A*A*A predicted grades - what should my back up choice be?

I have already made a thread like this before - but I have got feedback from my teachers and I am even more confused so I would appreciate any help!! I would like to start sending my application for Law off by the end of the week (once I send it, it gets reviewed by my college so could be another week before officially sent).

Anyway, I had happily decided on the following unis:

KCL (A*AA)
Birmingham (AAA)
Leeds (AAA)
Bristol (AAA)
Cardiff (AAA - AAB)

I was happy on these 5 and have been predicted A*A*A (think I can potentially achieve 1 A* but KCL is being thrown in for mere chance)

However, when talking to my law teacher, he seemed quite concerned that I have no clear insurance choice incase something happens to my grades. Now I am torn because I was happy with these choices and really don't want to swap Cardiff for a lower uni as I live 45 mins away and love it, but it's the lowest ranked out of my universities. Should I change my choices? And how low should my back up choice be? I would ideally like to keep a welsh uni, I think if I had to swap Cardiff, it would be for Swansea (BBB)- and people on this forum have already told me that that is way too low compared to my predicted grades. And as Cardiff has said they are (AAA - AAB) - what is the chances of me relying on them as an AAB uni and using them as an insurance?

So torn right now, I have tried to look for ABB unis but there just are none for Law!! Want to send off my application this week so I can stop stressing

Hi, my daughter has applied for Law at uni recently and is waiting for all her decisions. Cardiff was one of the Open Days we visited and, check with their Admissions but, I'm pretty sure that they said on the Law presentation that they give AAB offers as standard.

If they confirm this to you then I would say that Cardiff would be an ideal insurance choice - you could drop a whole grade on each of your A levels (compared to your predictions) and still get in - and that's before even having to rely on any lenience on their part. I think you should have confidence in your ability to get at least those grades provided you put the work in.

By the way, Cardiff seems to be a great uni, and is a great city and very good for law employability - they also have a partnership with a big local law firm where you can apply for an internship as part of your studies (can't remember the exact details but you may find it on their website)

By the way, are you doing the Welsh Bacc? If so, I think Cardiff also accept that as one of your three "A levels". My daughter did it but, in the end, none of the unis she applied for seemed to accept it so she has dropped it this year to concentrate on her A levels.

I don't think that you need a backup with AAB or ABB, considering that your predictions are A*A*A. A fall of 3 or 4 grades should be unlikely on results day if you prepare properly for the exams.

Besides, there's a big fall in the sort of university you're applying to when going below the AAA threshold - the Bristols and Warwicks become Astons and B'hams. Speaking to someone who presumably has strong grades, I wouldn't advise considering them - they're below your level.

I have had a friend at my sixth form who got predicted 3A*s and ended up with AAB, so I wouldn't count on bare predictions especially since A*s are very tricky to get in some exams and may well depend on how lucky you are. Try something like Liverpool for ABB for the worst case scenario and don't stress- in fact, knowing that you need to achieve nearly perfect grades to even get into your insurance will only add up to your exam stress.

Thank you!! This is what I mean about my grades maybe dropping to AAB - but I really don't want to swap any of my choices especially Cardiff and so wondering whether they can be relied on as an AAB uni ((

I have already made a thread like this before - but I have got feedback from my teachers and I am even more confused so I would appreciate any help!! I would like to start sending my application for Law off by the end of the week (once I send it, it gets reviewed by my college so could be another week before officially sent).

Anyway, I had happily decided on the following unis:

KCL (A*AA)
Birmingham (AAA)
Leeds (AAA)
Bristol (AAA)
Cardiff (AAA - AAB)

I was happy on these 5 and have been predicted A*A*A (think I can potentially achieve 1 A* but KCL is being thrown in for mere chance)

However, when talking to my law teacher, he seemed quite concerned that I have no clear insurance choice incase something happens to my grades. Now I am torn because I was happy with these choices and really don't want to swap Cardiff for a lower uni as I live 45 mins away and love it, but it's the lowest ranked out of my universities. Should I change my choices? And how low should my back up choice be? I would ideally like to keep a welsh uni, I think if I had to swap Cardiff, it would be for Swansea (BBB)- and people on this forum have already told me that that is way too low compared to my predicted grades. And as Cardiff has said they are (AAA - AAB) - what is the chances of me relying on them as an AAB uni and using them as an insurance?

