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if I get all the grades necessary, does one of my five uni choices have to accept me.

My friend said that if you don't get the grades they may reject you, but say if you work your ass off and get top grades or the grades necessary, isn't it the law that one of those five universities of your choice have to accept you.

Or can they all say no even though you've worked your ass off.

Thank you in advance
(edited 6 years ago)

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Original post by Efron
My friend said that if you don't get the grades they may reject you, but say if you work your ass off and get top grades or the grades necessary, isn't it the law that one of those five universities of your choice have to accept you.

Or can they all say no even though you've worked your ass off.

Thank you in advance


You apply to five. Assuming you get offers, you make one your firm choice and another your insurance (ie backup) choice. The others are automatically rejected.

If you get the grades for your firm they must accept you. If you miss your firm offer, they still might accept you eg if you don't miss by much.

If your firm reject you, then your insurance consider you on the same basis. If you have met their offer you are accepted. If not, it's at their discretion.



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Reply 2
Original post by Efron
My friend said that if you don't get the grades they may reject you, but say if you work your ass off and get top grades or the grades necessary, isn't it the law that one of those five universities of your choice have to accept you.

Or can they all say no even though you've worked your ass off.

Thank you in advance


It looks to me that you're not clear on the process.

You apply to five universities.
Between zero and five of those universities give you an offer, e.g. if you get AAA, you can come here.
If you get zero offers and then if you "work your ass off and get top grades" no university will accept you as none made an offer.
If you get more than one offer, you have to start choosing firms and insurance as ageshallnot explained.
Original post by Efron
My friend said that if you don't get the grades they may reject you, but say if you work your ass off and get top grades or the grades necessary, isn't it the law that one of those five universities of your choice have to accept you.

Or can they all say no even though you've worked your ass off.

Thank you in advance


Unfortunately, most people apply to uni before they have their grades.

You apply from September-January of year 13, so you don't have A-levels yet. You do have predicted grades, GCSEs, a reference and a PS. You apply to up to 5 unis, and they accept or reject you based on these five factors. The deadline for this is before your A-level results.

Once you have offers, you chose a firm and an insurance. Your firm has to accept you, if you have the grades. If not, and you have the grades for your insurance, they have to accept you.

No uni has to accept you when you first apply. However, if you're sensible and target unis where you have the right academic profile, chances are you will get 5 acceptances.

If you apply after A-levels, with the correct grades, it's very unlikely you'd be rejected. But you could be if you have an awful reference or some other factor that makes unis dubious.
You reject 3 of your choices months before you get your results. One is your firm or top choice and a second is your insurance or second choice. If you get the grades for your firm you go to that uni. Your insurance should be lower than your firm. If you don't get into your firm but get into your insurance then you go there.
Reply 5
I think it's the UK education authority that would not accept it by law if a student got all the grades but still didn't get accepted to one of their five choices in which they got the necessary grades to enter in.
Reply 6
If they make someone an offer, and they accept the offer and then meet the conditions there's a binding contract. The offer holder will have a place at that university*

*Sometimes they might cancel the entire course but that's rare.

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Reply 7
I think OP is confused about the offer/firm/results timing and process. I've assumed they have applied and received offers with results pending :smile: (ie the normal order of things...).

Ageshallnot has already answered anyway...

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Reply 8
Original post by Efron
I think it's the UK education authority that would not accept it by law if a student got all the grades but still didn't get accepted to one of their five choices in which they got the necessary grades to enter in.


Have you applied to universities already? Are you sitting your A-levels this June?

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Original post by Efron
I think it's the UK education authority that would not accept it by law if a student got all the grades but still didn't get accepted to one of their five choices in which they got the necessary grades to enter in.


OP - you’re mistaken. Even if you ‘got all the grades’ you could still end up without an offer. Though that should be unlikely if you’ve chosen a sensible mix of unis in your 5 choices.
Reply 10
I ain't talking about an offer, I'm not talking about putting your predicted grades, if you got the necessary grades finished and then apply for university, it's law that because you meet the right criteria then one of those five universities that you opt for need to accept you.

That's the law in the UK educational authority, otherwise everyone can work there asses off and still not get a place every year evan though there getting the necessary A levels. The government has a responsibility to give you the opportunity to study in your contribution to study and get the necessary grades.
Reply 11
hahaha omg, a Law to make sure people get into University hahaha what offence would this be then😂 What is OP talking, maybe, before going to University redo school lol
Reply 12
Original post by Doonesbury
Have you applied to universities already? Are you sitting your A-levels this June?

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No I'm talking a six month intensive access course in law that finishes in August, at September I will
Original post by Doonesbury
Have you applied to universities already? Are you sitting your A-levels this June?

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No I'm doing a six month intensive access course in law,
It finishes in August I'll then apply for university in 2019 entry, I'm not sure how I can go this year.
Original post by Efron
I ain't talking about an offer, I'm not talking about putting your predicted grades, if you got the necessary grades finished and then apply for university, it's law that because you meet the right criteria then one of those five universities that you opt for need to accept you.

That's the law in the UK educational authority, otherwise everyone can work there asses off and still not get a place every year evan though there getting the necessary A levels. The government has a responsibility to give you the opportunity to study in your contribution to study and get the necessary grades.


No university has a legal obligation to accept a student, regardless of their grades.
Reply 14
Original post by Efron
I ain't talking about an offer, I'm not talking about putting your predicted grades, if you got the necessary grades finished and then apply for university, it's law that because you meet the right criteria then one of those five universities that you opt for need to accept you.

That's the law in the UK educational authority, otherwise everyone can work there asses off and still not get a place every year evan though there getting the necessary A levels. The government has a responsibility to give you the opportunity to study in your contribution to study and get the necessary grades.


Original post by Efron
No I'm talking a six month intensive access course in law that finishes in August, at September I will


No I'm doing a six month intensive access course in law,
It finishes in August I'll then apply for university in 2019 entry, I'm not sure how I can go this year.


Ok, so no there's no law or requirement for a university to make you an offer just because your achieved grades meet their typical requirements.

However if you do meet the requirements then it makes getting an offer more likely. It doesn't make it guaranteed though.

( looks like you were right in your assumption...!)
Reply 15
What do you mean keep your choices reasonable?
Original post by Efron
My friend said that if you don't get the grades they may reject you, but say if you work your ass off and get top grades or the grades necessary, isn't it the law that one of those five universities of your choice have to accept you.

Or can they all say no even though you've worked your ass off.

Thank you in advance


There is no law saying that any university HAS to accept any student. It's theoretically possible that you could be rejected from all 5, yes. Just, unlikely I've you've achieved the grades they've asked for.
Reply 17
@Efron think of it like this...
Cambridge has about 3,500 places per year and their typical offer is A*AA-A*A*A.
Consider that in total in England approx 13,000 students achieve A*A*A or better at A-level every year.
If they all applied with those grades achieved Camrbidge physically doesn't have room for them all.

So no, it's not the "law" that it must accept them.
(edited 6 years ago)
No such this as a law making Unis give places to people just because they got the grades. If you apply and already achieved the specific grades, they have every right to reject you if your eg. Personal statment sucks.
Grades aren’t the only thing that get you a place at a uni.
Reply 19
Well If I get a distinction in this access course, and wait for 2019 entry, I may apply for Oxford, Warwick University, King's college, UCL or university of Westminster.

After my course finishes on August, I may then do A level English and drama in September and get a conditional offer alongside my already done access course for 2019 entry, seeing if my A levels finish before September 2019, I'm 20 years old by the way.
(edited 6 years ago)

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