High predicated A-levels but average GCSE's- where to apply?

[BinBagFlipFlop]

DD wants to read economics at university, which I know is highly competitive. She got good but not brilliant GCSE results (888,777,66,5- in English language) but has high predicted A-level grades (AAA- A* in maths and economics) and these do seem not to be too far off as she's performed really well for over a year now, as well as gaining really good super curricular and work experience. She was quite unhappy for a couple of years at a highly competitive grammar school for GCSE, and I think that this (as well as being dyslexic) affected her final grades. She is now much, much happier in a standard sixth form college and seems to be much more confident academically and in herself.

She has just been to a meeting to discuss university applications this week and is now being advised by the college that she should go for more ambitious university options than she had lined up- maybe UCL or Kings, rather than ones that she felt were achievable (UEA, RHUL.) However, we are both concerned that her lower performance at GCSE will mean that these are not realistic options and she might end up with very few offers, or worse still, none at all given how competitive economics is.

Anyone's child been in a similar situation and what might be the best course of action?

My eldest two did very well at A-level – all A’s and A’s and are both very happy at a good Russell group university now. One of them had all 9’s and 8’s and was advised by his 6th form to apply to Cambridge, but it wasn’t his scene at all. He also didn’t at all like the idea of going to one of the top London universities, instead preferring a city with its own character. He was actually turned down from Bristol, due to how competitive his course was (aerospace) even with his GCSE results and all A’s predicted and one achieved early. So, as you already recognise, there’s a number of reasons not to fill up her five choices with “top” UCL /LSE type choices. As others have said, go and look around at a varied bunch of good Russell group universities. She is clearly very capable of getting into them and shouldn’t sell herself short, but equally needs to be comfortable and make sure that she plenty of options on her choices so that she does get offers in. My son was very happy with his other offers after being turned down from Bristol because he made sure he had plenty of choices that he was happy with. He is still at one of the top performing universities for his course in the country, although it is not one of the elite universities, which suits him better. My son‘s college pushed him to apply for Cambridge. He didn’t listen and neither did we. You know your own child and she knows her own self so you don’t have to listen to what they are advising - remember they have their own agenda. Good luck to her.

OK @BinBagFlipFlop ignore what I said about UCL, for economics it is clear that a grade 4+ is fine in Eng lang. I must be thinking of a different university, or maybe they have changed their requirements! Anyway all the best to your DD.

ETA: It's a requirement in arts and humanities apparently https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/arts-sciences/study/undergraduate-study/arts-and-sciences-basc/your-application/entry-requirements tho it's not very well written as it actually says In addition, GCSE English Language and Mathematics at a minimum grade B / 6 are required for all degrees. but not "all degrees in this faculty" which I presume is what is meant.

Remember you get a lot of choices, I chose 1 absolute safety net and then the rest in the top ten including an oxbridge. I only got 2 offers (1 safety net, 1 top ten, went to top 10 option) - so long as she'd be happy going to the safety net and any of the other choices then she'll be fine. You could always put 2 safety nets to be sure. It was a bit scary seeing declines come in, but to me it meant I'd pitched right - if you get offered them all then you've not stretched yourself.
Also, don't make her feel it'd be the end of the world if she doesn't get what she wants. There's clearing, a gap year with work experience, or travel - lots of options. She'll be fine and should be proud of her excellent a levels and (actually) good gcses. Give her confidence to aim really high despite the slight risk (the old cringe saying, aim for the stars and you might just fly to the moon). She's clearly very bright and should fly. I'd also look at a tutor or similar to help her with applications/personal statement just to make sure its top notch.

I too would say do a range if she can. I believe it's still 6 for UCAS so I'd go for two that she'd love but would require her predicted grades, 2 that would require maybe 1 grade lower and 2 that would be significantly lower. Then she's got a favourite, but if she really messes up on exam day, she won't be left going through clearing.

Have you been to open days or a ucas fair? You can speak with a rep and check entry requirements. University websites will also give you all the course entry on requirements. Though having worked in a sixth form I am very aware of how they are judged, one measure is on University destinations. So having a high number of Russel Group or Sutton30 applications/attendees looks good for their stats. Go to lots of open days and see where would be best for her. I’m sure she’ll have the pick of where she wants

I wouldn’t be deterred from applying for unis on the basis of those grades. But I would take a real look at their scores, student satisfaction rankings and pastoral support. Would she thrive more at a campus uni? How much teaching time and structured lessons are there?
A number of unis have good connectivity to the City through careers centre and student societies, and try taster days/internships etc.

So my DS got a mixed bag of gcse results. Hit every grade on the way, 4-9. He
Got great predicted grades at alevel. He’s doing econ at Bath. However he was doing f maths (later dropped to as) and predicted rather optimisticly 4a (he didn’t get that). Apparently some unis prefer some type of f maths and A predictions even if not
the offer. GCSEs obviously not so important. DS couldn’t do LSE with 5 in English language. He also got into Exeter and another great one to look at is Lancaster. Some need maths, some don’t. Loughborough don’t need maths but think
yoy spend a lot of first year catching up to standard.

Not sure why bold! Sorry

This is good advice. Some of the top places specify a 6 in English even for STEM subjects. (I once looked them up for an intelligent but appallingly arrogant male pupil who refused to work properly in English.)

