Insurance higher than firm

Hi,
I'm having a bit of a dilemma at the moment. Basically I have heard back from all my uni's and have decided I definitely want to firm Nottingham. However the uni I really want as my insurance (Kent) has a higher offer of ABB. Before I received my offers I never thought I would get an offer from Nottingham let alone, have them lower my offer to ABC (A in spanish), now I am stuck.
I just want to know if its worth risking putting kent as my back up? Are they a more lenient uni in terms of grades? If I don't go with kent my back up will be Essex instead (BBB). Which I don't like as much.
Oh and I'm applying for spanish and portuguese.

Any advice will be really helpful thanks

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Reply 1

Nitrogen

Well if you intended to put kent as insurance in the first place that means you feel confident about getting at least ABB, so It shouldnt be hard for you to make the grades for Nottingham.

Reply 2

jeddows

I put a higher offer down for my second choice, and it was a really, REALLY bad idea.
My logic was I really liked my first choice (Liverpool), and was likely to meet their offer (Welsh Bacc and BB), but absolutely LOVED Manchester, but wasn't too likely to get their offer (AA and Welsh Bacc). I put Liverpool first as I was happy with it, sure I was going to meet their offer, and so I could get accommodation sorted for it, with Manchester as insurance so that if I exceeded my offer, I was more likely to get a place with them through adjustment (how my Head of Sixth Form explained it anyway :s-smilie:

).

Long story short, I messed up a few of my last exams, missed my offer, and ended up with the choice of leaving it a year or going through clearing (decided to take a gap year).

The simply thing question is why would you put a higher insurance if you're happy with your first choice? If you meet the higher offer, would you actually choose Nottingham as you've said you like it? And if you miss Nottingham's offer, are the really gonna drop it by two grades? :s-smilie:

Reply 3

Juno

Well, if you get a B in Spanish but an A in another subject you've missed your Nottingham offer - but met your Kent. So it would be possible to meet your insurance but not your firm.

But if you're not prepared to go to Essex then don't put that down.

Reply 4

Messalina

I'm currently in my third year, but I put down a higher offer for my insurance place (AAB) than my firm (BBB). I got the firm place, but if I hadn't I'd have been in a right pickle. Nobody will stop you if you do it but you need a "plan B" if you don't get your firm choice, since your insurance may as well not even exist if you don't make the firm grades.

Reply 5

AmberT

Original post by Nitrogen

Well if you intended to put kent as insurance in the first place that means you feel confident about getting at least ABB, so It shouldnt be hard for you to make the grades for Nottingham.

Intentionally I would of firmed kent and insured essex or liverpool, but having heard from nottingham everything changed. I am confident I can get the grades but you never know what can happen.

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Reply 6

AmberT

Original post by jeddows

Omg its stories like these that make me think yes I should just go for the safe option of BBB
But then I feel like should I really choose a uni just because of it's or should I choose one that I can actually see myself going to?

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Reply 7

ellieHA

Why don't you just put kent first? Although an insurance of BBB seems sensible to be honest

Reply 8

AmberT

Original post by Juno

Thats very true, I hope notts wouldn't reject me if I got ABB but not the A in spanish that would be a bit harsh.
Maybe I should visit Essex again to see if my thoughts change.

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Reply 9

AmberT

Original post by edithwashere

The only real plan I have thought of, is if I firm notts then insure essex if i don't get notts but get essex, I could try for get in clearing, is that possible?

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Reply 10

Juno

Original post by AmberT

The only real plan I have thought of, is if I firm notts then insure essex if i don't get notts but get essex, I could try for get in clearing, is that possible?

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That's a stupid idea. You would need to persuade Essex to release you into Clearing - they don't have to, and they will have other priorities so it could take two weeks (or maybe more). By then all the good places will have gone.

If you don't want to go to Essex then do not put it as your insurance.

Reply 11

HPAG

Original post by AmberT

Look please understand there is no dilemma here. You choose your first choice of University as your firm. Then you study hard to achieve those conditions and hopefully you get in and life is good.

But just incase you don't make those grades you don't want to find yourself in a gap year you make an insurance choice. that's what it is. An insurance choice. Not your second choice. It's your INSURANCE for in case you don't make the grades for your choice of university. SO. It must have grade conditions below your firm choice. Else don't bother making an insurance choice. Make only a firm. If you don't get in try clearing or take a gap year.

Reply 12

jeddows

Original post by AmberT

Well, if you genuinely aren't happy with ANY of the lower grade unis, have you considered not putting an insurance down? That way if you don't get your firm offer, you can either go straight into clearing, or take a year out? :s-smilie:

Reply 13

x__justmyluck

I'm in a similar situation, thinking about picking an insurance with the same offer as my firm but hoping they'll let me in if I drop a grade, it's risky but just work your bum off so you get the grades for your first choice and it'll be fine, don't go to a uni you don't want to.

Reply 14

Acruzen

there's absolutely no point putting a uni with higher or equal as an requirements as insurance, it defeats the whole point of the system. It only works if you have an insurance with lower grades.