[Geokitty]

Could anybody advise me please (I'll be applying for 2010 entry)...
Should I apply for two courses at the SAME university, but which have different entry requirements ? Eg. A Geology BSc (wants ABB) or a Geology MSci (wants AAB). Or would there be no point? What I really mean is, lets say I got an AAB offer for the MSci - if I missed it, would I automatically then be considered for the Bsc ? Or do I need to apply for both, get offered for both & then put one as my firm choice & another for my insurance ?
Or would it be better to apply for a range of MSci's and BSc's at different unis ?

Or, should I apply for all MSci's (as thats what I really want to do) , rather than going for the shorter (BSc) option , as if I got offers for those I might not bother with them anyway.
I have read that if you apply for more than one course at the same uni, they like that, as they know you really like the uni, and may be more inclined to give you an offer.

[Drongo]

I contacted the uni that I was interested in and asked this same question (MSci and BSc versions of same subject plus a third 'elite' version). Yes, they liked the fact it showed commitment to the place but advised to apply for only 2. They also said that on results day they'd offer the course below if my grades matched those rather than the applied for one (which means double chance at both firm and insurance). However I chose a more specialist course than you so had the 'space' on my UCAS form as so few unis offer it. In my case I got a low offer for the elite course but a high one for the MSci, it seemed they wanted me to firm the former. Who knows whether I'd have had the regular offer if I hadn't applied for both..

In the end many unis do let you upgrade your degree to the MSCi version after the first year if you have great results (and can downgrade you for the opposite).

I understand that the funding is easier to get if you ask for 4 years right from initial application for student finance.

[Rosamund123]

(Original post by Geokitty)
I have read that if you apply for more than one course at the same uni, they like that, as they know you really like the uni, and may be more inclined to give you an offer.

concerning this bit (as I'm not sure about the rest), that may be true, but my dad's an admissions tutor and I think he thinks that people who apply to many courses at one university are a bit unadventurous...

[OhNO!]

I was told that it's fine to apply to one uni two times, but be aware that if they're within the same department, that's likely to mean either two offers or two rejections so if you're unsure about getting an offer from that uni, only apply for one course.

I'm not sure how generally true that advice is, but it was true for me.

[Vraja211]

No. Apply for only the Bsc. you have the chance to change that into a masters in your final year by opting for an additional academic year.

[Imson]

not worth applying for both thats in the same department because i think you can change once you get in there.

[Rubs]

Even if you get on an MSci it doesn't automatically mean that you'll be doing that - if you underperform in a lot of uni's they'll transfer you to the BSc. Also with most uni's there lots of opportunity to change between courses in the first/second year - so don't apply to the same department twice.

[Areontas]

It's possible that they will appreciate the fact that you've taken a liking to the university. However, if there's something they dislike about your application, chances are they may well reject you for both courses. It's a bit of a risk to take really. Whether there is a policy of considering you for the BSc if you miss the MSci, I would guess, depends on the university - so a good idea might be to contact the unis you're interested in to clarify. But generally, I don't think it's a good idea to apply for two courses at the same university if you aren't passionate about both.