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

Original post by Bluebells60

Yes first choice....

Posted from TSR Mobile

Aren't you a bit concerned that the rep of Birmingham and the calibre of students will fall if they keep giving unconditional offers? It is not like it is super elite to begin with? The brighter students will go elsewhere, such as Durham or UCL.

Reply 42

nulli tertius

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

Aren't you a bit concerned that the rep of Birmingham and the calibre of students will fall if they keep giving unconditional offers? It is not like it is super elite to begin with? The brighter students will go elsewhere, such as Durham or UCL.

Leaving aside your rather naive view of what makes up a university's reputation, do you think Birmingham is doing this because they deliberately wish to harm their recruitment?

University recruitment is not a fixed environment. There is now no cap on the number of students a university can take. We have also had two years of falling A level results with the expectation of further falls to come.

Birmingham increased its conversion rate (that is the proportion of people who are made an offer who actually turn up on enrolment day from 25% to 33% by making unconditional offers.

Birmingham thinks it will attract more, better, students by doing this than it if didn't.

Reply 43

rhiannon277

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

Aren't you a bit concerned that the rep of Birmingham and the calibre of students will fall if they keep giving unconditional offers? It is not like it is super elite to begin with? The brighter students will go elsewhere, such as Durham or UCL.

You also need to remember to get an unconditional from Birmingham you need a prediction of AAA or better. I have friends who have gone off to Durham with ABC so who is brighter? Only about 2% of offers given last year were unconditional.

Reply 44

Original post by rhiannon277

You also need to remember to get an unconditional from Birmingham you need a prediction of AAA or better. I have friends who have gone off to Durham with ABC so who is brighter? Only about 2% of offers given last year were unconditional.

Depends on the course, the subjects studied at A level, and also whether the course is based at Stockton. Many students at ABB/BBB at AS level will be predicted AAA.

Reply 45

mccrae01

18

I'm in this situation exactly ! I have an unconditional from Birmingham for geography with the condition I make it my firm choice ,but I 've got my heart set on Durham, the only one of my choices to not reply so far ( I sent the application off mid October). Two other conditional offers elsewhere makes life even more difficult :frown:

Reply 46

rhiannon277

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

Depends on the course, the subjects studied at A level, and also whether the course is based at Stockton. Many students at ABB/BBB at AS level will be predicted AAA.

I am aware that offers differ but it doesn't alter the fact that I have friends with lower predictions and achieved grades who are at Durham than those at Birmingham who were offered unconditional places. I would also remind everyone who seems to believe that it is only Birmingham giving out unconditional places that Nottingham, Leicester, QMUL and other universities are also giving out unconditional offers.

Reply 47

ThePhoenixLament

18

I have no idea what to do! Keele was going to be my insurance choice but after my interview and visit day I was debating whether to upgrade it to firm. I just love the city of Cardiff and its reputation. And I can easily keep my job whilst I'm there. However then Keele gave me an unconditional offer for Pharmacy and I love the course, campus and people so much. Basically I'm looking for a Keele-style course in Cardiff... urgh choices!
It would be easier to decide if I didn't have this offer!

Reply 48

Original post by ThePhoenixLament

I have no idea what to do! Keele was going to be my insurance choice but after my interview and visit day I was debating whether to upgrade it to firm. I just love the city of Cardiff and its reputation. And I can easily keep my job whilst I'm there. However then Keele gave me an unconditional offer for Pharmacy and I love the course, campus and people so much. Basically I'm looking for a Keele-style course in Cardiff... urgh choices!
It would be easier to decide if I didn't have this offer!

Cardiff has a much stronger department and rep within that sector, which will help in terms of getting a placement later. It is a competitive career these days, and many graduates from the newer departments end up without getting a placement increasingly. It has been discussed on TSR many times.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 49

Original post by rhiannon277

I am aware that offers differ but it doesn't alter the fact that I have friends with lower predictions and achieved grades who are at Durham than those at Birmingham who were offered unconditional places. I would also remind everyone who seems to believe that it is only Birmingham giving out unconditional places that Nottingham, Leicester, QMUL and other universities are also giving out unconditional offers.

That will all change by 2017 with new tougher A levels. Students have got away with murder the last decade with grade inflation.

Reply 50

ThePhoenixLament

18

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

Cardiff has a much stronger department and rep within that sector, which will help in terms of getting a placement later. It is a competitive career these days, and many graduates from the newer departments end up without getting a placement increasingly. It has bee discussed on TSR many times.

I'd been told because it was a healthcare course that uni didn't matter, but I think that was the case a few years ago when there weren't so many unis offering it, which is sad!
Thanks- I'll certainly consider that! :biggrin:

Reply 51

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by ThePhoenixLament

I'd been told because it was a healthcare course that uni didn't matter, but I think that was the case a few years ago when there weren't so many unis offering it, which is sad!
Thanks- I'll certainly consider that! :biggrin:

Indeed it has all changed, far too many graduates in Pharmacy now. Before it was a 99% employment rate career, not any more!

