DD was 1 mark of the required grade in Step Maths exam for Imperial. We have submitted a Results enquiry, is there anything else we can do?

[RogerFeather]

Just that really, we submitted the Results enquiry on Thursday 14th but haven't heard back yet as it can take up to 5 working days.

If that isn't successful are we able to appeal?
https://www.ocr.org.uk/students/step-mathematics/appeals/
Any advice on the appeals process would be appreciated.

It says 'You will be notified in writing within 42 days of submitting the appeal.'

I'm not sure if that's working days or not but either way it's going to be after they have started at their insurance Uni.
How does that work?

42 days is a very long time, in my experience most Reviews of Marking are returned within a few days. However, this is for GCSEs and A Levels, not STEP. Was there an option for 'priority'? For A Level ROMs they are meant to be done with 48 hours.

I thought imperial used TMUA?

They do use TMUA but if you don't meet a certain grade in that exam they ask you to do the Step as well.

Ah - OK thanks

Are Imp holding his place open? Maybe it’s for the best if he didn’t meet the TMUA grade?

Are we understanding correctly that DD didn't meet either the TMUA or the STEP requirement? If so, harsh as it is, you should probably think carefully about what this is telling you. No parent wants to see their child not thrive at university and Imperial maths will take no prisoners at all.
Of course if there weee on-the-day mitigating circumstances and DD is usually an Olympiad mathematician then that's different. But if she's just "very good", then she might be much happier elsewhere.

I don’t work at imperial but at a similar RG so will answer from our policies to give you an idea of what might happen, but you really need to talk to imperial to clarify.

First, we do not hold places or operate waiting lists. The place is gone, for all intents and purposes. If you are having a remark, once you have had the results back you can get in touch and if you have fully met your offer at that point we will look at what’s possible. This might be reinstating your offer (if we have places) or making you an offer for next academic year (if we don’t have spaces).

But there would be no guarantee

We also have a cut off in late August which remarks would have to be back with us by. After this we can’t consider it.

Hello, OP -

I am a former Russell Group STEM admissions tutor in a high tariff School. DH is an emeritus Maths professor in the tier just below COWI, an Insurance choice for many who Firm COWI Maths.

Gently, @NeedingCoffee has written a great post. Every student deserves a good chance to thrive at university and will unquestionably get more out of participating fully in a programme where they feel confident than from stumbling through a programme where they do not. Imperial Maths is brutal.

One mark is very close and I would hope that a review of marking to ensure guidance was followed, for that is what I believe it will be, will give DD a comfortable margin. If it doesn’t and if she is an Olympiad champ who tests badly, I am genuinely sorry. But generally I agree with @NeedingCoffee
DD can have a great life at and after her Insurance. It need not limit her options at all.

Ah, OP, no one has really answered your question.

You need to have grounds for an appeal. ‘DD needs another mark’ won’t suffice. What would the grounds be?

PS I absolutely didn’t mean for that to sound snarky. This is incredibly frustrating.

If she were 10 marks off, it would be a lost cause. At present her ability is an open question in my mind. If one mark is found my view won’t change but your family will be much happier and she would have the chance to prove herself at Imperial.
Best outcome would be finding another 5 marks or more - please don’t tell DD any if this, BTW!

Thanks for at least recognising the question I'm asking.
I don't know what the grounds would be.
That's what I'm asking for.

It says on the link you posted you can appeal if you are not happy with the results and think the process was not followed correctly.

What is making you think the process is not being followed?

I don't think the process is 'not being followed '.
However if there is a way of appealing which would result in someone else marking it from scratch then I think, even in a subject like maths, there is the possibility of making up one mark.

Generally marking guidance leaves a bit of leeway here and there and a review of marking will not challenge this. Nor should it; STEP markers are very able mathematicians and their judgment should count for something. It can be expected that your DD will have won some and lost some.

I have never heard of getting a paper re-marked unless marking guidance has not been followed. Nor do I think it should be. And if it were, the mark could as easily go down as up.

The only other option I know of is to allege some kind of irregularity along the way. But this will require good evidence.

They found the missing mark 😀

That must feel very satisfactory for your DC! Will they now finally be accepted to Imperial, in this case?

Great news, OP. Good luck to DD

Wow! On what basis did you appeal in the end?
Please do let us know the outcome one with Imperial.
All the very best to your DC.

Perhaps this was just the review of marking,
@WombatChocolate

Oh okay. I thought it had been said this wasn’t possible with STEP. My mistake.

Yes, it was just the review of marking and yes she is now going to Imperial.

Great stuff!