Universities being so vague!!!! ARGHHHH

They can't say you'll definitely get an offer, because that depends on when you actually apply, and also how many other applications they get. You've already been in Extra for 2 weeks and not applied yet, and if you hang around another 2 weeks those unis might not have spaces - but if they tell you you'll get an offer they're stuck with that.

However, unis will say a definite no if they don't want you. So by getting any other reply, you're pretty much getting a yes.

I think thats a very misleading, OP said they told him, 'we will consider you', thats nowhere near as you put it, 'pretty much getting a yes'. From my own experience, I've heard the same non-answer given by unis many times when I've contacted them, yet I've still ended up being rejected by two of my choices.

This is talking about Extra.

what difference is there?

'we will consider you' is akin to them saying, 'you've met our absolute bare minimum requirements so we'll have a look at your application in full to see if you are the type of student we want' - thats hardly a reassuring sign that an offer is on the way.

what difference is there?

'we will consider you' is akin to them saying, 'you've met our absolute bare minimum requirements so we'll have a look at your application in full to see if you are the type of student we want' - thats hardly a reassuring sign that an offer is on the way.

If it's through Extra though, that means they have seen the majority of applications and still have spaces left to fill. They wouldn't even be considering someone at this late stage if they weren't already thinking of giving them an offer. All the times I've been told "yes, we would consider you", I've had offers. If OP is changing his initial subject then they might ask for a different personal statement but that's it really.

They can't say you'll definitely get an offer, because that depends on when you actually apply, and also how many other applications they get. You've already been in Extra for 2 weeks and not applied yet, and if you hang around another 2 weeks those unis might not have spaces - but if they tell you you'll get an offer they're stuck with that.

However, unis will say a definite no if they don't want you. So by getting any other reply, you're pretty much getting a yes.

Because at this stage unis know the standard of the other applicants so will know how you measure up. They are also in Extra because they have more offers to give out, which potentially means they won't get enough students so they can be more lenient (they usually aren't during Extra, but they can be). They also don't want to waste their time looking at applications that clearly aren't good enough - and they know that students in Extra can be feeling a bit desperate or vulnerable so they don't want to waste the student's time either.

So whilst your comments may be accurate for normal UCAS applications they are not applicable here.

So sorry to intrude on your thread OP, I'd just like to ask Juno something. I've had an offer for History at Sussex and see they're in Extra for History & English, which I really want to do, now should I email the English dep. to see if they're consider taking me? I don't want to use Extra as I'd just like to change my course...

Joint courses are handled differently by different unis, so it's possible that the English department don't really have anything to do with the applications even though it's a joint course - and they also won't have all of your details easily to hand. They also can't actually change your offer on their own. So no, don't email them specifically as there's nothing they can do.

Either phone the uni and ask if there is a specific person to email, or just email the generic [email protected] (remembering to include your UCAS number and other identifying information) but if you do that then only wait a week or so before chasing. They can forward your email to a different person if someone else needs to see it, and the general email people should be used to doing that so they should be able to sort you out.

If you have any specific questions about the course or whatever then yeah, email the English department. But to change course completely they're not right.

Sorry, I don't think that made much sense. It's late and I'm tired and going to bed soon.

They can't say you'll definitely get an offer, because that depends on when you actually apply, and also how many other applications they get. You've already been in Extra for 2 weeks and not applied yet, and if you hang around another 2 weeks those unis might not have spaces - but if they tell you you'll get an offer they're stuck with that.

However, unis will say a definite no if they don't want you. So by getting any other reply, you're pretty much getting a yes.

I've been through Extra twice. From my experience, if they know your grades, have seen your PS and are saying "we will consider you", from what I've seen that generally means you'll be getting an offer. If they weren't interested in you they would have said it was unlikely you would receive an offer, or something to that effect. All the times I've applied to a uni via Extra too, they've usually replied with an offer/decline in a couple of days, max. was a week from Exeter Cornwall Campus and that was the only rejection.

Just find a uni you're interested in that has places through extra, email them, basically just ask if they would consider you with such and such grades, if they say yes, send them an application and see. You're wasting time by waiting for multiple places to reply to emails, just send your application to one, and if they send you an offer but you're still not sure, at least then you have that offer whilst you wait for other replies via email.

Mind if I ask where you've contacted and what you're applying for?

edinburgh, exeter, birmingham, kings college (replies so far from edin and birm). For straight geography.

I hope you're right as well, but it seems too good to be true, why else would they not be open and honest with me then if they think its about 90% I would get an offer?

Anyway this is getting very tedious, its been like trying to prise an answer out of a politician. I've yet to recieve anything close to resembling a 'yes', or a 'no' (which I'm not sure whether to be thankful or not, because this could well end up leading me onto a dead road. At least if they say 'no' it would help me narrow my choices). So there is no other choice but to put all my eggs in on basket and risk it, and I'll do this by the end of this week. I can only hope that they either give me an offer or reject me quickly and not drag it on for weeks like they did with a few other people I know who've also into extra.