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Higher education

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Original poster

Is it worth calling Manchester (first choice) if you miss offer by one grade?

112 replies

thestudio · 11/08/2025 12:42

Hello - would be very grateful if anyone can advise. DS has an offer for a joint honours humanities degree at Manchester Uni. If he gets a B instead of an A in one of the subjects, is it worth contacting Manchester directly to (effectively) beg them to reduce their offer?!

Would this only be the case if he has missed the grade by a few marks (and will he be able to tell from his results?)

And if so, which department would he call and who would he be trying to contact?

Thanks v much in advance for anyone who has advice or experience. I know he is anxious so although he might already have this info himself I would rather not prod him too much.

OP posts:
Daisymay2 · 11/08/2025 15:47

Both my DS dropped a grade from offers from Russell group Universities. DS 1 in the year that fees jumped from £3k to £9k and rang them and they had confirmed his place already. DS2 had an email just after midnight on results day to confirm , so he hadn’t seen his results. DS2 was approached by another Uni that he hadn’t accepted or held as a reserve and told that he could still go there, despite the dropped grade.

PrissyGalore · 11/08/2025 15:59

CatKings · 11/08/2025 13:24

friends son was a grade down and was pushed into accepting a foundation year, don’t do that. It was another expensive year and they did very little. Would have been better off resitting and working for a year and reapplying.

My son did a foundation year due to this and it was the making of him. He got a lot more confidence as it brought him up to standard and he also very much enjoyed uni life. He ended up with a first then a research masters with distinction. It worked very well for him.

roundaboutthehillsareshining · 11/08/2025 16:04

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 15:36

I write as a former admissions tutor. Agreed, we have made a decision. But this is of little practical value until we know whether we have a bum on a seat. That depends on both the Firm Institution and the applicant, as some unis are not guaranteeing accommodation for Insurance admits - a mistake in my view.

Show quote history

But we're talking at cross purposes here. If you, the hypothetical admissoins person, has made a decision and sent it to UCAS, it'll be on Track. So on Thursday morning, there will be one of 4 outcomes

  1. Firm has accepted, Track will show that and everyone can relax and go to the pub
  2. Firm rejected, insurance accepted. Then it's up to the applicant whether they want to take the insurance or self release into Clearing and take their chances
  3. Both rejected. So maybe into Clearing or take a year out to regroup and come back
  4. Decision pending - in that case phone the Firm choice and find out what's going on

None of these can happen (or at lease be known to the Applicant) until Thursday morning, so there isn't much point in worrying about it. 3 and 4 are extremely unlikely in today's market anyway.

So from an applicant's PoV, best thing to do is to try and relax, play some sport, go out with friends, go to work whatever, until Thursday morning. Then check UCAS Track and decide what to do next. The info he needs to decide what to do next will be on UCAS Track then - it's not worth trying to second guess it before then.

Ventress · 11/08/2025 16:06

I was on a “Supporting your child on results day” webinar with Exeter last week and they said that if the student had been refused a place there would be no point wasting time contacting them, or reapplying for it via clearing because they would already have tried to offer a place if possible, The admissions team said that that they would offer if at all possible, and if they couldn’t (due to demand) they would try to offer on a similar course with spaces eg applied for economics and didn’t get in they’d offer economics and business, or they’d offer foundation. It would be worth applying through clearing for a different course which isn’t economics adjacent if that were in clearing, as that wouldn’t have been considered by the admissions team.

I appreciate you are not talking about Exeter but I doubt other similar universities would be dissimilar in their considerations. Plus universities have had the results since last Friday so have far longer to consider which students they are going to offer places to.

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 16:09

roundaboutthehillsareshining · 11/08/2025 16:04

But we're talking at cross purposes here. If you, the hypothetical admissoins person, has made a decision and sent it to UCAS, it'll be on Track. So on Thursday morning, there will be one of 4 outcomes

  1. Firm has accepted, Track will show that and everyone can relax and go to the pub
  2. Firm rejected, insurance accepted. Then it's up to the applicant whether they want to take the insurance or self release into Clearing and take their chances
  3. Both rejected. So maybe into Clearing or take a year out to regroup and come back
  4. Decision pending - in that case phone the Firm choice and find out what's going on

None of these can happen (or at lease be known to the Applicant) until Thursday morning, so there isn't much point in worrying about it. 3 and 4 are extremely unlikely in today's market anyway.

So from an applicant's PoV, best thing to do is to try and relax, play some sport, go out with friends, go to work whatever, until Thursday morning. Then check UCAS Track and decide what to do next. The info he needs to decide what to do next will be on UCAS Track then - it's not worth trying to second guess it before then.

