Unconditional offers from universities: what to do if you get one

I have an unconditional offer to study Geography at the University of East Anglia, has anyone had an unconditional from Durham/do Durham give unconditionals?

Yeah, I have an unconditional for physics and astronomy, but I'm a gap year applicant and already have my Advanced Higher grades.

Reply 21

rhiannon277

11

My brother had an unconditional last year which happened to be from his first choice so it was perfect. Not only did it take the pressure off his a levels but also meant that he got his first choice of accommodation. Not sue what he would have done if it had been for one of the unis further down his list though.

Reply 22

Budz1

14

Fantastic. My daughters the same

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Reply 23

SuperSah

12

I received five offers off York, Portsmouth, Birmingham, Liverpool, and unconditional with Bournemouth.

I was originally gonna insure Bournemouth, but decided I can do better

Not confirmed my decisions yet, but was going to firm York and Portsmouth.

A better idea, no?

Reply 24

sydneybridge

11

One important thing to be aware of is....... usually the offer is only UNconditional if you go Firm.

If you make it your Insurance place it will stay as Conditional.

Reply 25

valkyrie-grey

11

I was offered three unconditionals and I think I'll be choosing one as my firm as it is the course I really want to do. It all depends which course really appeals to you and how hard you will work to get on said course :smile:

Reply 26

cheeseontoastyy

6

Got a firm-unconditional from Birmingham, and before this I wasn't completely decided if it was my top choice, and now I feel like when i'm choosing, the idea of not having to stress all summer about A2 results if I firm Birmingham is always going to be in the back of my mind :frown:

Not to mention my extended family lives in Birmingham and are have made it clear they'd be happy if I ended up there...
Gonna have to think about it carefully for the next few months :/

Reply 27

scriberg

13

can you choose your unconditional, but go another university you really wanted to go to through adjustment?

Reply 28

Budz1

14

No u would have to have no offers and not accepted any before going thru extra or clearing....

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Reply 29

scriberg

13

Original post by Bluebells60

No u would have to have no offers and not accepted any before going thru extra or clearing....

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adjustment isnt the same as extra or clearing

Reply 30

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by scriberg

can you choose your unconditional, but go another university you really wanted to go to through adjustment?

No - with an unconditional offer it isn't possible to exceed your offer conditions so you cannot apply elsewhere through adjustment.

The only option if you change your mind would be to ask your firm nicely to let you enter clearing. And they're under no obligation to either place you into clearing or (if they do agree to let you go) to let you go quickly.

Every year we have students on TSR who end up committed to either their firm or insurance choice on results day who have changed their mind - and every year some of them wait DAYS to get placed into clearing - quite often after many of the places elsewhere have been snapped up by other applicants.

Do not pick a university for your firm that you wouldn't be delighted to go to.

Do not pick a university for your insurance that you wouldn't be happy to go to (and don't pick your favourite as insurance because you don't think you'll get the grades for your firm - again we have applicants every year who were counting on their firm rejecting them because they slipped a grade who end up losing their insurance place because their firm was lenient).

Changing your mind is extremely difficult and stressful - especially if one of your offers is unconditional.

Reply 31

Budz1

14

Neither it is...sorry

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Reply 32

username1345959

11

I have one from East Anglia for Philosophy. I meet up with the principal for my college on a regular basis as he's my mentor for my EPQ but he said that I shouldn't be too swayed by it. East Anglia isn't my first choice (I literally decided on it 5mins before I sent off my application) so I don't think I should let their unconditional offer automatically make me want to firm them. It's not like I'm going to automatically stop working and get bad grades because I know I'd get into the uni no matter what. However, I was still overjoyed with the offer as it really surprised me, especially because it was my first offer. If it was from my first choice (Nottingham) or any of the others (York, Sheffield, Exeter), then I probably would've seriously considered it.

Reply 33

sydneybridge

11

Original post by PQ

No - with an unconditional offer it isn't possible to exceed your offer conditions so you cannot apply elsewhere through adjustment.

This is WHY some Unis are now giving Unconditional offers to those still taking A levels - because they realised they were loosing far too many applicants on Results Day who then went through Adjustment.

This locks you in to that Uni, and ONLY that Uni, with no way out.

Think very carefully about all the implications (as above) before you get sucked into this.

Reply 34

esjae

14

I had an Unconditional off Swansea, which even though it wasn't Cardiff(which is where I really wanted to go), it is still perfect for me, I have the mix of Aberystwyths beach and Cardiffs city-ness, and it's close enough to home that I can easily visit home, yet far enough away that I can live independently

Reply 35

esmeb56

1

I'm in the same situation - I got an unconditional offer from my favourite choice (if I selected them as my firm). I've made the decision to accept that offer as that is my favourite place, and realistically I think my target grades are too high, which would be what I would have to get to get into the other uni's I applied for. Only now, I know I've to make it all the way to June exams still working for A-Levels whilst knowing that I don't need them to get into uni anymore. In a way I wish that they had given me the offer later on in the year so that I would still have been working super-hard in my A-Levels at least until the offer came in. Hard to stay motivated now that my place is secure!

Reply 36

ShyBrown

2

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

Some of these offers are on the condition that you make the university your firm choice - if you use them for insurance the offer will go back to being conditional. :smile:

That's where the difficulty/confusion comes in. :h:

To be clear, that only applies when you pass the deadline for accepting your unconditional offer, correct? It seems that as long as you don't miss your window waiting for another school, you can keep "insurance".

Reply 37

sydneybridge

11

Original post by ShyBrown

To be clear, that only applies when you pass the deadline for accepting your unconditional offer, correct? It seems that as long as you don't miss your window waiting for another school, you can keep "insurance".

This is specifically where a CONDITIONAL Offer has text like this 'If you accept our offer as your Firm we will make the Offer Unconditional'.

It does not apply to anyone else with straightforward Conditional offers.

Please read these articles - you seem a bit confused about the whole process!

Firm/Insurance choices : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Firm_and_insurance_choices

Guide to Results Day : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Guide_to_A-Level_results_day

Reply 38

ShyBrown

2

Original post by sydneybridge

This is specifically where a CONDITIONAL Offer has text like this 'If you accept our offer as your Firm we will make the Offer Unconditional'.

It does not apply to anyone else with straightforward Conditional offers.

Please read these articles - you seem a bit confused about the whole process!

Firm/Insurance choices : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Firm_and_insurance_choices

Guide to Results Day : http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Guide_to_A-Level_results_day

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Gotcha, I was confused. This actually doesn't apply to me as I'm a MA candidate and International. Have two unconditional offers, but thanks for clearing that up because it looks like UK/EU have a different process.

Reply 39

Puddles the Monkey

OP

21

Original post by esmeb56

I'm in the same situation - I got an unconditional offer from my favourite choice (if I selected them as my firm). I've made the decision to accept that offer as that is my favourite place, and realistically I think my target grades are too high, which would be what I would have to get to get into the other uni's I applied for. Only now, I know I've to make it all the way to June exams still working for A-Levels whilst knowing that I don't need them to get into uni anymore. In a way I wish that they had given me the offer later on in the year so that I would still have been working super-hard in my A-Levels at least until the offer came in. Hard to stay motivated now that my place is secure!