The Student Room Group

Applying to These Universities Too Ambitious?

Hi guys,

I pretty much have tonight to finalise the 5 universities that I'm going to apply to. I am predicted ABB in economics, maths and physics respectively. I want to apply for engineering at:

Sheffield - AAA
Exeter - AAA-ABB
Lancaster - AAB-ABB
Glasgow - AAB-BBB
Heriot-Watt - BBB

I achieved ABC at AS level, so I cannot afford to drop any grades if I apply to these universities. However, I am struggling to find a course below these requirements that appeals to me. Would these courses be ok, and if not are there any others that you would recommend applying for?

With the universities with a range of requirements, will I struggle to get a place? I've asked them all, and they said they would definitely consider my application and make an offer based on that. Will it be likely that they'll give me a place if I get ABB rather than the higher grades they are asking for?

Thanks
Reply 1
Original post by MatOnMotors
Hi guys,

I pretty much have tonight to finalise the 5 universities that I'm going to apply to. I am predicted ABB in economics, maths and physics respectively. I want to apply for engineering at:

Sheffield - AAA
Exeter - AAA-ABB
Lancaster - AAB-ABB
Glasgow - AAB-BBB
Heriot-Watt - BBB

I achieved ABC at AS level, so I cannot afford to drop any grades if I apply to these universities. However, I am struggling to find a course below these requirements that appeals to me. Would these courses be ok, and if not are there any others that you would recommend applying for?

With the universities with a range of requirements, will I struggle to get a place? I've asked them all, and they said they would definitely consider my application and make an offer based on that. Will it be likely that they'll give me a place if I get ABB rather than the higher grades they are asking for?

Thanks


I think not only will it be a struggle to get those grades, it's highly unlikely that somewhere like Sheffield will make you an offer with predictions two grades lower than their entry reqs, and AS results 3 grades lower.

Is there nowhere that you'd consider with BBC or lower? Just in case the worst comes to the worst...
Reply 2
Original post by Alexion
I think not only will it be a struggle to get those grades, it's highly unlikely that somewhere like Sheffield will make you an offer with predictions two grades lower than their entry reqs, and AS results 3 grades lower.

Is there nowhere that you'd consider with BBC or lower? Just in case the worst comes to the worst...


Thanks!

I've been in contact with Sheffield and they said that they would accept ABB. They advised that I still apply there as I could still get an offer with a good UCAS application. That's really more of an aspirational choice anyway.

I'm more wondering about my chances with the other 4 choices and whether they will make an offer for ABB, rather than insisting that I get AAA-AAB.

I've been looking hard for an insurance choice of BBC or lower and I can't seem to find a university that's actually worth going to. I don't want to go for a course that I know that I won't really enjoy.

P.S. I'm applying to general engineering courses as I'm not sure whether to go for mechanical or aerospace engineering. The course at Glasgow is mechanical engineering with aeronautics.
Reply 3
I would probably drop Lancaster and put another choice which could offer BBC, just to be 100% sure. Also make sure you look for BEng and not MEng courses, even if you want to do an MEng, as you can always transfer later on.
Reply 4
Original post by alexkol
I would probably drop Lancaster and put another choice which could offer BBC, just to be 100% sure. Also make sure you look for BEng and not MEng courses, even if you want to do an MEng, as you can always transfer later on.


I've been thinking the same thing, but dropping Exeter instead of Lancaster due to the slightly higher offer. Still working hard to find a BBC course!

Yeah, applying to the BEng makes it a bit easier to get into. :smile:
Original post by MatOnMotors
I've been thinking the same thing, but dropping Exeter instead of Lancaster due to the slightly higher offer. Still working hard to find a BBC course!

Yeah, applying to the BEng makes it a bit easier to get into. :smile:

Try looking into Swansea. Brand new campus just opened backed by the likes of Rolls Royce. I don't know their grades but they are usually lower than the likes of Exeter or Lancaster. Exeter's lower offer is the contextual offer. You only get that if your school is in the lowest 40%
Reply 6
Go for sheffield! I got in with A*AA prediction, and my friend got in with AAB prediction. It varies entirely on your choices! Also, the way exeter do the range is that the higher end will be the typical offer, whilst the lower end ( ABB ) will be the offer for people of unfortunate home issues. My offer for exeter is AAA and most other peoples will be also.
I don't know much about university, being 15 and all, but I can tell you that Sheffield is a beautiful city. I assume you're looking at Uni Of, but Hallam is also great. If your offer is ABB, then by all means drop in and stay the whole 3/4 years. Not much I can really advise about the quality of courses, but the quality of life in Sheffield is pretty incredible. 20 mins cycle from a national park, most trees per head in any city in Europe, not to mention its nickname is the City of Sanctuary. Just a bit of advertising really. The Sheffield way of life is not above anyone's realistic ambitions.
Reply 8
Original post by swanseajack1
Try looking into Swansea. Brand new campus just opened backed by the likes of Rolls Royce. I don't know their grades but they are usually lower than the likes of Exeter or Lancaster. Exeter's lower offer is the contextual offer. You only get that if your school is in the lowest 40%


Thanks.

