

Is she at private school? That seems like a ridiculously high offer particularly as History was in clearing at Wrwick iirc

@Piggywaspushed & @Thommasina
Because I name changed for this thread, I purposely left some info out. I am not ignoring your questions, just happy to leave the whole thing now. Thank you to both of you, and everyone who chipped in, its been helpful.

I think it must be a mistake,. DD applied to Oxford, Warwick and Exeter only three years ago, all at AAA. She didn't get the Oxford offer post interview, so had Exeter as Firm and Warwick as insurance, all at the same tariff. In the end Exeter then offered AAB for outting them firm. She got 3xA*'s so no skin off her nose.

I should add this was for History too

Is she resitting any A-levels? If so, it's worth combing the university's web site to see whether it makes any mention of setting higher entry requirements for resitters. Otherwise, I'd contact admissions (not the academic department) to ask whether it's a mistake. If that gets you nowhere, contact UCAS. Universities should not be stating entry requirements - either on the UCAS site or on their own - that are lower than the actual offer, as this misleads students into applying and is prohibited by Competition & Marketing Authority rules: see https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1159885/Consumer_law_advice_for_higher_education_providers_.pdf (section 4, see specifically 4.11(a)(ii)).

I think this is very strange and I am sorry it has happened, OP.

It would be an odd mistake, because it would be an odd typographical error. However nothing is impossible

I understand if you don’t want to say but the only thing that comes to mind is that perhaps the A star A star A are DD’s PGs. PGs have become so unreal that perhaps Warwick has decided to crack down?

I would welcome a campaign to bring middle class PGs back to earth, by which I mean into a reasonable correspondence with outcomes. But that should come from working with schools, not punishing candidates.

DD1 did the IB and got a ridiculous offer from Warwick. Nearly as ridiculous as Cambridge, who wanted 42 points. She really wanted to go to Warwick, missed their offer by quite a number of points and still got in.

I would certainly follow it up. If you wanted, you could email as a parent and not name your DC to ask if such a grade offer is possible, when so far outside the advertised norm.

3/4 of History Oxbridge applicants won’t get Oxbridge offers. They all want to be able to pick from their other 4 choices and not have that choice restricted by an offer which has been mistakenly inflated. It seems highly likely this is an error…but yoI’ll only know if you ask. It would be a shame to decide to just ignore that place (which could turn out as the best option) or when deciding be concerned about the higher risks if not meeting the offer, if firming. There’s nothing to lose by asking. They will either confirm that they are now sending out such offers (DC will be no worse off) or there’s a chance they look again and send another offer which reflects the standard. Errors certainly happen. It would not be odd or rude for DC to contact them about their specific offer - they are an offer holder already and so there is zero risk. And actually DC have to start learning to ask these questions and fight their corner a bit, rather than passively accepting something which is unexpected and to their detriment.

And I’d just say DC applied to Warwick last year for History. Was predicted 3 x A star and received their standard offer. Know if others who had the same. So it wasn’t the case that higher PGs led to higher offer in their case. They didn’t firm or insure it in the end.

Thanks for this, and your earlier post which was very helpful. She has offers from Edinburgh and York and prefers both places over Warwick. Also taking the TSA today for Oxford. When the Warwick offer came through, it did so with a course outline which actually included a kind of "show and tell" aspect, with historical items. This put her off very quickly. Hadn't seen that on the website, not sure if its new but it didn't appeal!

I suspect they do not want her to put them as an insurance place as it messes things for them

Yes, but 3/4 of Oxbridge History applicants won’t get an offer from Oxbridge. So Warwick are putting those candidates from putting Warwick as a firm….and Oxbridge rejects are exactly the kind of market they do want to attract. This is why I think it’s an error.

Also important to remember that plenty of Warwick candidates won't apply to Oxbridge. Their course (which is very good) should be the draw.

My dc is at Warwick studying History.
Oxbridge pooled, but no offer. Also didn't get offered St Andrews. All the other offers were just the standard offers. Firmed Warwick with AAA offer.
I've been very impressed so far.Academically rigorous course, with interesting choice of modules. Department seems well run and lots of lectures are in the newish Faculty of Arts building.
Lots of opportunities on campus to get involved in sports and clubs. Active History Society.
I would get your dc to contact the head of department and ask about the unusual offer, just to see if it is a mistake. Even though they are going to choose elsewhere anyway.
My older dc got an offer two grades *below the standard offer from Durham, which we were certainly puzzled about- as it wasn't contextual.
It is odd though, so I can see why you are asking if it has happened to anyone else.

I think that is unlikely. Lots of students apply in October, universities are unlikely to penalise them for this, more likely to appreciate their enthusiasm. (Plus it evenn out their workload more!).
It's possible the person making the offer has mistyped it, or even that the grade criteria has changed and the university hasn't updated their website (latter would be unlikely, just possible).