Opting for universities with much lower entrance requirements than predicted

She has already applied and had her offers

Your expertise in this area is greater than mine but my view of thinking is that if she feels intimidated in these 2 she could possibly decline all offers and go through extra if she was to find a suitable place. Obviously it is a risk but by emailing the particular university first they might indicate whether the applicant would be successful. It is a fact that some are put off Exeter and to a lesser degree Warwick due to the perceived image of being white and middle class. Both take on around 30% private school students whereas places like for instance Lancaster have a very low private school intake.

It is just a thought that this maybe behind the reasoning although this is not necessarily the reason.

Also with the predicted grades it is likely most unis would welcome this student

If this student's school was not so keen on 'game playing' ie 'put your application in before the Oxbridge deadline to fool other universities you're applying for Oxbridge' (presumably assuming this is a good thing), she would have had more time.

I wonder why the student went along with that but isn't responsive to other 'aspirational' suggestions????

This may be her little personal act of rebellion against a process of which she felt she had little ownership. The school would have assumed these were safety choices when in fact she always intended to go to one of them and not to Warwick or Exeter.

Thanks for all the replies.

She's changed her mind and decided that Warwick is for her! :-)

She says she intends to put Warwick as her first choice and Royal Holloway as her insurance choice, although she is undecided on the second choice.

Her Dad and I are pleased and hope that she sticks with it.

As for being white, middle class and privately educated; she is white and her background is that she was entitled to free school meals for a time when she lived with her Mum because her Mum is on benefits but her Dad and I are in management jobs, so I am not sure what that technically makes step daughter! She has gone to a state school which was in special measures twice in her time there, and I know some universities also take this into account.

Her school does seem quite keen for them to apply to good universities though and I think both the school and we have been keen for her to aim as high as she is capable.