What was the English lit result. Some unis are happy with a 6 in either lang or lit. Feel like
this time last year I knew every English requirement for every econ degree. DS got a 7 in lit (not sure how, he’s never read anything more than wimpy kid!) so he was generally fine apart from LSE (but didn’t want London).

Don't forget that there are other considerations eg
London unis can work out very expensive for eg accommodation
Support for your DDs dyslexia (don't forget to apply for DSA when applying for student finance)
Campus vs city uni
The actual course content, and optional modules
Availability of placement years

Has your DD visited any of the unis - both my DCs got an immediate feel of which uni was their favourite when doing open days.

My son was in a very similar situation. After looking into it, my view was to apply for three stretch unis (in his case Bath, Bristol and Durham), and two others that he had a good chance of an offer. Exeter and Southampton. His 9 GCSEs were between 3 (French!) and 9. He had A star predictions for A level.

He was rejected from Bath, received an alternative offer from Bristol, and an offer from Durham. He really wanted Bristol but it was a super competitive course and they all but told him that with so many A star predicted applications they had to take into account GCSEs. He didn’t like the alternative offer. He’s loving a Durham. I think we got the selection of unis about right.

@W0tnowds got one mark into a 4 at gcse french. Definitely not going into French banking. And his teacher asked him to consider French alevel 😂😂

@BinBagFlipFlop These top level universities will have very driven dc on their economics courses so she could be replicating school. I’d very very wary of LSE and possibly UCL on this basis. You seem to mention mostly London universities so are you based there?

In the CUG, UCL is 7th for economics and KCL is 13th. Newcastle mentioned earlier is 29th so not elite. QMUL is a good shout for London and don’t forget Surrey. Both ranked higher than Royal Holloway (36) and UEA (32). Although not highly ranked, Reading is worth a look too.

I agree with others, choose 1 or 2 aspirational but be careful about her feelings, 2 or 3 middle of the road like Surrey or QMUL and one nailed on!

This subject produces oodles of high achieving wannabes though. They all want high flying jobs in London. Is your dd really wanting this if the grammar school didn’t suit? I’d be surprised to be honest. A degree gives her a chance to look at various career paths and if highly pressured isn’t her, be very careful about going into courses like this and similar jobs.

Only 1280 dc got all grade 9s at GCSE in 2024. They cannot have vast numbers at her old school.

Lol. My son was never so happy to never study a subject again!

There’s a brilliant Facebook group with very knowledgeable people called What I wish I knew about university. I’m sure someone there will be able to answer your question if you don’t get an answer here. It compromises parents, tutors, 6th form staff etc so someone will be able to help. The advice is often to apply for 2 aspirational, 2 achievable and 1 back up/insurance university. Good luck to your daughter.

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings/economics here are the uni rankings. Definitely some very achievable ones in the top 5-20 and definitely worth sticking an aspirational 1/2 in.

I was assuming she is in yr 13 btw in which case she’s too late for Oxford or Cambs (only one does economics, Cambs iirc) for 2026. So unless she wants a gap year.

My DD has just started a BSc Economics, we found this quite interesting as she initially had picked all RG unis, https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2025/subject-ranking/business-and-economics#!/length/25/locations/GBR/subjects/3087/sort_by/scores_overall/sort_order/asc/cols/scores:4
however some non RG perform better in Economics, I think everyone always thinks you need to go for the RG unis but she ended up picking a non RG uni which had higher rankings for Economics than any of the RG she visited ….

Sounds like she is going to get some very competitive offers and has done really well. Just wanted to highlight that UEA is a really good and friendly university and Norwich is really welcoming to students. It is set on a large campus so feels very safe when you first arrive. Think they have a good economics department. I was there over 25 years ago for my BA and it was a really good experience. I am still friends with the friends I met there.

Edit to add: I did my Master's at LSE and it's a good uni but a totally different and less friendly vibe imo. The campus also felt quite cramped..but it is in London.
Although the economics department is first-class. (I studied something other than economics.)

OP it was a long time ago now (13 years) but I did a similar course and went from grammar school to Russell group uni.

I found my grammar school was an exam result machine that was very pushy and focused purely on results. E.g kept returning coursework until it had 100% in some subjects. Single sex so very bitchy with all the hormones of GCSE aged girls.

Uni was nothing like that - it’s all totally independent. You turn up for lectures and everything’s on your own accord. Yes it’s competitive but I don’t think anything to worry about. With economics type subjects you don’t have loads of contact hours and largely exam based. Obviously that might have changed so I may not be up to date!

DD will be at an advantage in some ways as she’s had experience of switching to a new environment and making new friends which a lot of people that stayed at their school for sixth form won’t have.

I also think unis appreciate with GCSE’s you are being forced to do subjects you aren’t passionate / skilled at. So I doubt they care if she didn’t do well in a language etc.

I agree with PPs but would just say pick unis that she likes not just the very best. Anything in the top 12 is great. So I would have a look at Bath/Exeter/Manchester/Bristol etc!

London is a very different uni experience due to the costs - lots of students might commute from home, less likely to be living near each other in later years. It all depends what she wants though.

How long ago did you do Ur master's? LSE are expanding their campus every couple of years

But OP your DD will be 100% fine. I wish her all the best with applications.

Bath, Loughborough and Lancaster are all not RG and all highly rated.

I did my Masters at LSE over 25 years ago but have been back to visit fairly regularly since then.

It is just a totally different experience to being at a campus university imo.