Do UCL accept candidates they REALLY love if they don't get the grades?

Allow me to introduce to you a hypothetical Year 13 student. His name is Raphael, he happens to be very attractive and he wishes to study English Literature at university.

Raphael has been offered a place at a very prestigious institution (let us say, for the sake of argument, that it is Oxford) which he naturally means to accepts - his grade requirements are AAA.

Just a few days after this, Raphael is offered an interview at UCL - if the interview leads to an offer (which of course it will, because as we have already discussed, Raphael is an inordinately charming and successful young man) that will also be AAA.

NOW.

My question is this: if the interview was truly excellent, is there any chance that, if his pet hamster were to die on the day (that is, if a terrible, horrific, and wholly unavoidable tragedy were to occur) and he only got B in one subject, leaving him with AAB, is there any chance that UCL would still accept this candidate?

Essentially, what I am asking is, is it at all worth Raphael going to this interview with the view to them potentially letting him in on lower grades if he were to catastrophically fail his exams and only receive an AAB?

Raphael would (hypothetically) like to know very soon, as the interview itself is in a matter of weeks and he does not wish to waste his time and money in London (as well as risk being shot by a terrorist) unless it could actually aid him tangibly.

Thank you.

Reply 1

Clip

My guess is that Raphael would have to demonstrate something exceptional, rather than simply being personable and enthusiastic.

If Raphael were applying to read Engineering and could show that he had already invented stuff, or if he were applying to read Ancient History and he could show that he could already read Latin, Greek and Akkadian.

Or having an absolutely stellar reference - like applying to read NatSci and having a reference from Steven Hawking saying that you're the business.

That would leave a question, however of how you're so great, but couldn't hit your A-level target.

Reply 2

ianuam

Seconded. Now this was back in 2008, so things have changed a bit, obviously. BUT, I got an offer from Nottingham for ABB for Classics.I got BBB (chronic illness meaning super low AS exam grades, better meds meaning super-high A2 grades), and still got let in.

Reply 3

Valancourt

Original post by Clip

As I stated, a personal tragedy occurs on the day of one of his exams, and his emotional hysteria completely overwhelms his normally sound intellect.

Thank you, you have been of great help.

Reply 4

username1229433

But the death of his pet hamster isn't a good enough reason to fail his exam, if it did happen.

If Raphael had a really good reason to why he performed so badly in his exam due to his family member passing away or life-threatening situations where he is admitted in the hospital, then the university may be considerate to let him study in their institution. Bare in mind that he has to provide valid evidence.

Either way, Raphael shouldn't be thinking negatively about his exams or what is going to happen to him in a few months and should think positive, and willing to meet the entry requirements to study his desired subject.

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Reply 5

Clip

The problem with mitigating circumstances is that so many people have them.

Reply 6

Valancourt

Original post by babyshawte

Original post by Clip

The problem with mitigating circumstances is that so many people have them.

I think we have two issues here. I shall go through them chronologically.

First, DO NOT diminish the relationship between Raphael and his hamster. Raphael loves that little fella' more than anything else in the whole world, and I can assure you that its untimely death (if it were to happen) would have an utterly devastating effect on his exam prospects. And it is entirely legitimate.

More importantly, I only ever intended the hamster scenario to be a hypothetical example of why the otherwise talented Raphael might somehow receive an AAB. Let us say that the circumstances are in fact NOT mitigating, for the point is that he has (seemingly) inexplicably failed to reach expectations. The point is that in this hypothetical scenario, in which an otherwise excellent personage has inexplicably not achieved what he was capable of, would UCL consider letting him in on his AAB?

Reply 7

Clip

Original post by Valancourt

Why are you asking for an absolute conclusion, when the circumstances are such that it's impossible to know? The only way to find out for certain is to go through the process.

Reply 8

Carnationlilyrose

I think Raphael might find that there are lots and lots of really lovable folk out there who can get the grades as well as being super and charming, and that the absolutely tip top, gorgeous and lovely university is so lush and fab that it doesn't have to scrape the barrel for Raphaels who aren't quite as scrummy as the wonderful Raphaels who get the super-duper grades.

Reply 9

Valancourt

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

So your advise to the hypothetical Raphael would be to not bother with the interview at UCL as it will do nothing for him, and just to get the grades to get his top choice?

Reply 10

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by Valancourt

So your advise to the hypothetical Raphael would be to not bother with the interview at UCL as it will do nothing for him, and just to get the grades to get his top choice?

I'm afraid I'm just one of nature's conformists and would go along to the interview on the grounds that it might lead to something and I might have fun. I can't really speak for Raphael, who seems like the kind of chap who wants to know answers that no one can really be 100% sure of, but can guess on the basis of past events.