So torn right now, I have tried to look for ABB unis but there just are none for Law!! Want to send off my application this week so I can stop stressing

I think Cardiff would be sensible, as on the results day they may allow you to drop a grade (depends on the demand for the places, of course) and so should Leeds, as this year they accepted ABB students onto AAA courses due to the lack of demand and abundance of places for law.
btw, Law is a *****.

I have already made a thread like this before - but I have got feedback from my teachers and I am even more confused so I would appreciate any help!! I would like to start sending my application for Law off by the end of the week (once I send it, it gets reviewed by my college so could be another week before officially sent).

Anyway, I had happily decided on the following unis:

KCL (A*AA)
Birmingham (AAA)
Leeds (AAA)
Bristol (AAA)
Cardiff (AAA - AAB)

I was happy on these 5 and have been predicted A*A*A (think I can potentially achieve 1 A* but KCL is being thrown in for mere chance)

However, when talking to my law teacher, he seemed quite concerned that I have no clear insurance choice incase something happens to my grades. Now I am torn because I was happy with these choices and really don't want to swap Cardiff for a lower uni as I live 45 mins away and love it, but it's the lowest ranked out of my universities. Should I change my choices? And how low should my back up choice be? I would ideally like to keep a welsh uni, I think if I had to swap Cardiff, it would be for Swansea (BBB)- and people on this forum have already told me that that is way too low compared to my predicted grades. And as Cardiff has said they are (AAA - AAB) - what is the chances of me relying on them as an AAB uni and using them as an insurance?

So torn right now, I have tried to look for ABB unis but there just are none for Law!! Want to send off my application this week so I can stop stressing

Wow, I'm surprised at that but thanks! (Hoping to be part of Access to Leeds scheme so that might help my offers).. And why? 😂 Do you study it?

Why don't you feel confident at achieving your predicted grades? What were your AS/ end-of-yr-12-school-exams grades? Assuming your predicted grades are sensible predictions (i.e. you got AAA with 90%+ in two subjects at AS) then you shouldn't have a problem getting offers and meeting at least AAA grades. If however your AS grades were quite a bit lower than you may need to reconsider - just because your school predicts you particular grades doesn't necessarily mean you're on target for them. Based on your recent exam scores and marks in school tests/ homework etc. what kind of grades are you currently on target for?

If Cardiff have a standard offer AAA-AAB then, assuming they follow the same offer strategy as most other unis with offer ranges, they will give everyone predicted AAA or higher the AAA offer, but if you are predicted AAB or lower, or have some kind of extenuating circumstances, they will give out the lower AAB offer. So no, you definitely can't rely on them as an AAB uni... That being said, they may be more flexible on results day if you did end up with AAB seeing as they are taking on other students with those grades anyway...

Check on UniStats about the offer statistics for your universities - when I looked them up for my course (Natural Sciences at a range of top unis) three of them gave offers to 95%+ of applicants, i.e. everyone who applied with roughly the right grades was given an offer. If you notice similar statistics for your universities then you can replace one of your four AAA options that you're not so keen on (relying on the high likelihood of getting an offer from another AAA uni you prefer anyway) with a lower grade option like Swansea.

You mentioned you particularly loved Cardiff uni - have you had a chance to visit all of your uni choices? If so and you prefer Cardiff, don't be put off by the lower offer grades/ pressure to go to the "best" uni possible - there's absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a lower ranked/ grade uni if you think you will do best there

Access to Leeds is great, but one of the conditions of receiving an offer of ABB is firming it, so if you insure it- you still going to end up with them asking for AAA.

I study it and have a weird love-hate relationship going on. Most of my evenings I spend staring blankly into the Blackstone's statutes on property law book whilst my mates are out, which pisses me off a bit. It's a sacrifice I am willing to make and can even manage to enjoy it, but some of the people on my course already gave up, so make sure you are absolutely dedicated to it and willing to give up some sleep in favour of crying over your notes on unregistered land.

