Official AS & A2 Results Day 2016

How generally significant are the variations in Grade Boundaries? If this were last year I needed to get 53/80 to get an A in both BUSS3 and BUSS4, and seeing as I was working at around 60/80 and 70/80 beforehand I want a good buffer (though in BUSS3 I do have a mark increase due to circumstances which could bump me up)

I got 5 offers in total - other than York and Leicester, I got offers from Warwick, Newcastle and Birmingham. I hadn't expected to get more than 2 or 3 (which would've effectively led to no decisions being necessary), so I was surprised when I got 5, and it took me a long time to reach a final decision. Whenever I visited a university, it became my favourite, which inevitably caused issues, but ultimately I'm really happy with my firm. Actually that's another bit of advice - visit universities whenever you can (definitely go on post-offer visits!) and take your time when finalising decisions. My medicine friend (I'll just use his name, Andy, to simplify things!) loved Imperial the first time he visited, then liked it a lot less when going for his interview, but ultimately liked it enough to insure it. Basically, feelings about universities will vary, and don't rush anything! I'm hoping York will accept me if I miss the grades (I think Politics might have gone badly :-/) but it's all uncertain, though I'm lucky that Leicester had given me an unconditional - as that's my insurance, I can get any grade and still study Law, albeit not at my preferred university.

I was sent Andy's personal statement (we exchanged a lot of drafts) so I can answer that question - keep it largely academic. When he referenced extra-curricular stuff, it was rare, and he linked it back to medicine regarding skills, so when referencing the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, he noted that the "expedition required... teamwork", and mentioned how he balanced his studies with exercise. The rest of it was academic, or about work-experience, and he didn't even mention stuff like becoming Deputy Head Boy, in favour of things like medicine residentials instead; don't be afraid to mention things like Head Girl or similar though, as Andy might have taken it too far. Universities are more interested in stuff relevant to the course than not, so anything you do include should have some kind of link to the course, like leadership skills etc.

If you think of any questions any time during the admissions process feel free to tag/message me, as I'm staying in touch with Andy as we head off to uni and I'm sure he'll be happy to answer any questions, any time.

Hi,
Did you do the aqa business papers?

Don't be too confident about your extra marls. Assuming you only got2/3% that's 2 extra marks at most.

yep chances are that our fate has already been sealed @Nottingham Uni let me in plz

Yeah, BUSS3 and 4. Found BUSS4 quite easy whereas BUSS3 definitely did throw a few curveballs.


It's a 5% upmark (Grandparent passing away the day before the exam) but at 80 marks yeah it'll be at most 2 or 3, which can be enough to bump up a mark sometimes.

Another Cardiff firm here. Need AAB but my pessimist mind just isn't seeing myself getting it. Thankfully I won't have to go through clearing, but I'd rather not have to go to my Insurance (Portsmouth) if I don't have to.

Without You

Though I sometimes find myself singing the lyrics of Swift's 'Wildest Dreams' to it That Taylor, stole Lana's tune

5% is 4 marks!!! Not ground breaking but could bump you up a grade.

It does seem insignificant though...

Anyone else like watching youtube videos of people opening thier results?

Always focus on the academics - remember that an admissions tutor in a university has likely done a degree in the subject, a masters and a PhD and has now dedicated their professional life to researching and teaching that subject. They're absolutely focused on their subject (http://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/ ) and they're looking for that level of excitement and focus from their applicants.

Any PS is only being evaluated to check 3 things:
a) does the applicant know what they're applying for (if it's clear they've got no clue what the degree is about or where it will get them then that's usually a rejection)
b) does the applicant have the interest and motivation to stick out this course for 3+ year (that's where talking about topics/work you're looking forward to, research on your subject/career outside of your curriculum etc demonstrate a clear dedication)
c) does the applicant have the necessary non-academic skills/attributes to succeed on the course (usually this isn't covered - for vocational courses this is where discussion of work experience and shadowing and reflection on what you know about the course/career and yourself become very important).

When you read your PS if content isn't ticking off one of those three things then it doesn't need to be there.

I need AAB for Pharmacy. Portsmouth is my insurance tooo! what course are you applying for

nope have you? biomedicine wbu?

Wait, how does it work then. Are the extra grades added based on the total amount of marks (so 80) or based on 5% of the marks you got in the exam? Not entirely sure.

I can be your China dollIf you want to see me fall

Could this mean I'm in or is it just a standard answer. It's just the "you will receive..." bit makes it sound like I got in

Unis aren't capped by facilities actually. Plus STEM subjects are loss making for unis so they don't go up for making money.

Why are most courses at Lancaster uni in clearing?

Boy you're so dope, so dope, your love is deadly

anyone expecting bare A*s? no?

Standard email to cover their arse when someone doesn't get an accommodation offer, so doesn't accept it and ends up room-less because of their spam filter.

In some courses they are, in some subjects they are (I've worked at universities where they had to introduce 8am or 6pm lectures (or shock horror wednesday afternoon) in order to fit all the additional students into the timetable, in other cases they had to split a cohort in order to teach because the lecture halls or the labs couldn't accommodation the students...and then there was the year we had teaching capacity but couldn't advertise in clearing or take missed grade applicants because we guaranteed accommodation and the accommodation team had over-offered rooms to continuing students and there wasn't space in halls for additional freshers). All those things *can* be sorted out but they're tricky to manage in 1-2 months.

Clearing lists are still provisional - check again tomorrow morning for a more accurate list