The Student Room Group

Need some advice do i accept unconditional offer or not

i need some advice I am applying to uni this year and i have recieved a unconditional offer from a well respected uni however i have also recieved conditional offers from 2 unis i really also like which
i know a lot of people would say that the 2 unis i got the conditionals offer are much better
unis for law than the uni i got an unconditional offer from

but i am not sure what i should do as i like all 3 unis i like the courses and the actual uni themselves
i know if i accepted the unconditional that i would hypothetically speaking not need to put any work and still get in to the uni as i would have a unconditional
Any advice anyone been in similair position as me ?

Scroll to see replies

Original post by Jasonn789
i need some advice I am applying to uni this year and i have recieved a unconditional offer from a well respected uni however i have also recieved conditional offers from 2 unis i really also like which
i know a lot of people would say that the 2 unis i got the conditionals offer are much better
unis for law than the uni i got an unconditional offer from

but i am not sure what i should do as i like all 3 unis i like the courses and the actual uni themselves
i know if i accepted the unconditional that i would hypothetically speaking not need to put any work and still get in to the uni as i would have a unconditional
Any advice anyone been in similair position as me ?


Would you put it as your firm if you didn't have an unconditional? If not then maybe better not to firm it now either. Is it possible to put it as an insurance and have a better uni as your firm?
hmm tricky situation

the easy option would always be to accept the unconditional
My son had the same dilemma as you this past year.

In the end he firmed his conditional choice as the course and campus suited him equally. He made the unconditional offer his insurance choice. When he was waiting for A level results he knew whatever happened he had a Uni place. He has gone to his firm choice, but was happy to have the unconditional to fall back on, if things had not gone his way.
Go for a uni which has offered you a place under a conditional offer - whichever one suits you best; then accept the unconditional offer as your insurance; if you get the better uni after working for it, you'll be well chuffed, but if things don't go the way you want, at least you still have your unconditional to fall back on. So either way, you're going to uni; congratulations.
Reply 5
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Would you put it as your firm if you didn't have an unconditional? If not then maybe better not to firm it now either. Is it possible to put it as an insurance and have a better uni as your firm?


I would probably put that uni as my insurance well i was looking to i think thats why im a slighly awkward position as the unconditional can only be firmed
Reply 6
Original post by Bernadette04
My son had the same dilemma as you this past year.

In the end he firmed his conditional choice as the course and campus suited him equally. He made the unconditional offer his insurance choice. When he was waiting for A level results he knew whatever happened he had a Uni place. He has gone to his firm choice, but was happy to have the unconditional to fall back on, if things had not gone his way.


i cant make the unconditional my insurance i can only put it as my firm
Reply 7
Original post by bloodredbeat
Go for a uni which has offered you a place under a conditional offer - whichever one suits you best; then accept the unconditional offer as your insurance; if you get the better uni after working for it, you'll be well chuffed, but if things don't go the way you want, at least you still have your unconditional to fall back on. So either way, you're going to uni; congratulations.


I would only be able to accept the unconditional as my insurance though so not sure if i shoud accept it as if my A levels dont go as planned i dont have that unconditional anymore to use
Original post by Jasonn789
I would probably put that uni as my insurance well i was looking to i think thats why im a slighly awkward position as the unconditional can only be firmed


Ah okay well they're probably just doing it so you're pressured into accepting them. Possibly a reason to be off put.
Maybe it would be force contacting them saying that it's impossible for you to accept them as your firm and if they allow for insurance you can pick them. Basically trying to put them on the spot. It could work but I think if they don't do it give the implication that you won't go because of that, even if you plan to put it down anyway.
Original post by Jasonn789
I would only be able to accept the unconditional as my insurance though so not sure if i shoud accept it as if my A levels dont go as planned i dont have that unconditional anymore to use



In that case, if you want absolute certainty of a Uni place then firm the unconditional.

If you think you will achieve excellent A level results then firm one of the other choices. It really does hinge on whether you want to take the pressure off yourself right now with the unconditional, or whether you prefer to work hard to get into your conditional choice, and are prepared to let it go to the August results.

Be aware a lot of students tend to take their foot off the pedal when they firm an unconditional, and end up disappointed with their A level results. Most teachers really dislike unconditional offers for this reason. Psychologically students tend to not try as hard as they would if they had a conditional choice.