I don't think that my school is in the lowest 40%, so I don't think that Exeter would be the best idea. Swansea looks quite nice, but again they ask you to specialise which I want to avoid for the time being. Problem with that is that most universities want the same, so my options seem more limited.

Thanks everyone else for the information on Sheffield; it really helps! I very much want to go there, so I hope for the best on that one!
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by MatOnMotors
Hi guys,

I pretty much have tonight to finalise the 5 universities that I'm going to apply to. I am predicted ABB in economics, maths and physics respectively. I want to apply for engineering at:

Sheffield - AAA
Exeter - AAA-ABB
Lancaster - AAB-ABB
Glasgow - AAB-BBB
Heriot-Watt - BBB

I achieved ABC at AS level, so I cannot afford to drop any grades if I apply to these universities. However, I am struggling to find a course below these requirements that appeals to me. Would these courses be ok, and if not are there any others that you would recommend applying for?

With the universities with a range of requirements, will I struggle to get a place? I've asked them all, and they said they would definitely consider my application and make an offer based on that. Will it be likely that they'll give me a place if I get ABB rather than the higher grades they are asking for?

Thanks


YOU NEED A PROPER INSURANCE!!
I cannot stress enough how important this is as I witnessed so many sad faces this year on results day when people didnt even get into their insurance because the offers were so similar!
Go for an insurance of BBC and try for sheffield, you never know!
Original post by MatOnMotors
Hi guys,

I pretty much have tonight to finalise the 5 universities that I'm going to apply to. I am predicted ABB in economics, maths and physics respectively. I want to apply for engineering at:

Sheffield - AAA
Exeter - AAA-ABB
Lancaster - AAB-ABB
Glasgow - AAB-BBB
Heriot-Watt - BBB

I achieved ABC at AS level, so I cannot afford to drop any grades if I apply to these universities. However, I am struggling to find a course below these requirements that appeals to me. Would these courses be ok, and if not are there any others that you would recommend applying for?

With the universities with a range of requirements, will I struggle to get a place? I've asked them all, and they said they would definitely consider my application and make an offer based on that. Will it be likely that they'll give me a place if I get ABB rather than the higher grades they are asking for?

Thanks


I'd use an insurance like Swansea just in case you mess up your A-Levels. Swansea just opened a new campus which I visited on the weekend and it's honestly great.

They have lower grade expectations and still have a fantastic engineering program I believe.
Thanks again all for the help. I've taken some more time to decide and I'm pretty much ready to send my application. My predicted grades have gone up to AAB now. :smile:

Sheffield: AAA
Lancaster: AAB-ABB
Swansea: ABB-BBB
Heriot Watt: BBB
Central Lancashire: BBC

What do you guys think of these choices? It was tricky to find a good BBC uni, so Central Lancashire seems the best option. Hopefully my grades will be a bit better than that.

My prediction has only just been put up, so I'm wondering if I should change my choices at all. I've had a little think about adding in Warwick (AAB) instead, but not really sure if I should remove the choices that I have.

Thanks
Bump :smile:
Original post by MatOnMotors
Thanks again all for the help. I've taken some more time to decide and I'm pretty much ready to send my application. My predicted grades have gone up to AAB now. :smile:

Sheffield: AAA
Lancaster: AAB-ABB
Swansea: ABB-BBB
Heriot Watt: BBB
Central Lancashire: BBC

What do you guys think of these choices? It was tricky to find a good BBC uni, so Central Lancashire seems the best option. Hopefully my grades will be a bit better than that.

My prediction has only just been put up, so I'm wondering if I should change my choices at all. I've had a little think about adding in Warwick (AAB) instead, but not really sure if I should remove the choices that I have.

Thanks


well, quite sure Central Lancashire will accept you with even lower grades, same with Swansea and HW...
Original post by alexkol
well, quite sure Central Lancashire will accept you with even lower grades, same with Swansea and HW...


So you think that I'll get unconditionals then? Either way, it's very unlikely that I'll accept Central Lancashire but I've been told that I need an insurance offer. My AS grades are ABC by the way, so they might be a bit more cautious with my offer.

Quick Reply

Latest