Show quote history

Indeed. I think we crossed wires. I merely said that Insurance admits may not really be counted until their situation is clarified. So those who have Firmed but dropped a grade may be kept waiting until this happens, unless numbers are very short.

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 16:11

Ventress · 11/08/2025 16:06

I was on a “Supporting your child on results day” webinar with Exeter last week and they said that if the student had been refused a place there would be no point wasting time contacting them, or reapplying for it via clearing because they would already have tried to offer a place if possible, The admissions team said that that they would offer if at all possible, and if they couldn’t (due to demand) they would try to offer on a similar course with spaces eg applied for economics and didn’t get in they’d offer economics and business, or they’d offer foundation. It would be worth applying through clearing for a different course which isn’t economics adjacent if that were in clearing, as that wouldn’t have been considered by the admissions team.

I appreciate you are not talking about Exeter but I doubt other similar universities would be dissimilar in their considerations. Plus universities have had the results since last Friday so have far longer to consider which students they are going to offer places to.

Great post!

CatKings · 11/08/2025 16:55

PrissyGalore · 11/08/2025 15:59

My son did a foundation year due to this and it was the making of him. He got a lot more confidence as it brought him up to standard and he also very much enjoyed uni life. He ended up with a first then a research masters with distinction. It worked very well for him.

Show quote history

It might depend on the uni but he was sent a local college 4 hours a week. It really was a waste of time and money.

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 17:06

CatKings · 11/08/2025 16:55

It might depend on the uni but he was sent a local college 4 hours a week. It really was a waste of time and money.

Show quote history

What you’ve described is awful. My university has an excellent STEM FY programme; I don’t have experience of the others.

You do make the point that FYs should be investigated thoroughly

Donotgogentle · 11/08/2025 17:20

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 13:19

Just a hunch, but Manchester may be part of a large group of universities dropping a grade anyway.

Each School or unit of admission typically has Home and Overseas targets. If these are not met with applicants who have fulfilled their offers, applicants who have missed by one grade, then sometimes two, etc, are admitted. All of this work started yesterday.

Schools would much rather accept applicants who have already Firmed them than go into Clearing. As a former Russell Group admissions tutor, I can recall times when we did not meet targets with applicants who met their offers and went through the process above. I cannot recall that we were ever moved by special pleading. Nowadays an Overseas student might get somewhere, because everyone needs the dosh so badly. But mainly this type of phone call (and even email) just gets in the way on a frantically busy day.

In brief, chances are very high that everyone who is one grade off will already have been reviewed individually. If they weren’t, it is because the cohort was already full.

The only exception would be if there were mitigating circumstances for which the school has submitted evidence. It is well recognised that the marks compensations for bereavements, serious illness, etc are very low.

This is broadly true across most of the RG+, excluding the most competitive universities and units of admissions. To MumsNetters who would say, ‘But we called and my DC was admitted’ I would reply that they would have been without the call.

Can I check, does the University know the grade boundaries too?

If you miss a grade by a few points and get turned down by your Firm, is it worth going for a remark and pleading with the Firm? I’m not sure if they’d already know the required grade was narrowly missed.

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 17:26

Donotgogentle · 11/08/2025 17:20

Can I check, does the University know the grade boundaries too?

If you miss a grade by a few points and get turned down by your Firm, is it worth going for a remark and pleading with the Firm? I’m not sure if they’d already know the required grade was narrowly missed.

Show quote history

When I was doing admissions we got the grades. There is good advice upthread to inform your Firm if you are off by one grade, near the boundary and requesting a re-mark.

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 17:29

Correction: we got the actual marks! Apologies

AelinAG · 11/08/2025 17:36

Agree with the above poster who said it’s not worth it. We’ve been working all weekend looking at near misses and making acceptance decisions, you wouldn’t change the decision by calling.

I can’t see the marks and grade boundaries on our system but they wouldn’t make any difference to us. If you called to tell us you were getting a remark we have a deadline you need to let us know the outcome by. If you then met your offer we’d see if we could offer you a space this year, if not we’d offer a deferred place for E2026

TheLivelyViper · 11/08/2025 17:49

Donotgogentle · 11/08/2025 17:20

Can I check, does the University know the grade boundaries too?

If you miss a grade by a few points and get turned down by your Firm, is it worth going for a remark and pleading with the Firm? I’m not sure if they’d already know the required grade was narrowly missed.