I have already made a thread like this before - but I have got feedback from my teachers and I am even more confused so I would appreciate any help!! I would like to start sending my application for Law off by the end of the week (once I send it, it gets reviewed by my college so could be another week before officially sent).

Anyway, I had happily decided on the following unis:

KCL (A*AA)
Birmingham (AAA)
Leeds (AAA)
Bristol (AAA)
Cardiff (AAA - AAB)

I was happy on these 5 and have been predicted A*A*A (think I can potentially achieve 1 A* but KCL is being thrown in for mere chance)

However, when talking to my law teacher, he seemed quite concerned that I have no clear insurance choice incase something happens to my grades. Now I am torn because I was happy with these choices and really don't want to swap Cardiff for a lower uni as I live 45 mins away and love it, but it's the lowest ranked out of my universities. Should I change my choices? And how low should my back up choice be? I would ideally like to keep a welsh uni, I think if I had to swap Cardiff, it would be for Swansea (BBB)- and people on this forum have already told me that that is way too low compared to my predicted grades. And as Cardiff has said they are (AAA - AAB) - what is the chances of me relying on them as an AAB uni and using them as an insurance?

So torn right now, I have tried to look for ABB unis but there just are none for Law!! Want to send off my application this week so I can stop stressing

Don't change it, if those are the unis you like, stick with them. If by some ridiculous stroke of bad luck you can't get an offer from at least 2 of the 5 you've chosen you can use UCAS extra to apply to a lower grade uni.

If you get offers from your favourites but fail to meet the requirements on results day, go through clearing. I know my local universities advertise the life out of clearing because they need it to fill numbers. So if you do screw up on the day, you'll still be able to get in somewhere with ABB or BBB or something. At least by applying the way you are now you have a good shot at getting the unis you want.

I'm in the same position. I'm also a law applicant, applied to
Cambridge (waiting for interview invites)
Durham (ABB offer)
Nottingham (AAA offer)
Warwick (AAA offer)
Newcastle (AAA offer)

So also bear in mind that they can give you lower offers if they think you're good enough. If you want the peace of mind then next swap it out, but I personally was willing to risk it for my favourites, plus law is competitive enough without having gone to a Uni with a nonexistent reputation for it. I know people maintain it doesn't matter, but I've been to London on work experience and didn't meet any trainee who went to a uni outside of maybe the top 15 in the country.

Good luck!

I got 3 A's in the AS' I have chose to continue, with A's in all the papers but one geog where I had a B. I dont really understand how this 90% for an A* works tbh.

This is what I was worried about with Cardiff 😬 but I really dont know out of my other options what I am willing to lose!!

Well, to get an A* at A2 you need 90%+, so if you got 90%+ at AS it is essentially the equivalent of getting an A* at AS / being on track for an A* at A2 at least. Whereas if you just scraped 80% at AS it's going to be pretty hard to improve your grades in two subjects up to 90%+

I'd recommend visiting the universities and working out whether they would suit you. Also, look into the details of the course - even courses with the same course name vary A LOT between universities - for example for Law, some universities may only teach British or European law whereas others may offer options to study international law. Some may require you to specialise in a particular area of law whereas others let you stay broad throughout the course. There may be options to do a year in industry or a year abroad at some universities, and they may have links with partner companies/ universities to assist with this and summer placements. Look into how flexible the course is - are there loads of core modules on areas of law you are less interested in? Are there options to take modules from other subjects, e.g. a language or business module? Also think about how the course is assessed and whether this suits you - are you someone who prefers exams or coursework? Think to yourself, if you were given five offers, which two would you firm. Keep these universities on your list. Also keep a suitable lower grade option as a back-up. Then you can swap around the ones you aren't as interested in

How is the 90% calculated though? And how do I work it out? I think I have missed most uni open days now but I will look into the courses just want to send it off now!

It should be written on your results slips...

Most universities will let you look around any time (if you email beforehand they may even offer you a private tour), and many are still running open days until the application deadline so you can still visit if you have time But if not, just looking at the full details of the courses online will definitely help

Do you mean my UMS marks? Because I have no idea how to work it out from there lmao..

Thanks, would love to stick to my current 5 as that would be easiest - but will look into AAB unis - just means I will have to delay submitting my application a little longer ahh