Already done alevels - Is it worth applying for courses that ask for higher grades

[Timtims]

DS did alevels in the summer and is currently completing UCAS application for a Sept 2025 start.

He has BCC and would like to apply for some unis who are asking for higher grades (but that have accepted BCC historically).

Is this worth doing? I'd hoped that having grades in hand may be an advantage .... but maybe not?

I'm hoping so (similar situation with ds, who got BBC). He did contact the lead tutor of one course, at Swansea Uni, who ask for BBB. He was told he was highly likely to get an offer with BBC achieved so he's applying for that.

In his case there are only a few unis which ask for BBB/ BBC and then the rest are RG unis with offers ranging from A star AA to AAB, which all seem a bit out of reach; we didn't check clearing last summer as he's only recently decided on this subject. I might encourage him to apply for a course asking for ABB (so two grades above what he's got) but there aren't any! Any higher than that seems over-optimistic, but this is just my gut feeling.

Probably not, it's only really an advantage if he is up against someone who is predicted the same grades he already has. So if a uni was choosing between him and someone predicted BCC they would likely prefer him as the candidate with grades in hand. But if the uni is selecting between him and someone predicted BBB they will probably go with the predicted grades candidate in most cases. He might sneak in courses asking for BBC. It does seem crazy but it's how it seems to work.

The main advantage for him is that if he applies to unis where he already meets the standard offer (i.e. those that want BCC) he is very likely to get quick offers, first choice of accommodation, etc.

Historical grades are irrelevant, course popularity changes and the uni will have a fairly good idea of realistic asks. You could check if a course was in clearing last year as that can sometimes mean more flexibility, but again I wouldn't count on it.

Ignore the previous poster (sorry!). At that grade level he will probably get offers from BBC places, possibly even from a uni that normally offers BBB, depending on subject and uni, though obvs less likely.

Unis don't compare applicants in the way that you maybe would if you were shortlisting job applicants, it's just not how it works. They make far more offers than they have places available for one. The sector is also in dire financial straits for another...

Maybe, but perhaps only one or two. If the6 are taking a gap year are they doing any relevant work experience or volunteering, additional courses such as moocs etc which would be worth mentioning in ps

I think it would really depend on which unis and what course. I realise that is far from helpful.

My DD got into her course (book ABB) on clearing with BCC. But would they have accepted her for the following year with BCC in hand that December? No idea but very possibly not. I agree it seems unfair.

Last year's clearing is no guide to the future really; DD's course the following year was CCD at the same uni; but at another uni where it had been BBB in her year, it wasn't in clearing at all.

Are we talking (example) MFL at Southampton (ABB), or Eng lit at Reading BBB)? Or are we thinking mechanical engineering at Loughborough (AAB)? I think there is a nuance at play and the first two IMHO are more likely to take lower grades in hand. And I don't in any way mean to decry those unis or those subjects. It's more a gut feeling combined with knowledge of offers to YP I know and know of.

Overall I would say it can't do any harm to list at least one that's a bit of a push. But I would look for a uni that offers BBB (or UCAS point equivalent) rather than AAB/ABB tbh.

I sgree withv@titchy , @clary and above all the DS of @crazycrofter who was interested in Swansea in a similar situation and thought to ask.

Admissions tutors want to help. Emailing with grades in hand, is asking a nice, clean question and he ought to get a reasonably quick reply - although note that many unis have broken up for Christmas now. An admissions tutor may be needed to answer this question, and staff may not be returning until 13 Jan-20 Jan although the admissions tutors should be on email from around 6 Jan. (DS can send the email to the published admissions contact, who will route it correctly)

If he doesn’t want to wait until Jan, a good rule is to make one or two aspirational applications, two or three targeted to your PGs, and one dead cert - by this I mean it will allow two grades of slip from your PGs. The only exception to this is if you would rather take a gap year.

Asking is def a good idea.

I think that when people apply to very over-subscribed, higher-end unis, which have A stars in their offers, having grades in-hand of less than standard offer is less likely to result in an offer. They would rather give the offer to someone who has higher predictions, and expect to take a number who are near-misses, than to settle at this stage for someone who definitely has lower grades.

However, at the B/C kind of level, unis know they are very likely to go to Clearing and to accept lots with less than the standard offer, so are more likely to make an offer at this stage to someone with grades in hand.

