Negotiating with a University

I have been luckily enough to receive offers from all my universities so I now find myself in the process of picking my firm and insurance (predominantly my insurance).

I was wondering is it possible, at this stage considering UCAS want to hear back from me with my firm and insurance by May, to negotiate with a university to lower my offer? If I do enquire about this, is there a chance they could, when going over my application again, actually decide to go back on their original decision and simply reject me flat out? My heart is rather set on Sheffield as you can see me but my concern is the slightly surprising offer they have set.

Reply 1

Juno

20

It's very unlikely they'll lower your offer.

Reply 2

LiamTheKook

OP

2

Original post by Juno

It's very unlikely they'll lower your offer.

Just a rule of thumb for them? Would there be any harm in at least emailing their admissions team about it?

Reply 3

LFChrispy

9

I'm in the same boat man - made a thread a few weeks back
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=29451993&stat_userid=547444&stat_usergroupid=2&stat_membergroupids=&stat_widgettype=gutter&stat_widgetname=widget_quoted_me

Reply 4

Juno

20

Original post by LiamTheKook

Just a rule of thumb for them? Would there be any harm in at least emailing their admissions team about it?

They don't want to be your insurance choice, and since most people pick in grade order they know that by lowering your offer they become more likely to be your insurance. This is also why some unis offer bursaries etc but only if you make them your firm. There's pretty much no chance it will do any good, so if you assume it has to do one or the other then there is more chance of it doing harm.

Reply 5

LiamTheKook

OP

2

Original post by Juno

They don't want to be your insurance choice, and since most people pick in grade order they know that by lowering your offer they become more likely to be your insurance. This is also why some unis offer bursaries etc but only if you make them your firm. There's pretty much no chance it will do any good, so if you assume it has to do one or the other then there is more chance of it doing harm.

The university in question is my firm, Sheffield. Should they lower the offer they would remain as my firm. My reasons for possibly negotiating is too try and ensure I have a better chance of attending Sheffield since it's very much an opportunity I don't want to miss.

Reply 6

molly2005

1

Of course they won't.

Why should they? Wouldn't everyone be trying this?

Reply 7

hypocriticaljap

2

If I were an admissions officer I'd reject any clown that tried to do what you suggest.

Reply 8

Good bloke

19

Original post by LiamTheKook

The university in question is my firm, Sheffield. Should they lower the offer they would remain as my firm. My reasons for possibly negotiating is too try and ensure I have a better chance of attending Sheffield since it's very much an opportunity I don't want to miss.

First of all, this is not a negotiation (which involves both sides in giving something away in order to achieve something else they want). The words "importunate" and "beg" were coined for just this situation.

Secondly, Sheffield is not your firm. You don't have a firm until after you have accepted the offer. The university has no guarantee that, if it lowers the offer, you would firmly accept rather than accept the new offer as an insurance. As Juno has said, no university wants to be accepted as an insurance.

Thirdly, asking for a grade reduction in the offer makes you look weak and lacking in confidence that you will attain the requirement. Is this how you want to appear, bearing in mind that if you don't get the grades required in August you won't be able to claim that the failure was a totally unforeseen blip on your record when you try to persuade them to accept you, since you are foreseeing that blip now?

Reply 9

LiamTheKook

OP

2

Original post by Good bloke

Thirdly, asking for a grade reduction in the offer makes you look weak and lacking in confidence that you will attain the requirement. Is this how you want to appear, bearing in mind that if you don't get the grades required in August you won't be able to claim that the failure was a totally unforeseen blip on your record when you try to persuade them to accept you, since you are foreseeing that blip now?

You raise a particularly good point here and a priority would be to retain a standard of, not only confidence, but professionalism with them.

I'll steer away from any kind of discussion with them on the matter as it seems that the negatives far outweigh the positives.

Reply 10

hypocrite2016

Hey guys, I have a slightly different situation.

I finished writing my final exams, I don't have my results yet. BUT I am assuming I will have one grade lower than expected (I need to have 766, but I might end up with 765; in IB grades). So, do you think it is possible to be accepted anyway? Maybe throughout the clearing? Or maybe it is possible to negotiate with them? Also, what is the best time to do it? Now, or afer I receive my grades?

Thanks :smile:

Reply 11

RogerOxon

21

Original post by hypocrite2016

Hey guys, I have a slightly different situation.