Show quote history

No they don't - they got the grades on Friday and only get the grades so they don't know a students mark (to the best of my knowledge - sometimes they know the mark but not the grade boundaries so can't tell how close or far away it is to the grade). They don't know if you missed the A by one mark or got the A by one mark. The grade boundaries are released by the exam boards on their websites at 8am on Thursday and not before - so if the firm or insurance rejected you because you need AAA and AAB and the B grade is one mark off - call if you are going for a priority review/remark (use teachers advice on this and request the scripts first for them to GP through).

DrPrunesqualer · 11/08/2025 17:53

If he misses by one grade and only by a few marks you can request a review of the paper. If it’s reviewed and it’s upgraded his place at Manchester will stand. Even if he’s been told he’s lost the place at the outset.

The only way to know if he’ll get a place through clearing is to check how often Man Uni go into clearing for his course
If there aren’t any places when clearing opens he won’t be offered one.

growinguptobreakingdown · 11/08/2025 17:56

In the news today a spokesperson from Cambridge even said they would consider applicants who don't get their expected grades which is unheard of. The report said Unis are struggling with a drop in overseas students and the grades are expected to be lower this year after so many students getting A* last year.So definitely worth calling.

DrPrunesqualer · 11/08/2025 18:01

Manchester Uni will be publishing available courses going through clearing for home students on Wednesday evening on their website.

CatKings · 11/08/2025 18:16

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 17:06

What you’ve described is awful. My university has an excellent STEM FY programme; I don’t have experience of the others.

You do make the point that FYs should be investigated thoroughly

Show quote history

100% it just felt like a money making scheme and he felt pressurised to get a ‘guaranteed place. He didn’t settle/make friends as he wasn’t on the real course as well.

sorry to derail the thread….

murasaki · 11/08/2025 18:19

CatKings · 11/08/2025 18:16

100% it just felt like a money making scheme and he felt pressurised to get a ‘guaranteed place. He didn’t settle/make friends as he wasn’t on the real course as well.

sorry to derail the thread….

Show quote history

That's poor. Ours basically has year one classes but in smaller group teaching. Get over 60% and into year two, over 50 and into year one.

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 18:35

CatKings · 11/08/2025 18:16

100% it just felt like a money making scheme and he felt pressurised to get a ‘guaranteed place. He didn’t settle/make friends as he wasn’t on the real course as well.

sorry to derail the thread….

Show quote history

I am so sorry this was your family’s experience and I think you’ve done a favour by making us aware of this possibility. Don’t worry!

DrPrunesqualer · 11/08/2025 20:28

murasaki · 11/08/2025 18:19

That's poor. Ours basically has year one classes but in smaller group teaching. Get over 60% and into year two, over 50 and into year one.

Show quote history

What Uni was it @CatKings
because that’s not the norm.

mamagogo1 · 11/08/2025 20:31

Generally one grade won’t matter unless they have over recruited. Whatever happens, if he decides to call it must be him who makes calls, the same for clearing - mums making call except in exceptional circumstances will not help his case

CatKings · 11/08/2025 20:33

Manchester. My friends child, not mine!

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 20:48

Wow, that is surprising but good to know, @CatKings . Thanks again

Original poster
thestudio · 11/08/2025 21:14

Oh god so sorry - I didn't get a notification so assumed no-one had posted 😂
Going back to read replies now!

OP posts:
Original poster
thestudio · 11/08/2025 21:16

poetryandwine · 11/08/2025 13:19

Just a hunch, but Manchester may be part of a large group of universities dropping a grade anyway.

Each School or unit of admission typically has Home and Overseas targets. If these are not met with applicants who have fulfilled their offers, applicants who have missed by one grade, then sometimes two, etc, are admitted. All of this work started yesterday.

Schools would much rather accept applicants who have already Firmed them than go into Clearing. As a former Russell Group admissions tutor, I can recall times when we did not meet targets with applicants who met their offers and went through the process above. I cannot recall that we were ever moved by special pleading. Nowadays an Overseas student might get somewhere, because everyone needs the dosh so badly. But mainly this type of phone call (and even email) just gets in the way on a frantically busy day.

In brief, chances are very high that everyone who is one grade off will already have been reviewed individually. If they weren’t, it is because the cohort was already full.

The only exception would be if there were mitigating circumstances for which the school has submitted evidence. It is well recognised that the marks compensations for bereavements, serious illness, etc are very low.

This is broadly true across most of the RG+, excluding the most competitive universities and units of admissions. To MumsNetters who would say, ‘But we called and my DC was admitted’ I would reply that they would have been without the call.

Incredibly helpful, thanks so much.

OP posts:
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