The Student Room Group

Why do the average UCAS tariff points on entry seem so high?

For example, the University of Bristol for Aero has an average entry of 540, which is 3 A*s and an A at A level. Bristol is a great Uni, but I'm just very surprised because the typical offer for this course is A*AA. This isn't just limited to Aero at Bristol. I feel like this is the case at a lot of Unis.

Where do these tariff points come from?
Reply 1
Avatar for MAINE.
MAINE.
3
Original post by Student403
For example, the University of Bristol for Aero has an average entry of 540, which is 3 A*s and an A at A level. Bristol is a great Uni, but I'm just very surprised because the typical offer for this course is A*AA. This isn't just limited to Aero at Bristol. I feel like this is the case at a lot of Unis.

Where do these tariff points come from?


Explanation is fairly simple - for the people they give offers to their actual grades turn out to be in excess of their offers.
Reply 2
Avatar for Nmys
Nmys
17
Where are you seeing these? These aren't on the website.
Also it might be something to do with the name - average entry may be what typically the students get, not what they're asking..
I think the average people apply with those grades but im not sure
Reply 4
Avatar for ombtom
ombtom
17
Original post by Student403
For example, the University of Bristol for Aero has an average entry of 540, which is 3 A*s and an A at A level. Bristol is a great Uni, but I'm just very surprised because the typical offer for this course is A*AA. This isn't just limited to Aero at Bristol. I feel like this is the case at a lot of Unis.

Where do these tariff points come from?


Some people get 3 A*s and an A. Others have things like music exams (which can be worth up to 75 points each).
Reply 5
Avatar for marple
marple
15
Original post by Student403
For example, the University of Bristol for Aero has an average entry of 540, which is 3 A*s and an A at A level. Bristol is a great Uni, but I'm just very surprised because the typical offer for this course is A*AA. This isn't just limited to Aero at Bristol. I feel like this is the case at a lot of Unis.

Where do these tariff points come from?


Many candidates will have General Studies or Critical Thinking at A level which boosts points. The 4th AS points will also be included as will points from other music etc qualifying awards. These aren't part of the Bristol offer, but they do boost points.
Original post by MAINE.
Explanation is fairly simple - for the people they give offers to their actual grades turn out to be in excess of their offers.


You are forgetting that the UCAS tariff takes account of all sorts of things that aren't A-levels (or that are A-levels but not always considered, like general studies). You get tariff points for the extra AS, music qualifications, volunteering qualifications, even equestrian qualifications. Often they will not have been taken into account by the university concerned but nevertheless count towards the tariff.
Original post by Student403
For example, the University of Bristol for Aero has an average entry of 540, which is 3 A*s and an A at A level. Bristol is a great Uni, but I'm just very surprised because the typical offer for this course is A*AA. This isn't just limited to Aero at Bristol. I feel like this is the case at a lot of Unis.

Where do these tariff points come from?


People getting higher grades than needed.
People taking extra qualifications.
People taking IB or international students doing other further education systems.
Reply 8
Avatar for Student403
Student403
OP
19
Original post by MAINE.
Explanation is fairly simple - for the people they give offers to their actual grades turn out to be in excess of their offers.


For the average applicant to meet the offer at Bristol by a full A* grade and another A* (from A), that's pretty insane, no?

Original post by Nmys
Where are you seeing these? These aren't on the website.
Also it might be something to do with the name - average entry may be what typically the students get, not what they're asking..


Yes it is what they get. Not what the Unis ask for. I was looking on some UK ranking sites

Original post by ombtom
Some people get 3 A*s and an A. Others have things like music exams (which can be worth up to 75 points each).


Original post by marple
Many candidates will have General Studies or Critical Thinking at A level which boosts points. The 4th AS points will also be included as will points from other music etc qualifying awards. These aren't part of the Bristol offer, but they do boost points.


The music exam seems to make sense, cheers.

Original post by morgan8002
People getting higher grades than needed.
People taking extra qualifications.
People taking IB or international students doing other further education systems.

Ah good point! Yes I think IB and APs etc. would definitely inflate the average
Original post by Student403
For example, the University of Bristol for Aero has an average entry of 540, which is 3 A*s and an A at A level. Bristol is a great Uni, but I'm just very surprised because the typical offer for this course is A*AA. This isn't just limited to Aero at Bristol. I feel like this is the case at a lot of Unis.

Where do these tariff points come from?


You don't get UCAS points purely from A2s. For instance, 90 of my UCAS points were from non-A2 qualifications (such as EPQ or AEA, neither of which take anywhere near as much time or effort as an actual A Level). Also, as others have mentioned, IB tends to inflate numbers.
Original post by Plagioclase
You don't get UCAS points purely from A2s. For instance, 90 of my UCAS points were from non-A2 qualifications (such as EPQ or AEA, neither of which take anywhere near as much time or effort as an actual A Level). Also, as others have mentioned, IB tends to inflate numbers.

So theoretically, for unis which offer based on tariff points, would it be better to be enrolled in the IB syllabus?
Original post by Student403
So theoretically, for unis which offer based on tariff points, would it be better to be enrolled in the IB syllabus?


Not really to be honest. Not that many universities give out offers based on tariff points (certainly none at the level of Bristol) anyway.
Original post by Plagioclase
Not really to be honest. Not that many universities give out offers based on tariff points (certainly none at the level of Bristol) anyway.

Yeah - I just read a few days ago that a set few do
Anyone with an art foundation course on top of A levels is going to have between 165 and 285 points in addition to their A level points. A student with AAA at A level and a distinction in an art foundation could have 360 + 285 = 645 points. As Bristol doesn't do art courses, it's not going to be a factor in these figures for them, but for the likes of Edinburgh, where the points per student is similarly high, it certainly will feature in the calculation.
Original post by Student403
Yeah - I just read a few days ago that a set few do


But almost none will make a straightforward pure tariff point offer.

In other words, they won't make the requirement 300 tariff points. They will make it 300 points from full A-levels or equivalent, or 300 points from A-levels and AS, of which 250 must come from full maths and physics A-levels, which will effectively discount completely all the irrelevant nonsense.
Original post by Good bloke
But almost none will make a straightforward pure tariff point offer.

In other words, they won't make the requirement 300 tariff points. They will make it 300 points from full A-levels or equivalent, or 300 points from A-levels and AS, of which 250 must come from full maths and physics A-levels, which will effectively discount completely all the irrelevant nonsense.

Cheers!
It is insane. What you must take into account however is the likes of people that get onto engineering courses at Russel Group unis are the top students in the country. These are the people that genuinely have an interest in their subject and are not purely motivated due to the financial rewards that a career in engineering brings. These are the people who have superb organisational skills and do everything they need to do and twice over.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you