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What's the point of choosing a uni as your first choice?

I know first choice means you really want to go to that uni but why d you need to state that? Does the university look upon you more favorable if you do? Sorry no one explained this to us in school

Reply 1

VividBandicoot

18

You shouldn't say anywhere in your UCAS personal statement what uni is your 1st choice, as other unis might not like that. Keep your application unbiased and focus it only towards the subject not the uni.

Reply 2

claireestelle

22

the order you put them on your application makes no difference.

Reply 3

returnmigrant

21

The numbers alongside your choices are exactly that. Numbers.
They are NOT choice preferences.

Reply 4

dragonkeeper999

17

You only pick your 'first choice' uni AFTER you've received offers from universities - at which point you pick your first choice and a back-up to indicate to UCAS where in the end you have decided to go.

Universities DO NOT know what order they are in your preference (assuming you have some order of preference in your mind), nor does UCAS, since there is no way of you entering this information into the system unless you actually write in your personal statement "my first choice is uni of X". *

Reply 5

Abstract_Prism

20

I'll assume that you're talking about 'firm' and 'insurance' choices.

You make these choices after you get your offers. Your firm choice is the one that you will definitely attend if you fulfill the conditions of the offer. You are pretty much legally bound to attend, and if you change your mind you might still have to pay the fees. An insurance choice is one that you will go to if you don't meet the conditions for your firm choice. To make this possible, an insurance choice should have lower entry requirements than the firm choice.

If you're not talking about firm and insurance choices then it makes no difference. Universities cannot see where else you've applied and do not know what order you entered them in on UCAS.

Reply 6

returnmigrant

21

Original post by Abstract_Prism

Unis do not know what order you entered them in on UCAS.

Actually we can see this. But it means nothing significant so we ignore it - many applicants put their choices in alpha-order, or grade order or even totally random order, so Universities read nothing into it.

Reply 7

Doones

21

Original post by returnmigrant

Actually we can see this. But it means nothing significant so we ignore it - many applicants put their choices in alpha-order, or grade order or even totally random order, so Universities read nothing into it.

You might want to clarify this.

Universities can not see an applicants other choices until after the applicant has made their firm/insurance choices.

Edit to correct my own post!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

Abstract_Prism

20

Original post by returnmigrant

Actually we can see this. But it means nothing significant so we ignore it - many applicants put their choices in alpha-order, or grade order or even totally random order, so Universities read nothing into it.

They can only see it after offers are made.

Reply 9

returnmigrant

21

Original post by Abstract_Prism

They can only see it after offers are made.

Sorry, but this is not correct. We cannot see the names of the other Unis applied to until Firm choices are made but we can see the choice number from day 1.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 10

Blueberry.89

7

Original post by returnmigrant

Actually we can see this. But it means nothing significant so we ignore it - many applicants put their choices in alpha-order, or grade order or even totally random order, so Universities read nothing into it.

Regardless of how an applicant select their choices, UCAS automatically reorders all choices alphabetically. So the number you see is more related to how far down the alphabet your university name is.

Reply 11

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by Blueberry.89

Regardless of how an applicant select their choices, UCAS automatically reorders all choices alphabetically. So the number you see is more related to how far down the alphabet your university name is.

This definitely used to be the case (except it isn't alphabetically by name it is by UCAS institution code - but those are roughly alphabetical).

Choice number is not preference number/order. It's just a way that UCAS and university databases differentiate between applications from a single applicant. Eg all Extra and Clearing choices have choice number 7 so it's easy to identify clearing entrants.

It might be that UCAS no longer re-sort choices but it's well understood by universities that choice number doesn't mean ****.

You pick your firm and insurance in April - June (it's sometimes possible to pick earlier - it's a good idea to hold off until April even if you're sure).

Reply 12

Kraytz

OP

12

Original post by Abstract_Prism

I'll assume that you're talking about 'firm' and 'insurance' choices.

You make these choices after you get your offers. Your firm choice is the one that you will definitely attend if you fulfill the conditions of the offer. You are pretty much legally bound to attend, and if you change your mind you might still have to pay the fees. An insurance choice is one that you will go to if you don't meet the conditions for your firm choice. To make this possible, an insurance choice should have lower entry requirements than the firm choice.

If you're not talking about firm and insurance choices then it makes no difference. Universities cannot see where else you've applied and do not know what order you entered them in on UCAS.

Sorry guys I wasn't really clear but Abstract_Prisim answered my question, I didn't know you were legally obliged to attend your firm choice uni for, thanks all.

Reply 13

username6055675

4

Original post by Kraytz

Sorry guys I wasn't really clear but Abstract_Prisim answered my question, I didn't know you were legally obliged to attend your firm choice uni for, thanks all.

I don’t think you’re ‘legally obliged’ until you confirm your acceptance on results day - after all, some people decide not to attend, or defer their offer, and they certainly aren’t penalised for doing so.

Reply 14

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by University2023

I don’t think you’re ‘legally obliged’ until you confirm your acceptance on results day - after all, some people decide not to attend, or defer their offer, and they certainly aren’t penalised for doing so.

This is a 6 year old thread. The person you’re quoting has likely graduated from their degree now.

What's the point of choosing a uni as your first choice?

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