How do you get Unconditional Offers?

I mean like seriously I was under the impression that you applied through ucas with your estimated grades and they gave you an offer that you had to meet at A2 to get in, how do you get an unconditional ?

Reply 1

TheSownRose

16

If you already have your A2 grades and are either not retaking or are retaking but the university consider your current grades suitable.

Reply 2

fretter778

14

People who already have A2 levels, thus already meet the requirements.

Reply 3

PendulumBoB

13

If you take an artsy subject, you can as the portfolio matters more than the grades.

Reply 4

tashy24

I met the grades my Uni wanted for A2 last year so now I have an unconditional.

Reply 5

ewanoftheyukon

8

My insurance wanted BBB and I received an unconditional offer even though I am in my first year of A2, and only got AABC at AS. I don't know why but I'm not complaining.

Reply 6

lubz

are subjects on clearing because people didnt get on to them????

Reply 7

Evangelica

12

Original post by kingkongjaffa

I mean like seriously I was under the impression that you applied through ucas with your estimated grades and they gave you an offer that you had to meet at A2 to get in, how do you get an unconditional ?

Usually unconditionals are given out to those who've already met the entry requirements (i.e. finished their A levels) but occasionally if the uni really loves you, they may give you one or lower the required grades. For example, my friend got an offer of EEE for Southampton doing Spanish and French. Considering she got AAA at AS, she wouldn't even need to sit the A2 exams to get that.

Reply 8

screenager2004

14

I applied through UCAS after results day, so all my offers were unconditional.

Reply 9

yahyahyahs

16

Apply for vocational subjects? My friend got one for Nursing at Notts.

Reply 10

ilickbatteries

15

Original post by kingkongjaffa

I mean like seriously I was under the impression that you applied through ucas with your estimated grades and they gave you an offer that you had to meet at A2 to get in, how do you get an unconditional ?

Typically - Unconditional offers are given to students who have already completed A2

Rarely - Unconditional offers are given to students who are still taking A-Levels but the university deems their current level of qualification sufficient.

Reply 11

ilickbatteries

15

Original post by ewanoftheyukon

My insurance wanted BBB and I received an unconditional offer even though I am in my first year of A2, and only got AABC at AS. I don't know why but I'm not complaining.

Course? University?

Reply 12

Cyborgasm

10

Original post by lubz

are subjects on clearing because people didnt get on to them????

Some are but increasingly some universities are using them to manage their numbers as they are now serious financial consequences for over/under recruitment.

They are thus leaving a bit of "slop" in their numbers to allow a slightly more robust chance of hitting targets precisely. So for example they may have made 3x the offers they have places for as this traditionally resulted in getting the number they needed. This year they may have made 2x and will go into clearing to manage to target. For example last year a Dental School ended up with too many people making the offer so offered many sweeteners to defer their entry and thus avoid over recruitment fines. As these sweetners hit their bottom line they have employed a slightly different approach to offers this year.

A few years ago it didn't really matter, now it does as funding clampdowns are applied.

For some there is also another driver. Many Universities are realising their traditional approach, high offer for prestige, but accepting firms who missed in August (sometimes by a wide margin) are actually potentially detrimental as it annoys people who do make the grade. A fact that social networking/WWW now provides a means of easily finding out.

Reply 13

ewanoftheyukon

8

Original post by ilickbatteries

Course? University?

Business Studies with Economics (N1L1) at Bristol UWE. Course prospectus states that the typical offer is BBB.

Reply 14

ilickbatteries

15

Original post by Cyborgasm

Some are but increasingly some universities are using them to manage their numbers as they are now serious financial consequences for over/under recruitment.

They are thus leaving a bit of "slop" in their numbers to allow a slightly more robust chance of hitting targets precisely. So for example they may have made 3x the offers they have places for as this traditionally resulted in getting the number they needed. This year they may have made 2x and will go into clearing to manage to target. For example last year a Dental School ended up with too many people making the offer so offered many sweeteners to defer their entry and thus avoid over recruitment fines. As these sweetners hit their bottom line they have employed a slightly different approach to offers this year.

A few years ago it didn't really matter, now it does as funding clampdowns are applied.

For some there is also another driver. Many Universities are realising their traditional approach, high offer for prestige, but accepting firms who missed in August (sometimes by a wide margin) are actually potentially detrimental as it annoys people who do make the grade. A fact that social networking/WWW now provides a means of easily finding out.

Why would it annoy someone who does make the grade?

If they've fully researched the university, want to go there and like the course, surely it doesn't matter if they let some people in with ABB if the offer is AAB. They didn't choose the university because of the grades it asks for.

Reply 15

YGB Jammy

1

I know quite a lot of people in my year-group who don't have their A2 grades but have unconditionals. Like someone said before, it happens with art-based courses as they may look at people's portfolios at their interviews and like to judge on that rather than grades given by exam boards, which is fair enough I think.

Reply 16

TheSownRose

16

Original post by ilickbatteries

Why would it annoy someone who does make the grade?

If they've fully researched the university, want to go there and like the course, surely it doesn't matter if they let some people in with ABB if the offer is AAB. They didn't choose the university because of the grades it asks for.