Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Am I being stupid by not planning to have a true insurance? - please help!!

username1230881

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(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 1

SlowlorisIncognito

Original post by doctorwhofan98

I'm planning to apply for Law (2016 entry), and my current plan is to apply to 5 universities that ask for AAA, and none that ask for anything higher or lower. I'm sure AAA is achievable, and I'm fairly sure that I'll get offers - I got AAABB at AS (possibly AAAAB if a remark goes well...), some reasonable GCSEs (3 A*s, 7 As and a B), and enough to talk about for my PS. Additionally, only 2 look at the LNAT, and a separate 1 has an interview, so if I was to mess up either, I'd still have a good chance with the remaining 2.

Unlike pretty much everyone else (AFAIK), I'm planning to rely on flexible offers for my insurance, because I feel like I'd rather not go to uni to study Law if it wasn't at a great place that I really loved; I'd rather figure it out through clearing, as risky as it is, if results don't go as expected.

My current idea, which I'd like feedback on, is to firm a place that requires AAA, and then have a place with a flexible offer (so they accept AAA or A*AB or A*A*C) as my insurance.

It's risky, I know, but with enough work I'm confident I can get an A* at History; I got ~95% at AS level. I did well at AS Politics, so I'd have to mess up the exams quite significantly not to get an A. That means that, if Literature goes badly (and it's the most likely of all my subjects to go badly and I get a B), I may still be accepted by my insurance (which I love as much as my firm).

Is this a really, really bad idea? I know that my sixth form won't like it but I don't want to apply to somewhere that I don't want to go; I just wouldn't be motivated to work hard. Thanks in advance.

Law is a very popular course, so courses at top universities asking for AAA or higher will be competitive. This means they have to filter applicants somehow, and some candidates who have great grades will end up being rejected. If you're happy with getting 2-3 rejections, that's ok, but a lot of people aren't. There is a chance, with applying to very competitive unis, that you will get 5 rejections, even if they don't interview or use the LNAT. LSE don't interview for any courses, as an example- that doesn't mean they aren't a very competitive university who reject lots of stellar applicants every year.

I agree that having a place asking for AAA and a back up asking for a points equivalent would be great- but I'm not sure how easy it is to find a uni asking for AAA for law who make points offers.

The thing is, you still have loads of time. Even if you're applying to Oxford/Cambridge, you can add other choices after this deadline. You've got time to look around and research your options. Have you actually looked at any universities asking for lower grades or just written them all off?

If you want to take a higher risk strategy, then that's your look out, but you have to be really realistic about the risks-

Have a read of this article: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/How_to_Avoid_Getting_5_Rejections

You also need to think about how you really will feel on results day if your don't have a place. Rather than just taking what you can get through clearing, a gap year and reapplying might give you more time to think about things.

Reply 2

username1230881

[deleted]

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 3

SlowlorisIncognito

Original post by doctorwhofan98

Thanks for the feedback. I'm planning to apply to Warwick, Birmingham, York, Bristol and Newcastle - I do now think it's worth perhaps not using all 5 choices initially, and then add others depending on the offers/rejections I get. I have done a lot of research regarding unis with lower entry requirements, such as UEA and Leicester, and I'm keeping them in mind. Regarding unis that base offers on points rather than specific grades - I'm considering the faux-insurance method because York and Bristol state on their website explicitly that they accept grades with the same UMS points, and I've confirmed with the unis that this applies on results day, even if the conditional offer itself states AAA.

Do you mean the same UCAS points?

I'm surprised the unis are saying that, because if they give you an AAA offer, they can reject you if you get, say A*AB, so why not just give you a points offer? Even if you have their position in writing, I'm not 100% UCAS would enforce this if they changed their minds. Could you link to exactly what they say on their websites?

Equally, Bristol is one of the choices asking for the LNAT- which potentially makes it less likely you would get an offer in the first place. You can't really view something as both a safe and a risky choice.

I agree that waiting to add some courses may be the way forward- be aware that Bristol tend to leave a lot of applicants waiting for a decision until March/April regardless of when they apply.

As I said, though, it's up to you. If you're the sort of person who enjoys high risk/high reward strategies, then go for it. If you're not, at least be aware of the risks you are taking.

Reply 4

username1230881

[deleted]

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 5

ollienbert

I think it is a perfectly good plan as long as you are prepared to accept a gap year as your insurance option! I think doing a law degree with all of the costs involved and the effort required to get a great result ... at a place you are not happy with, is not a good way to go through university.

It would just be so much easier to make your application once you get your results!!

Reply 6

Zottula

It is better if you can have a realistic insurance, but it's not completely stupid. There's not much point in applying somewhere you don't like and have no intention of going to. You just need to be prepared to accept that for a competitive course like law you may get a few rejections and have to take a year out.

Reply 7

SlowlorisIncognito

Original post by doctorwhofan98

I did mean UCAS points, sorry for the typo. Here's York's website, which states the flexible offer near the top:
https://www.york.ac.uk/law/undergraduate/3-year-llb/

And Bristol's flexible offer is under the 'typical offer' section on this site:
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/2015/law/llb-law/

I'm increasingly aware of the risks - so I'll make sure I speak to the relevant people at my sixth form before application, and put more serious thought into applying somewhere with lower entry requirements. I'm open to some risk, and I'd be delighted with one offer, but I don't want to be left stranded with no offers whatsoever.

Thanks for your advice.

Neither of those seem to explicitly say they will accept A*AB in place of AAA on results day, although I do accept they've confirmed this to you via email.

To be clear, I don't think it's super likely you would end up with 4 or 5 rejections, just that it's possible, especially if you mess up your LNAT or their are issues with your PS, as you'll be up against a lot of other people with the same or similar grades.

On the other hand, there's no point going somewhere you'd be unhappy with- but a lot of applicants do get blinded by the idea of going to the "best" university. and would still have a really good experience at a different uni.

You do have great grades, and I hope you do get the outcome you want if you do apply to those 5 unis :h: