Which 5 for UCAS?
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I can't be the only one who thinks some of this info is a bit iffy. Since my last post was ignored I'll start again and try to be more informative.
You could choose 3 of your choices from COWI and pick the other two as back ups. Personally I think you want a semi easy one to get into which isn't UCL, Bath or Bristol as you were talking about up there. They're all pretty difficult to get into even if their offers do tend to be 'easier' so hardly safe options. I'd advise having one option as a lower down uni like Nottingham, Manchester, York, Exeter, something like that. They're all relatively easy to get into but quite respected choices nonetheless. Which leaves your final choice; a uni which fits between COWI and your backup. This is where I'd actually use Bristol, Bath, UCL or maybe even Durham. Bristol would be my choice based on lack of STEP though.
You could choose 3 of your choices from COWI and pick the other two as back ups. Personally I think you want a semi easy one to get into which isn't UCL, Bath or Bristol as you were talking about up there. They're all pretty difficult to get into even if their offers do tend to be 'easier' so hardly safe options. I'd advise having one option as a lower down uni like Nottingham, Manchester, York, Exeter, something like that. They're all relatively easy to get into but quite respected choices nonetheless. Which leaves your final choice; a uni which fits between COWI and your backup. This is where I'd actually use Bristol, Bath, UCL or maybe even Durham. Bristol would be my choice based on lack of STEP though.
(edited 13 years ago)
I think people sometimes forget that they might actually end up at their insurance university. It matters that you want to go there, so try to visit these before your UCAS form goes in, particularly if you are effectively only choosing one lower ranked university.
Original post by alexs2602
I can't be the only one who thinks some of this info is a bit iffy. Since my last post was ignored I'll start again and try to be more informative.
You could choose 3 of your choices from COWI and pick the other two as back ups. Personally I think you want a semi easy one to get into which isn't UCL, Bath or Bristol as you were talking about up there. They're all pretty difficult to get into even if their offers do tend to be 'easier' so hardly safe options. I'd advise having one option as a lower down uni like Nottingham, Manchester, York, Exeter, something like that. They're all relatively easy to get into but quite respected choices nonetheless. Which leaves your final choice; a uni which fits between COWI and your backup. This is where I'd actually use Bristol, Bath, UCL or maybe even Durham. Bristol would be my choice based on lack of STEP though.
You could choose 3 of your choices from COWI and pick the other two as back ups. Personally I think you want a semi easy one to get into which isn't UCL, Bath or Bristol as you were talking about up there. They're all pretty difficult to get into even if their offers do tend to be 'easier' so hardly safe options. I'd advise having one option as a lower down uni like Nottingham, Manchester, York, Exeter, something like that. They're all relatively easy to get into but quite respected choices nonetheless. Which leaves your final choice; a uni which fits between COWI and your backup. This is where I'd actually use Bristol, Bath, UCL or maybe even Durham. Bristol would be my choice based on lack of STEP though.
Yeah thanks, this is what I'll do.
Original post by alexs2602
I can't be the only one who thinks some of this info is a bit iffy. Since my last post was ignored I'll start again and try to be more informative.
You could choose 3 of your choices from COWI and pick the other two as back ups. Personally I think you want a semi easy one to get into which isn't UCL, Bath or Bristol as you were talking about up there. They're all pretty difficult to get into even if their offers do tend to be 'easier' so hardly safe options. I'd advise having one option as a lower down uni like Nottingham, Manchester, York, Exeter, something like that. They're all relatively easy to get into but quite respected choices nonetheless. Which leaves your final choice; a uni which fits between COWI and your backup. This is where I'd actually use Bristol, Bath, UCL or maybe even Durham. Bristol would be my choice based on lack of STEP though.
You could choose 3 of your choices from COWI and pick the other two as back ups. Personally I think you want a semi easy one to get into which isn't UCL, Bath or Bristol as you were talking about up there. They're all pretty difficult to get into even if their offers do tend to be 'easier' so hardly safe options. I'd advise having one option as a lower down uni like Nottingham, Manchester, York, Exeter, something like that. They're all relatively easy to get into but quite respected choices nonetheless. Which leaves your final choice; a uni which fits between COWI and your backup. This is where I'd actually use Bristol, Bath, UCL or maybe even Durham. Bristol would be my choice based on lack of STEP though.
I see your point and my advice may have been a bit over-optimistic, although the OP does have to want to go to there insurance for it to be worthwhile, I'd personally rather take a gap year than go to a university that i didn't have my heart set on but thats just my personal opinion.
@ OP I think Alex's has the right idea and I would take his advice over mine but only if you're comfortable with going to that university.
