Late Deferred Entry (CompSci)

Hey guys, I applied for the CompSci MEng (for 2012 entry) at Bristol University this year and was made an offer of A*AA around December, alongside offers from Bath and two other unis. At the time of applying I was fairly sure that I wanted to continue studying with a law conversion after the degree and did not apply for a placement year for any of the courses because I believed this would make my time studying far too long (4 year degree, 1 year placement, plus law conversion).

However, since then I have been offered the potential of work placements at a number of leading technology companies for next year and have become interested in the possiblity of participating in some volunteer work abroad. I have not yet firmed my choice for first and insurance choices of university (between Bristol and Bath) although I am aware that the deadline is this Wednesday early evening, but I have written to both Bath and Bristol via email requesting that my UCAS choice be changed to a deferred entry for 2013 so that I am able to persue the work placements at the technology companies etc, as I believe it would benefit my future learning at the university and with any future career.

I sent the emails last Monday (30th April) and Bath got back to me within 24 hours confirming that this was fine and updated my UCAS choice to reflect that, but due to a number of issues with Bristol (CompSci Department email servers were down) I was only informed that my request had been passed on to the admissions tutor for consideration on Thursday.

My two questions however, would be:

A) Does anyone else have experience with this (requesting a deferred entry after a non-deferred offer has been given), for ideally Bristol CompSci or any other course at Bristol?

B) If I confirm Bristol as my first choice university on UCAS, are they still able to alter my course to a deferred entry at my request, or is this then 'set in stone'?

I am planning to phone the university tomorrow afternoon if I still have not heard back, but would really appreciate some information from anyone else who has been in a similar situation as I can not find an official answer other than 'all requests for late deferred entry are considered' on the Bristol website (eg, is it likely they will be fine with it or do they only grant the requests in exceptional circumstances?).

Thanks in advance for any replies!
~ JFoulds

EDIT: Oh, and I'd also point out I made it very clear in the email that I intend to use my deferred year to acedemically benefit and help my future, rather than just wasting it - as this would be, I imagine, one of their prime concerns...

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 1

Venomilys

I would like to know this too. However, I have already firmed/insured so I do not know if I am allowed to. :frown:

University of Bristol

Bristol

Reply 2

Venomilys

Original post by JFoulds

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OP, look at this thread:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1971164

universities seem quite relaxed about this.

Reply 3

JFoulds

Original post by Ilyas

OP, look at this thread:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1971164

universities seem quite relaxed about this.

Thanks for that, I came across that thread myself from Google a while ago but had lost the link. From what I have seen most universities seem to be pretty relaxed (fairly logical, if they want you one year why not the next?) but I don't want to firm my choices and then discover that there is no way to defer even if Bristol allow it. Just worrying that Bristol won't allow me to defer and really want to find out if there are others out there that have done the same thing.

Are you applying to Bristol / Bristol CompSci as well or just generally interested for a different university?

Reply 4

Venomilys

Original post by JFoulds

Are you applying to Bristol / Bristol CompSci as well or just generally interested for a different university?

Coincidentally I am, but not pure comp sci, I applied for maths with computer science, it's my insurance.

Reply 5

JFoulds

Original post by Ilyas

Coincidentally I am, but not pure comp sci, I applied for maths with computer science, it's my insurance.

Interesting, well my advice would be to phone Bristol and your first choice tomorrow and ask if deferring is still a possibility. They're not allowed to revoke your offer anyway so there would be no harm in asking if it was possible!