The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
We don't know. This has come up a lot, and it depends on how many other people slipped their offers, and also what they thought of you when you were interviewed.
Reply 2
depends how close you were to missing your target. If you get AAB they'll ask for your UMS marks down the phone. Once they've confirmed those marks they'll get back to you. You need to do it STRAIGHT away when you get the marks, because what they do if keep your marks written down, and then they see how many people have made their conditional offers. The colleges tend to give up slightly more offers than they can accomodate, knowing at least some people will miss the grades. If a lot of people miss the grades, and you only miss by 3 or 4 marks, they'll probably give you an offer. If you miss by a lot (or there are more people who miss by fewer marks) then you wont get an offer. If hardly anyone misses their grades in the first place your wont get an offer. It all depends on how everyone else has done. All you can do about it is call straight away and explain the situation - theyll be able to give you an answer at the end of the day!
Reply 3
Thanks for the reply!!! I hope that means that i won't be totally discarded by the university if i did get AAB!!!! I've actually got a place for Maths and i reckon my maths and further maths module marks will be pretty high, but it's my third A-level, chemistry, that i'm worried about i.e. i think it might be a B!!! Nevertheless my chemistry module marks are ok, so far they have been 3A's and a B, but it's the remaining 2 which i've sat this summer that seem worrying!!
Reply 4
zaman002
Thanks for the reply!!! I hope that means that i won't be totally discarded by the university if i did get AAB!!!! I've actually got a place for Maths and i reckon my maths and further maths module marks will be pretty high, but it's my third A-level, chemistry, that i'm worried about i.e. i think it might be a B!!! Nevertheless my chemistry module marks are ok, so far they have been 3A's and a B, but it's the remaining 2 which i've sat this summer that seem worrying!!

For Maths, I believe like several other subjects, Oxford make "Open Offers" which are when people are guaranteed places but have not been allocated to a particular college. These people (I am one of them for Physics) will be allocated a college following results day and will get the places where other people have failed to meet their offers. So I'm afraid in some cases there will be people already waiting for your places if you miss.

Again though, it depends on individual circumstances, your college, other people's grades and UMS and perhaps also the fact that their have been a lot of paper leaks this year, thus perhaps raising the grade boundaries?
Reply 5
Oh yeah................i forgot about the 'open offers' system!!!! I've actually been made an offer from my first choice college, St Anne's, but now that you've told me about this open offer thing, it seems as though it's either AAA or no place at all!!!!!!
Reply 6
Hey, Hoofbeat, what college did u select as your first choice, or did u make an open college selection??
Reply 7
zaman002
Oh yeah................i forgot about the 'open offers' system!!!! I've actually been made an offer from my first choice college, St Anne's, but now that you've told me about this open offer thing, it seems as though it's either AAA or no place at all!!!!!!

Ditto that! i hope cambridge doesnt do that too or i am DOOOOMED!!
Reply 8
i don't think i'll my offer, if I wont it means also that I don't have the grades for the carreer I want, got a back up plan though, it's not the be all of end all! Just think, if you end up at another uni they'll be SO much less stress, worry and work!
Reply 9
zaman002
Hey, Hoofbeat, what college did u select as your first choice, or did u make an open college selection??

I originally applied to New College. Had 2 interviews there, then I got sent for 2 more interviews at St Hilda's. Received a letter from New College saying they couldn't make me an offer, but understood that another college would be shortly, and a letter from Hilda's (actually before other one) that said that although neither them nor New College could take me I'd been made an Open Offer! Wasn't sure about taking it at first, as didn't really want to end up at Hilda's (no offence to anyone who goes there) but then I realised how stupid I was being and so I accepted it.

I think I'm rather lucky actually - after all, I'll have exciting news to wait for after results day (providing I get grades) when I find out which college I'm at!!!
Reply 10
I opened this thread hoping to read "yes! they let you in without getting the grades all the time!" :frown: *considers back up plan: Librarian Studies at Crappy Polytechnic*
Reply 11
Willa
depends how close you were to missing your target. If you get AAB they'll ask for your UMS marks down the phone. Once they've confirmed those marks they'll get back to you. You need to do it STRAIGHT away when you get the marks, because what they do if keep your marks written down, and then they see how many people have made their conditional offers. The colleges tend to give up slightly more offers than they can accomodate, knowing at least some people will miss the grades. If a lot of people miss the grades, and you only miss by 3 or 4 marks, they'll probably give you an offer. If you miss by a lot (or there are more people who miss by fewer marks) then you wont get an offer. If hardly anyone misses their grades in the first place your wont get an offer. It all depends on how everyone else has done. All you can do about it is call straight away and explain the situation - theyll be able to give you an answer at the end of the day!


They will know your grades already though - they get them a week before, so they will know whether or not they're going to let you in. Reciting UMS marks probably won't swing the balance.
Reply 12
Fluffstar
Ditto that! i hope cambridge doesnt do that too or i am DOOOOMED!!


Relax, they don't. You always get an offer from a specific college, but if you miss your grades you might end up at another college via the 'Summer Pool'
If you miss your offer it's up to the university. If you're lucky you get a place, if not it's off to your insurence.
I can imagine it also has a lot to do with what subject you get the B in. If you're say applying for Economics and you get a B in maths, you're screwed. :frown:
Reply 15
Helenia
They will know your grades already though - they get them a week before, so they will know whether or not they're going to let you in. Reciting UMS marks probably won't swing the balance.

do they get our ums or just the grades?
keithy
do they get our ums or just the grades?

I think they just get the grades; though it wouldn't make that much of a difference either way. I don't think UMS is a major factor they take into consideration.
Reply 17
zaman002
Oh yeah................i forgot about the 'open offers' system!!!! I've actually been made an offer from my first choice college, St Anne's, but now that you've told me about this open offer thing, it seems as though it's either AAA or no place at all!!!!!!


Don't worry. They will accept you anyway if they like you enough; AAA offers in practice, but if you did pretty well in interviews and the exam you're probably all right. I'm *not* saying this without backup. The St Anne's people were really, really nice at the open day I attended :wink:

As for UMS marks, they must count; surely if you've only missed out by a mark they would be nice about it?

Incidentally - English results go to unis a *week* early?! The Scottish ones are only a day! :smile:
mussed
As for UMS marks, they must count; surely if you've only missed out by a mark they would be nice about it?

Incidentally - English results go to unis a *week* early?! The Scottish ones are only a day! :smile:

Oxford only gives offers to those who they feel can make that offer, so UMS won't tell them anymore than they already know - they know you have the potential, and you'll still have that potential whether you miss your offer by 1 point or 40 points.

I know someone who got rejected when they missed their offer by 1 UMS, but I also know someone who scraped a B (AAA offer) and got here.
Reply 19
zaman002

zaman002 read your PM.

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