Manchester and Nottingham both have very good Maths departments and are well worth looking into as a possible insurance if everything goes wrong with your other applications.
I would make sure your happy going to that university though as there's no point having an insurance for the sake of having an insurance.
Depends on when you'll get your results and how much you want to risk. I knew that with self-teaching, I would know my a-level results in maths and further maths by the time I was deciding on offers, and I'd done C3 at the end of Y12 so I was pretty sure I'd get an A* in maths (didn't work out like that, but hey 
) so I took a high-risk strategy with applying: Cambridge, Warwick, Durham, ICL and UCL. Unless you're comfortable about maybe missing your offer or you are 100% sure you'll achieve it, make sure you have one university in there that's AAA.
Think about STEP, too. Unless you're a god or very confident, you'll want to use a STEP university as your firm and a non-STEP university as your insurance. Cambridge, ICL and Warwick already make STEP offers, and I've heard that Bristol and Bath will be doing so from next year. Make sure that you have someone in there who will definitely leave STEP out of your offer, because then you can use them as insurance.
) so I took a high-risk strategy with applying: Cambridge, Warwick, Durham, ICL and UCL. Unless you're comfortable about maybe missing your offer or you are 100% sure you'll achieve it, make sure you have one university in there that's AAA.Think about STEP, too. Unless you're a god or very confident, you'll want to use a STEP university as your firm and a non-STEP university as your insurance. Cambridge, ICL and Warwick already make STEP offers, and I've heard that Bristol and Bath will be doing so from next year. Make sure that you have someone in there who will definitely leave STEP out of your offer, because then you can use them as insurance.
I'd also try to make a decision based on where you want to live for the next 3 or 4 years. I chose Manchester as a top 3 choice. Academically I'd say it was ideal but it's a city university. I love the city but only in limited bursts; I couldn't see myself living with so much going on around me ALL the time. I stayed with a friend at Nottingham University and loved it. The campus was beautiful, it was a nice quiet place to wake up in, it felt like home.
So in your case you might reconsider UCL if you feel the same way as me. Either way visiting universities is an excellent idea. It really is the best way to decide for sure.
So in your case you might reconsider UCL if you feel the same way as me. Either way visiting universities is an excellent idea. It really is the best way to decide for sure.
Original post by ilovedubstep
No I meant in managing to get 5 offers! That's amazing. What GCSEs do you have?
6A* 4A at GCSE
Original post by ilovedubstep
What GCSEs, do you have? Thanks, I am still worried that Bristol wouldn't give me an offer.
3 A*, 5 A, 3B. Obviously not brilliant, but good enough to get an interview at oxford i suppose
Original post by ilovedubstep
Original post by ilovedubstep
Ok, I am starting to think of the 5 universities I want to apply to, has anyone else thought about which 5 they would like to apply to? Any tips or suggestions from those who just went through UCAS would be good 
Here's my current idea.
1. Oxford or Cambridge
2. Imperial
3.Warwick
(I'm fairly set on these 3 as my top three)
Two Options here, have two back ups or just one? And which universities? I don't really know much about others.
4. Maybe Kings (AAA) (Or should I go for Bath/Bristol/UCL ?)
5. Maybe Royal Holloway (AAB)
What about Exeter/ Southampton / York ? I don't know much about their maths departments. Does anyone know much about them?
Here's my current idea.
1. Oxford or Cambridge
2. Imperial
3.Warwick
(I'm fairly set on these 3 as my top three)
Two Options here, have two back ups or just one? And which universities? I don't really know much about others.
4. Maybe Kings (AAA) (Or should I go for Bath/Bristol/UCL ?)
5. Maybe Royal Holloway (AAB)
What about Exeter/ Southampton / York ? I don't know much about their maths departments. Does anyone know much about them?
My friend is doing maths...she has Cambridge as her firm choice, and Warwick as her insurance...she rejected Durham, but that was on of her 5 options...Bath is really good! I'm not sure about Bristol..but you need safe options too...that cover all possibilities
Good Luck!
I'm in the same position as you. the only difference is that i'm not sure about applying to cambridge. I don't know if I would like it there but i'm going to go visit all the uni's on open days so that i can finally decide. I'm thinking of imperial, warwick, bath, bristol and nottingham and if i decide to apply to cambridge i probably won't apply to bath. The best thing you can do is to visit all the uni's to make sure you would like to live their and look at what type of courses they offer as at warwick you have quite a lot of flexibility but at imperial you don't for the first year or two. Also talk to current students about what it's like at them. You have the grades so just make sure you have one back up but you won't need more than that
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