Wish you all the best whatever you decide to do.
Original post by Jasonn789
i need some advice I am applying to uni this year and i have recieved a unconditional offer from a well respected uni however i have also recieved conditional offers from 2 unis i really also like which
i know a lot of people would say that the 2 unis i got the conditionals offer are much better
unis for law than the uni i got an unconditional offer from

but i am not sure what i should do as i like all 3 unis i like the courses and the actual uni themselves
i know if i accepted the unconditional that i would hypothetically speaking not need to put any work and still get in to the uni as i would have a unconditional
Any advice anyone been in similair position as me ?


Don't get pressured into making any decision yet, especially the 'unconditional if firm' type. You have months to decide.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Remember, also, that such an offer prevents you from using the UCAS Adjustment if your results are better than expected.

In general, unconditional if firm offers are a marketing ploy (often used by universities that struggle to fill their courses) and should not distract you from making a choice that you feel is better for you
Reply 12
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Ah okay well they're probably just doing it so you're pressured into accepting them. Possibly a reason to be off put.
Maybe it would be force contacting them saying that it's impossible for you to accept them as your firm and if they allow for insurance you can pick them. Basically trying to put them on the spot. It could work but I think if they don't do it give the implication that you won't go because of that, even if you plan to put it down anyway.


yeah is see what you mean i have rang them up and they defiently clarifed the fact i couldnt put it as my insurance but they wouldnt move on their position regardless of what i said :frown:
Reply 13
Original post by Bernadette04
In that case, if you want absolute certainty of a Uni place then firm the unconditional.

If you think you will achieve excellent A level results then firm one of the other choices. It really does hinge on whether you want to take the pressure off yourself right now with the unconditional, or whether you prefer to work hard to get into your conditional choice, and are prepared to let it go to the August results.

Be aware a lot of students tend to take their foot off the pedal when they firm an unconditional, and end up disappointed with their A level results. Most teachers really dislike unconditional offers for this reason. Psychologically students tend to not try as hard as they would if they had a conditional choice.

Wish you all the best whatever you decide to do.


yeah i can see why many teachers would seem to not really like them and i do feel confident i would get my grades as my predicted grades are A*AA so i would be fairly confident in getting that as i got 3 As at As level
Reply 14
Original post by ageshallnot
Don't get pressured into making any decision yet, especially the 'unconditional if firm' type. You have months to decide.

Posted from TSR Mobile


yeah that is true i just not sure as the uni seems prietty clear i cant put them as my insurance i rang them to make sure of this
Reply 15
Original post by Good bloke
Remember, also, that such an offer prevents you from using the UCAS Adjustment if your results are better than expected.

In general, unconditional if firm offers are a marketing ploy (often used by universities that struggle to fill their courses) and should not distract you from making a choice that you feel is better for you


ohh does it i didnt realise it prevented me from using adjustment and ohhh this is a RG uni aswell so thats why im really not sure i do like the course but before the offer i wa sonly thinking about putting this uni as my insurance choice
And this is how they tempt you... Patience. Patience...
You should aim for the uni you want to go to. If you have two equally suitable, the Unconditional may swing it. Either way, you must continue to push for the best A level grades you can get, as future employers will use them as part of the selection for jobs.
I have a friend who had this situation last year, although the unconditional offer didn't come through until February. None of his 5 offers did.
Three things - are you sure that this uni won't also give you a conditional offer which you can use as insurance? You may find that, if they do, it is quite a nice low one. They may not rush to do it but it might still happen.
You don't have to make any decisions yet, do you? Don't rush into it.
And finally... my friend rejected his unconditional offer in the end, as he didn't really want to go there, tempting as the offer was. And then the night before his A level results they got back in touch with him to tell him that they'd still take him.
Original post by Jasonn789
i need some advice I am applying to uni this year and i have recieved a unconditional offer from a well respected uni however i have also recieved conditional offers from 2 unis i really also like which
i know a lot of people would say that the 2 unis i got the conditionals offer are much better
unis for law than the uni i got an unconditional offer from

but i am not sure what i should do as i like all 3 unis i like the courses and the actual uni themselves
i know if i accepted the unconditional that i would hypothetically speaking not need to put any work and still get in to the uni as i would have a unconditional
Any advice anyone been in similair position as me ?


I'm in the same situation this year. I'm accepting the conditional offer as my firm choice (making it unconditional) and if I do better than expected in August, gonna go through clearing/adjustment. You'll have so much less pressure accepting an unconditional.

Quick Reply

Latest