Reply 52

PQ

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

Indeed it has all changed, far too many graduates in Pharmacy now. Before it was a 99% employment rate career, not any more!

Not true

Original post by ThePhoenixLament

I'd been told because it was a healthcare course that uni didn't matter, but I think that was the case a few years ago when there weren't so many unis offering it, which is sad!
Thanks- I'll certainly consider that! :biggrin:

Ignore the hearsay above - the actual stats show NO difference between Cardiff and Keele for employment prospects for pharmacy
Keele 100% employment, 100% professional jobs.
Cardiff 99% employment, 100% in professional jobs.

This is based on the job prospects of graduates in Summer 2013 and what they were doing in January 2014.

Reply 53

Original post by PQ

Not true

Ignore the hearsay above - the actual stats show NO difference between Cardiff and Keele for employment prospects for pharmacy
Keele 100% employment, 100% professional jobs.
Cardiff 99% employment, 100% in professional jobs.

This is based on the job prospects of graduates in Summer 2013 and what they were doing in January 2014.

It is true, TSR confirms that many times. Placements are hard to get onto from the newer schools. There are tonnes of Pharmacy schools now, even Durham have one. Need to go to the best schools to get ahead.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 54

InArduisFouette

Clearing and Applications Advisor

i think it;s important to distinguish between unconditional officers because the applicant all ready holds the requisite qualifications e.g. post A level applicant, certain art and performing arts courses , offer based on Highers with the rise of the 'unconditional as a land grab ' offer for people who do not currently hold a complete level 3 award - these offers are effectively the old school '2 E' offers ... I wonder what would happen if one of these Unconditional offer holders failed to complete their level3 award ...

Reply 55

PQ

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

It is true, TSR confirms that many times. Placements are hard to get onto from the newer schools. There are tonnes of Pharmacy schools now, even Durham have one. Need to go to the best schools to get ahead.

You're advising an applicant to chose Cardiff over Keele due to better job prospects.

The evidence shows that job prospects are identical if not slightly better at Keele and that both have 100% professional employment rates.

You said "Before it was a 99% employment rate career, not any more!" but the evidence shows that that is not the case.

Unsourced TSR anecdotes of graduates struggling to find placements is not good grounds to advise choosing one university over the other.

Reply 56

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by PQ

You're advising an applicant to chose Cardiff over Keele due to better job prospects.

The evidence shows that job prospects are identical if not slightly better at Keele and that both have 100% professional employment rates.

You said "Before it was a 99% employment rate career, not any more!" but the evidence shows that that is not the case.

Unsourced TSR anecdotes of graduates struggling to find placements is not good grounds to advise choosing one university over the other.

They are real examples nevertheless. The information on employment provided by universities is not reliable, they are only telling you what they want you to hear, such as those graduates who actually responded back and/or were too shy to tell them the truth. People are finding it harder to get pre-reg places and jobs in desirable areas. The best will rise to the top, the weaker graduates will be frozen out for longer. Best to go to Bath, Cardiff, Nottingham, Durham etc. Indeed Durham make a similar point on their Pharmacy homepage.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 57

PQ

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

They are real examples nevertheless.

Maybe you could provide a link to some - specifically some from Keele graduates in this situation

The information on employment provided by universities is not reliable, they are only telling you what they want you to hear.

I'd agree that the information on employment published on university WEBSITES is not reliable. (and yet you refer information on the Durham pharmacy homepage below as a credible source of advice).

The information on unistats however is reliable. They're the results of a national survey of students with a minimum 80% response rate for UK domiciled graduates.

Universities conduct the survey but they have no control over the questions, when they can speak to graduates about the survey or even the wording they use when contacting graduates.

The results of the survey are subject to audit with only a single case of fraudulent activity every recorded.

People are finding it harder to get pre-reg places and jobs in desirable areas. The best will rise to the top, the weaker graduates will be frozen out for longer. Best to go to Bath, Cardiff, Nottingham, Durham etc. Indeed Durham make a similar point on their Pharmacy homepage.

And other than you saying this and your use of a university website (which you stated above is only telling applicants what they want to hear - never mind is a course that isn't fully accredited yet so is probably the least reliable or attractive to pre-reg employers) what evidence do you have to prove that the 100% employment rate at both Keele and Cardiff for pharmacy is incorrect and your assertion that the person you're advising should go to Cardiff is correct.

Reply 58

amorgan28

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:

Do you know how this type of Unconditional offer appears on UCAS? I have received a conditional offer but I got a letter in the post a few weeks later stating that "Provided you accept our offer as your firm choice, we will remove the academic grade conditions of the offer." I have accepted it as my firm choice but it is still showing up as Conditional on UCAS track.
I'm wondering whether these "unconditional if selected as firm" offers are classifed or conditional or unconditional on UCAS.
If you can be of any help I would be grateful.

Reply 59

sydneybridge