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How to get an Unconditional Offer

Does any know How to get an Unconditional Offer for Maths. What factors (Grades, personal statement) affect your chances of getting an unconditional offer If you get straight A's .
Thanks

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Reply 1
Usually applying with your grades already 'in the bag'...

Otherwise unconditionals are as rare as hens teeth...
Reply 2
I am doing my AS in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and PE. When do people who get unconditional offers apply and when do people normally apply?
The best way to be sure of getting unconditional offers is to apply in the Autumn following the Summer when you finish your A Levels (A2).

People generally apply in the Autumn following their AS exams, so during Year 13.

I think unless you are an absolute genius and any university can see this from your application and references so much that they don't care how well you do in your exams, they just want you, then you won't be getting a unconditional offer any other way than waiting to apply until after you've completed the course.
Reply 4
Most people get unconditionals as they already have done their A2 exams and gained their A2 grades. But if you're truly outstanding (like you're applying for Physics and you're the next Einstein) then you can get given an unconditonal offer before you've even sat your A2 exams. But I wouldn't count on that...

Hope this helps

Sen
Reply 5
Thanks
Reply 6
You don't just get unconditionals based on your A2s - any 'finishing' exams will do just as well. Although I've just done my ASs so far and have my A2s this year, I also sat for a few of the US-standard SAT II exams because I'm also applying to a couple of places in the US, and I put them on my UCAS form not expecting them to count for much, but I now have an unconditional offer from Edinburgh, and the only reason I can think of that anyone would give me one of those is the aforementioned SAT IIs.
the nadir
You don't just get unconditionals based on your A2s - any 'finishing' exams will do just as well. Although I've just done my ASs so far and have my A2s this year, I also sat for a few of the US-standard SAT II exams because I'm also applying to a couple of places in the US, and I put them on my UCAS form not expecting them to count for much, but I now have an unconditional offer from Edinburgh, and the only reason I can think of that anyone would give me one of those is the aforementioned SAT IIs.


I don't think the SAT IIs helped me at all in my offer, because they were very bad and I sat them when I was 15. I think proving your worth at interview and in your personal statement would be the way to go, good grades at As level doesn't seem to be a prerequisite for unconditional offers.
Reply 8
i think if you apply for universities which asks lower grades than you have and have good personal statement there's more chance to get unconditional (to get unconditional from bath, nottingham, oxford or lse or others good universities is probably impossible :frown: while u haven't got exams results)
Reply 9
Well, I don't know what UK students have to do... But if you're from Poland and are applying to UK universities you can get an unconditional if you are for instance the winner of Maths Olympic Competition (dunno really how to translate it in polish it is "olimpiada" and it means Olympic Games). In Poland every subject has its Olympic Games and it is on a v. high level and higly valued by the universities (also in other countires), so if you win it (win= you are *I think* among the 10 best in Poland, and you compete against ppl who are excellent on their field) you can get an unconditional offer (also in the UK).
Reply 10
Winning in one of UNESCO's Olympiads (Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics) is a guaranteed way to get into a very good university. These are international competitions, not nationals (not only in Poland as someone said).

anyway, I believe that theres no standard way to guarantee you an uncoditional offer. Helps if you have the asked grades beforehand (for example if you had just taken a year out) having some work experience may also help.
Unconditional offers are like gold dust unless you already have your grades before hand, which is the only sure way to get one.
Reply 12
eth0
Winning in one of UNESCO's Olympiads (Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics) is a guaranteed way to get into a very good university. These are international competitions, not nationals (not only in Poland as someone said).

Maybe there are ALSO Unesco Olympiads, but there are Polish Olympiads, which are for ppl from Poland :biggrin:
Apply to some really crap universities...
Reply 14
A lot of Scottish uni's will give you the "2E's" entry offer. I think it's partly because they would like to get their hands on some cash (:tongue:) as Scottish students get university free, and also because they are quite under-subscribed for places - as Scotland is so damn far away (well, for me it is living down here as a Southern Fairy)
Reply 15
bassamband
Does any know How to get an Unconditional Offer for Maths. What factors (Grades, personal statement) affect your chances of getting an unconditional offer If you get straight A's .
Thanks


Although rare (unless as the other guy said 'in the bag') I see them most for creative subjects like Fine Art. Happens when you take your portfolio to the interview and they love it! Creativity is obviously hard to measure and the Art interviewers probably go on gut instinct more than other subjects.

My sister who is not great academically (and i cant even spell that it seems) only took 2 A levels in the end and was predicted a E in one of them. however Reading gave her a EE offer for Fine Art. She says there are others also and many from other universities.
Reply 16
Move to Scotland and take Highers. Several of my friends applied in their last year of school and got six unconditionals.
Reply 17
My friend did a scholarship exam for aberystwyth in the January of year 13 and now has an unconditional offer
I got 2 unconditional offers- I haven't done my main exams yet, I'm doing IB exams now, and it's hell. I did the SAT I in Oct. 05, 2 SAT ll tests in Nov. 05, and an AP in May 05. I guess I did pretty well, but these aren't the main exams by any means, just bits and pieces. I also interviewed for one of the courses last summer, in July 05. I was really startled to get unconditional offers as I hadn't expected it at all.
see sig.

Not 100% sure why they decieded to give me an unconditional offer, as I've only taken two AP's and the second one was just recently taken about a week ago...?

My extra curriculers are insane though, and I've worked since age 14 at pretty good jobs....Plus they initiated a private correspondance with me through e-mails...so who knows????

note: even though I have not taken a large amount of AP's, I have taken a lot of actual university classes at a uni near my High School, so maybe that played some role in their decision to offer an unconditional?

I am happy though :smile:

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