"Asking" universities for lower offers

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Could have sworn that I've seen people on TSR say that they've received an offer from a certain university and they've then contacted their university and literally asked for a lower offer (although I think on the basis that they firm that uni) - is this true?

Reason I'm asking is because I've received an offer of A*AA for Economics at Nottingham and I'm really happy about and all that but I've seen loads of people with similar stats to me that have received offers of AAA for the same course. So yeah was wondering if contacting the admissions department and asking for a reduced offer if I firm them is something that is a) possible b) not considered rude or weird and c) won't cause them to withdraw my offer because they think I'm being unreasonable by asking?

By the way I think I am capable of getting A*AA, it's just it would be nice to, like other Nottingham Economics offer holders, not have the extra pressure of having to get an A*.

Thanks if anyone can help

If they wanted to give you a lower offer they would have done so in the first place so you shouldn't ask sorry.

That's fair enough I guess, although would asking do any harm at all other than potentially wasting my time?

I suppose not but I doubt it would be successful.

That's fair enough I guess, although would asking do any harm at all other than potentially wasting my time?

You will show them that you don't think you'll meet the offer. So if you then don't meet the offer, you can't say it was just a blip and you'll do better - you already foresaw the problem.

Legitimate concern but that is not always why someone would ask that.

I plan to sit A level maths and A level further maths +Step 1 and Step 2 this academic year then apply next year and sit additional further maths and step 3 next year.

Now Hypothetically assuming things go as best as possible and I get A*A* in maths and further maths and distinction in both Steps 1 and 2, I am not saying this will happen its best case scenario etc, then i apply to say Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick, UCL and Bath.

Lets say again best case scenario they all accept but
Cambridge ask for A* in additional further maths and distinction in steps 3
Imperial ask for A* in additional further maths and grade 1 in step 3
UCL ask for A + grade 2 or better in step 3
Warwick ask for an A + 1 in step 3
and Bath make me an unconditional offer.

Now I am firming Cambridge here, but their is an issue. Imperial are a really prestigious world class university. If I can't make Cambridge Imperial are a great second choice. However it is still a very challenging offer. I could potentially drop the mark from both Cambridge and Imperial. So do I put Imperial as my insurance? I might not get a place if the final grades go pear shaped. Warwick is slightly easier and a very strong course but again their offer is still challenging and I might miss it in worst case scenario. UCl is more forgiving and tbh if I am doing that well their is no reason I should miss that but then we can always have bad days and its still an outside chance.

Bath is a great university but it doesn't compete with Cambridge/Imperial/Warwick for maths.

if I contacted any university to try and get a lower offer its not me making the statement that I don't think I am able to meet the offer its me wanting to get more of a safety net so to speak. perhaps I ask Imperial for a bit of a lower offer so I can firm them instead of Cambridge, in this scenario I am still going to a world class university, but have more of a safety net. Maybe I try and see if I get Warwick or UCL to make me a slightly more forgiving offer to give me more of a comfort in insurance.

Failing offers and going through insurance/potentially missing out for a year on uni places is something no one wants to go through. been more secure is perfectly reasonable it doesn't nec reflect self doubt it shows wanting to insure yourself better.

maths seems to be a demanding subject as in the universities ask for particularly high grades, though the ones I gave as an examples would normally ask for very high grades regardless you can't get into anywhere half decent for maths with anything less then AAB/ABB I AAB is really scraping the barrel and maybe you can scrape into just acceptable places with ABB but have never seen anywhere decent for maths offer BBB or worse. Maybe in clearing I don't know.

However the same scenario could pop up for someone less ambitious or who is pursuing a course that asks for lower entry requirements. if getting BBB is going to be a challenge for someone and their top choice is BBB and then their others ask for BBC BCC CCC etc I could understand wanting to try to negotiate an offer for more of a comfort zone.

I am not saying universities ever do this I would be interested if it has ever happened but I don't think wanting to do this is necessarily showing lack of confidence.

That's lots of words, but you're actually agreeing with me. If you were so sure you didn't need a lower offer you wouldn't ask for a lower offer. You don't need a comfort zone, or a safety net, or to insure yourself better if you actually know you can achieve high grades.

You will show them that you don't think you'll meet the offer. So if you then don't meet the offer, you can't say it was just a blip and you'll do better - you already foresaw the problem.

Would that directly affect my offer? In other words could they withdraw it?

They can't withdraw the offer. But they can be more critical if you miss it.

They can't withdraw the offer. But they can be more critical if you miss it.

But will they really be thinking of that when you call them in August 2017?

Asking for an Unconditional offer? Exceedingly cheeky. If they had wanted to give you that they would have done it already. That sort of email/phone call will get an immediate response - and will mark you out as arrogant and presumptuous. Be grateful you got any offer at all.

I was talking about a reduced offer rather than an unconditional. I am very grateful, I just find it frustrating that others have received the lower offer of AAA for the same course that's all

But one could always be caught out however good you are unless your simply brilliant your not going to feel so secure. I mean STEPS for maths is meant to be really hard, I like to imagine myself getting the very top mark in it but maybe when i come to it I find I am struggling to get a passing grade.

Now if I am really Cambridge material a lot of Cambridge applicants end up missing their offer. They expect a grade 1/distinction in steps 2 and 3. often people miss that 1 some very hard working very skilled people the exam is meant to be unfamiliar and hard, so it can go bad on the day.

If Cambridge asked me for a distinction and Imperial asked me for grade 1, it would not be silly to want more secure insurance and that is not due to a lack of confidence per say, its just not been gungho I can never fail etc. I think many Cambridge maths applicants would much rather get an offer of grade 2 then a distinction. There would not be many that would simply go who cares what they ask for I am getting a distinction anyway.