[Cythreill]

I have a conditional offer for International Management (China), for AAB.

What are the chances I would get in if I only managed ABB?

If it matters, I called up SOAS today and they told me that UCAS points are not considered, that it is 'purely' the grades that matter.

I also looked up SOAS on unistats.gov and it seems that a large amount of first year students for my course received less than AAB and obviously still got in. I called them up last month about this and they acknowledged that this happens and said most of is it down to 'space'.

I'm not sure how reliable unistats.gov is, so I'm asking here, trying to attract to attention of SOAS students. How likely does it seem to you that people who marginally miss the requested grades, will still be allowed onto the course? Did any of the people you study with at SOAS marginally fall short of the requested grades?

also, this will sound desperate, but is there anything besides getting those grades that will influence me getting in?

[cl_steele]

well i was holding an offer for AAA for history and at the open day i spoke to the admissions team about this exact problem asking them if i missed by a grade would i be told to take a walk and the chap said that once youve got an offer youre more or less guarenteed antry unless you really screw something up ... but i guess it depends he may have been mistaken etc.

[Cythreill]

(Original post by cl_steele)
well i was holding an offer for AAA for history and at the open day i spoke to the admissions team about this exact problem asking them if i missed by a grade would i be told to take a walk and the chap said that once youve got an offer youre more or less guarenteed antry unless you really screw something up ... but i guess it depends he may have been mistaken etc.

What were your AS grades though? Is your offer conditional or unconditional?

I unfortunately did not do so well in my AS year. I had clinical depression in my GCSE years, and only left with a BCCCDDD (I consider myself incredibly lucky to have an offer from SOAS). I still did not have any aspirations in my AS year, so I only got BCCC there.

I've done many resists in January though, and for the next 3-4 months, I'm going to work as hard as possible to ensure I can go to SOAS.

'Unless you really screw something up', that for me, could mean, dropping below my current grade of BCC lol. Or I guess it could mean 'screw up' in regards to my predicted grades, which are AAB.

[Trottoir]

I got very low AS grades too and i feel incredibly lucky to have gotten an offer. I'm so desperate to get in now.

[Cythreill]

(Original post by Trottoir)
I got very low AS grades too and i feel incredibly lucky to have gotten an offer. I'm so desperate to get in now.

Looks like we're in the same boat lol, what course did you apply to?

I never thought personal statements were worth so much, and I always through predicted grades were exaggeration too much to be considered reliable. I guess they are, because SOAS seemed like too good a university to give an offer to someone with BCCCDDD in GCSE and BCCC in AS.

Maybe they appreciated the reference I made to living in Hong Kong for 5 years I dunno.

[SofiaZara]

I have this problem, I have a AAA conditional offer from SOAS and there is no other uni I'd rather go, I'm terrified I wont meet my predictions this year (AAA), and too, wondering how "lenient" they are :/

[AJRupert]

(Original post by SofiaZara)
I have this problem, I've been diagnosed with depression this year, I have a AAA conditional offer from SOAS and there is no other uni I'd rather go, I'm terrified I wont meet my predictions this year (AAA), and too, wondering how "lenient" they are :/

First and foremost - keep at it and try not be terrified of the grades! (easier said than done, I know)

I wouldn't know what SOAS are like with leniency, but if depression is something that you believe is affecting your grades quite severly, maybe you should ask your examinations officer if there are any grounds on applying for 'Special Consideration'. I got it applied for me on my behalf in my second year at college and it does help with the grades a bit.

Two other suggestions, if you have a college councellor go and speak to them. They are always trained to deal with anything you throw at them and you can often find yourself at ease after talking to them about things troubling you. I might also suggest contacting SOAS and see what they suggest especially as you have been diagnosed with depression, they may ask for a copy of a doctors letter to show diagnosis but then these things are always worth a try
Just remember, keep going and there are always people willing to help!

[Zainchawdry]

I'd like to know the same thing for Law! I'm currently on ABB, what if i get AAB instead of AAA? How lenient do you reckon they'll be?

Edit: To the original poster, i think they most likely will let you in as SOAS is very selective to begin with (only around 2k students) so they only make offers to people they actually want to go to that uni. Therefore by missing out on a grade i don't think it will make that much of a difference as an offer seems to be good enough for them. Since I'm assuming its not a particularly competitive course, missing out by one grade probably won't be as devastating as they probably still have loads of space anyway.

[SofiaZara]

(Original post by AJRupert)
First and foremost - keep at it and try not be terrified of the grades! (easier said than done, I know)

I wouldn't know what SOAS are like with leniency, but if depression is something that you believe is affecting your grades quite severly, maybe you should ask your examinations officer if there are any grounds on applying for 'Special Consideration'. I got it applied for me on my behalf in my second year at college and it does help with the grades a bit.

Two other suggestions, if you have a college councellor go and speak to them. They are always trained to deal with anything you throw at them and you can often find yourself at ease after talking to them about things troubling you. I might also suggest contacting SOAS and see what they suggest especially as you have been diagnosed with depression, they may ask for a copy of a doctors letter to show diagnosis but then these things are always worth a try
Just remember, keep going and there are always people willing to help!

thank you, yes I contacted my school and as far as I know have contacted them, all I need is a proof from my doctors, but I nothing was mentioned to me about special consideration, I may drop the uni a anonymous email but I think the responsibility is lies in the hands of my college more than the uni