Anyone with grades in hand, considering places with a standard offer above their grades are well-advised to ring and discuss. Especially in the mid-range unis, they might well find a number are encouraging on the phone, and applications not wasted. If the candidate also expressed that they would quickly firm such an offer, it might be even more positive….becasue that uni then can work on the basis that this candidate is very likely to turn up. Those with predicted grades may firm somewhere else, fail to get their grades etc etc.

Depends on the course. I wouldn't offer anyone a place with those grades on my course. And I do compare applicants in a similar way to shortlisting job applicants. Even though yes we make more offers than places. I still have 10x the amount of applicants vs places. I don't need to offer to people with grades below the course requirements.

I agree that contacting the uni and asking is the best thing to do. Most unis will still have staff working this week I'd have thought.

I agree with @FeegleFrenzy that admin staff should be around this week and the week of 6 Jan. Getting an admissions tutor during this time may be tricky at some universities.

I don’t know the admissions requirement at her place. Ours is not relevant to the OP. The post from @WombatChocolate seemed very sensible to me.

Do you make BBC offers though @FeegleFrenzy (if your applicant to enrolment ratio is 10:1 I'm assuming you're a much high tariff course).

Yes some good advice here. Would you say what course @Timtims as it might give us a better idea?

yy admin staff will be there - ds uni classes stopped on Friday but admin there this week. But yes you may need admission tutor tbh.

128 ucas points. Is that bbb?

128 ucas points. Is that bbb?

That's ABB - so 3 grades above BCC. What's the lowest you would go @FeegleFrenzy ?

I think what's confusing us is that on the UCAS site for quite a few of the unis offering BBB, it says that 1in1 of applicants with BCC are offered a place.

Lowest would be 128. Unless we were in clearing and then it drops to something like 112, but have only ever been in clearing once.

We interview as well as screen the application. So I will use predicted grades (or actual grades) as well as personal statement as a way of screening out people before interview. I can't interview everyone, I'd never get any other work done. I get enough people with 128 points and above applying. If we didn't I guess it would be a different story.

Bear in mind that historical data on what they’ve accepted might contractual offers, clearing, mitigating circumstances etc depending on his info source.

Most courses don’t interview at ABB so assume it’s a course related to health.

I would look at 2 above and 2 bang on and 1 a bit below I think.

We've asked one uni by email and they said just apply and give it a go!

DS is looking to do a humanities degree (BA). I would say his thinking is most aligned with the Reading English lit course example above.

Not planning on chances it with any 'A' courses (e.g. ABB) Ideally would hope to put down a few BBB options.

DS is currently doing an Art Foundation course, so will get extra tariff points for that but that doesn't seem to hold much sway as most good unis ask for alevels only.

Sorry for all the info. I'm a bit clueless!

Reading as in the Uni (not as in reading a book!)

Reading were taking CCD in clearing this year, so your DS has a good chance of getting in.

Definitely worth applying. My DS wax (is) in a similar situation, applied end of October and now has a place on a very popular and competitive course at a Russell group uni, despite not having the published grades (BBC rather than AAB). Give it a shot, and there's always clearing!

Some good but not RG universities such as Reading lost a lot of their potential students this year because RG universities such as Southampton hoovered them up. The government has clamped down on postgraduate overseas students bringing in dependents so universities like Southampton have lost a chunk of those students and so are backfilling with home students to put bums on seats. So home students who had Southampton as an aspirational choice got in and universities like Reading lost out. This is likely to continue unless the government changes its policy. Which means for you that non RG second tier universities are likely to be more flexible with their accepted grades.

As above - ring or email and ask them directly - consider putting in context on the points below.

Then I would select a range from your discussions - aspirational etc. You have grades in hand so dont need an insurance offer.

Take the best and then re-consider on clearing day as he might be able to trade up to better place at that point....

EPQ can help nudge things along - does he have this?

Are his GCSEs good?

Did he underperform in his A levels - are there any mitigating circumstances that his school can add into his ref?

Has he anything 'supra-ciricular' that he is doing this year to boost his PS?

@Sleepthief do you mind saying what course and university your son has a place for? I was assuming that applying to an AAB course was too much of a stretch with BBC!