I finished writing my final exams, I don't have my results yet. BUT I am assuming I will have one grade lower than expected (I need to have 766, but I might end up with 765; in IB grades). So, do you think it is possible to be accepted anyway? Maybe throughout the clearing? Or maybe it is possible to negotiate with them? Also, what is the best time to do it? Now, or afer I receive my grades?

Thanks :smile:

It depends upon the competition for the course. I would expect there to be a reasonable chance that you will be accepted. What about your insurance choice?

Reply 12

hypocrite2016

Original post by RogerOxon

It depends upon the competition for the course. I would expect there to be a reasonable chance that you will be accepted. What about your insurance choice?

The thing is that (without getting into unnecessary details) I may not meet the requirements for my insurance offer either. It has to do with the fact that their conditions are very different and I would have to concentrate on my Higher Level subjects for my firm choice and on my Standard Level subjects for my insurance choice.

Anyway, my firm choice is King's College London, PPE (Philosophy, Politics, Economics) course. My question is if it's possible to be accepted to your firm-university:
(a) When I don't meet the conditions for both firm and insurance?
(b) When I don't meet the conditions only for firm, but still want to make it, without going to insurance?

Reply 13

Juno

20

Original post by hypocrite2016

The thing is that (without getting into unnecessary details) I may not meet the requirements for my insurance offer either. It has to do with the fact that their conditions are very different and I would have to concentrate on my Higher Level subjects for my firm choice and on my Standard Level subjects for my insurance choice.

Anyway, my firm choice is King's College London, PPE (Philosophy, Politics, Economics) course. My question is if it's possible to be accepted to your firm-university:
(a) When I don't meet the conditions for both firm and insurance?
(b) When I don't meet the conditions only for firm, but still want to make it, without going to insurance?

You can be accepted by your firm if they want to accept you even though you miss the requirements. This is not affected by whether you met the insurance offer - they're two different unis with different requirements.

Reply 14

RogerOxon

21

Original post by hypocrite2016

Anyway, my firm choice is King's College London, PPE (Philosophy, Politics, Economics) course. My question is if it's possible to be accepted to your firm-university:
(a) When I don't meet the conditions for both firm and insurance?
(b) When I don't meet the conditions only for firm, but still want to make it, without going to insurance?

It is possible to be accepted when you fail your offer conditions, but it's up to the university. For some competitive courses, it will be more difficult to be accepted. However, if they liked you enough to make an offer, one grade off may not be an issue, but there are no guarantees. Having firmed them could help though.

You may get more specific information if you post a new thread in the KCL forum.

Reply 15

999tigger

19

Original post by hypocrite2016

The thing is that (without getting into unnecessary details) I may not meet the requirements for my insurance offer either. It has to do with the fact that their conditions are very different and I would have to concentrate on my Higher Level subjects for my firm choice and on my Standard Level subjects for my insurance choice.

Anyway, my firm choice is King's College London, PPE (Philosophy, Politics, Economics) course. My question is if it's possible to be accepted to your firm-university:
(a) When I don't meet the conditions for both firm and insurance?
(b) When I don't meet the conditions only for firm, but still want to make it, without going to insurance?

They have discretion and do it on a case by case basis. It depends how many of the original candidates made and accepted offers. It will then go down to the merits of your application including grades.

Reply 16

hypocrite2016

Ok, thank you so much! This helped me a lot, I had no idea how this works. + Yes, I have them as my firm choice, I hope this helps me somehow.

Reply 17

RogerOxon

21

Original post by hypocrite2016

Ok, thank you so much! This helped me a lot, I had no idea how this works. + Yes, I have them as my firm choice, I hope this helps me somehow.

There's some supporting opinion here.

Reply 18

hypocrite2016

Original post by RogerOxon

There's some supporting opinion here.

Thank you so much, really appreciated :h:

Reply 19

Zactopus

10

Original post by LiamTheKook

I have been luckily enough to receive offers from all my universities so I now find myself in the process of picking my firm and insurance (predominantly my insurance).

I was wondering is it possible, at this stage considering UCAS want to hear back from me with my firm and insurance by May, to negotiate with a university to lower my offer? If I do enquire about this, is there a chance they could, when going over my application again, actually decide to go back on their original decision and simply reject me flat out? My heart is rather set on Sheffield as you can see me but my concern is the slightly surprising offer they have set.

As others have pointed out, it's not a great idea to try to negotiate with them. But if you feel that you will only miss their offer by a grade or two you could firm them anyway. You may still get accepted if you miss the grades. If you don't well, that's what your insurance choice is for anyway. Pick an insurance that you like but has an achievable offer and you're good to go.

Negotiating with a University

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