What uni for insurance?

I have offers from Lancaster, Bath, Warwick and Loughborough to study Physics. Warwick is my firm choice at A*AA which is what I'm predicted and pretty confident of getting, but I'm not sure on my insurance choice. It's between Lancaster (AAA) or Loughborough (AAB). If anything was to go wrong, it would probably be chemistry dropping to a B. Just wondering if Lancaster may let me in with A*AB, if it came to it, or if I should go for Loughborough just to avoid clearing, even though I wouldn't like to go there?

Reply 1

StrawberryDreams

19

Original post by Gwaldron4

I have offers from Lancaster, Bath, Warwick and Loughborough to study Physics. Warwick is my firm choice at A*AA which is what I'm predicted and pretty confident of getting, but I'm not sure on my insurance choice. It's between Lancaster (AAA) or Loughborough (AAB). If anything was to go wrong, it would probably be chemistry dropping to a B. Just wondering if Lancaster may let me in with A*AB, if it came to it, or if I should go for Loughborough just to avoid clearing, even though I wouldn't like to go there?

Hey!

If you don't want to go to a uni, I really wouldn't recommend putting it as a insurance choice just to avoid Clearing - you'll just want to swap it out when you get the confirmation come through and end up in Clearing anyway. You never know what may happen on results day (both good and bad)! As the offer is below your firm choice, you're still providing yourself with a realistic back up if you miss a grade, and if you miss more than two grades AAB is a very respectable set of grades for any clearing opportunities and you may rethink your options anyway. Clearing can be a little stressful but plenty of people have found that they love the university they ended up attending and if not, you can always reapply the year after and resit some subject (that's what I did!)

I hope that helps, but let me know if you have any other questions :smile:

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 2

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Gwaldron4

I have offers from Lancaster, Bath, Warwick and Loughborough to study Physics. Warwick is my firm choice at A*AA which is what I'm predicted and pretty confident of getting, but I'm not sure on my insurance choice. It's between Lancaster (AAA) or Loughborough (AAB). If anything was to go wrong, it would probably be chemistry dropping to a B. Just wondering if Lancaster may let me in with A*AB, if it came to it, or if I should go for Loughborough just to avoid clearing, even though I wouldn't like to go there?

How likely Lancaster would be to let you in at A*AB against an AAA offer will depend on how many people to whom they've made AAA offers actually make those grades. They will know from previous years that a certain percentage miss their offer and may have "over offered" to allow for this. (They may not, and may plan to make-up any shortfall via Clearing).

For example, if they have 100 places on the course and they estimate that 20% of applicants will miss their offer, they may have made 125 offers. If that's exactly what happens, then they're unlikely to confirm a place for "near miss" candidate, which is what you would be on A*AB, as they'd be full.

However, all it takes is for that to be 1 space left on the course for them to start looking through their "near miss" candidates to decide whom to confirm a place for. Nobody knows how many people will make their offer grades - not even Lancaster know that right now.

If it were me (and it's clearly not!), I'd take the risk and use Lancaster as my insurance. I'd do so for two reasons. (1) You say, "pretty confident of getting" A*AA, and (b) you say you "wouldn't like to go" to Loughborough.

Reply 3

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

21

Don't put down any choice that you aren't enthusiastic about, regardless of the grade requirements.

Warwick is a decent uni but I wouldn't say they were super prestigious for Physics, I would not be surprised if they accepted you with AAA or A*AB on results day which means it's less likely your Insurance is going to come into play.

For Insurance I would pick which option you are next most keen on. As above, either your Firm or Insurance might have some wiggle room. In my experience students assume not getting the grades means an automatic rejection and thus play it too safe.

Reply 4

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

15

Original post by Gwaldron4

I have offers from Lancaster, Bath, Warwick and Loughborough to study Physics. Warwick is my firm choice at A*AA which is what I'm predicted and pretty confident of getting, but I'm not sure on my insurance choice. It's between Lancaster (AAA) or Loughborough (AAB). If anything was to go wrong, it would probably be chemistry dropping to a B. Just wondering if Lancaster may let me in with A*AB, if it came to it, or if I should go for Loughborough just to avoid clearing, even though I wouldn't like to go there?

Hiya @Gwaldron4,

I'm currently a second-year chemistry student at Lancaster University. I love it here so personally I would recommend you put it as your insurance. I would advise that you email the admissions or physics department to find out more about what would happen because most of the time it is dependent upon a case-by-case basis. I would also recommend putting a uni that you like as an insurance choice in the hopes you may go somewhere will actually enjoy.

Good luck deciding
-Beth :smile:

(Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Reply 5

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

15

Original post by Lancaster Student Ambassador

Hiya @Gwaldron4,

I'm currently a second-year chemistry student at Lancaster University. I love it here so personally I would recommend you put it as your insurance. I would advise that you email the admissions or physics department to find out more about what would happen because most of the time it is dependent upon a case-by-case basis. I would also recommend putting a uni that you like as an insurance choice in the hopes you may go somewhere will actually enjoy.

Good luck deciding
-Beth :smile:

(Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Hi,

Just to add to this, I'm a second year physics student at Lancaster and I've really enjoyed my degree so far! Especially in second year now that we are splitting off onto pathways such as particle physics and cosmology and physics with astrophysics etc. The practical labs we've had in first and second year have been really great and the lecturers are all really friendly, with the open door policy meaning you can talk to them anytime outside of lectures. If you have any questions about physics at Lancaster, please feel free to ask!

As mentioned above, I'd definitely get in contact with the admissions/physics department as they do decide on a case-by-case basis but are often able to be flexible.

-Becky (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 6

Loughborough University

Official Rep

16

Original post by Gwaldron4

I have offers from Lancaster, Bath, Warwick and Loughborough to study Physics. Warwick is my firm choice at A*AA which is what I'm predicted and pretty confident of getting, but I'm not sure on my insurance choice. It's between Lancaster (AAA) or Loughborough (AAB). If anything was to go wrong, it would probably be chemistry dropping to a B. Just wondering if Lancaster may let me in with A*AB, if it came to it, or if I should go for Loughborough just to avoid clearing, even though I wouldn't like to go there?

Hi @Gwaldron4,

I understand that choosing universities can be a tough decision. I just wanted to say that if you do have any further questions about Loughborough, just get in touch and I can help :smile:

- Lindsay

What uni for insurance?

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