Why are the entry requirements so bizarre in UK universities

Because universities are hilariously bad at deciding levels of entry for Access to HE Diploma applicants.

Example 1: I am currently studying an access course in electronic engineering, I am looking at going into computer science at uni. I have an offer from KCL for 33 distinction, 12 merit (I think it's a fair enough offer). I also have an offer from bath (a university of about equal reputation) for 36 distinction, 3 merit, the remaining 6 at pass. Why does Bath want 3 more distinctions but is willing to let me have 6 credits at a pass grade (a grade which I personally think is so easy to achieve my 14 year old brother could do it)? Who the hell knows.

Example 2: A classmate of mine applied to several universities for civil engineering (he's doing the civil engineering/built environment access course), all with varying offers. Brighton gave him an offer of something like 18 units at merit (just about the easiest offer to a year 1 entry in the country if you ask me), Southbank (definitely in the "close to but not quite at the bottom of the barrel" class) university gave him an offer of something like 15-18 distinction, 15-18 merit, the rest at pass. Kingston (not a great uni, let's be honest, about the same level as Brighton I think) won't even let him into year 1 entry with an access course, and will only let him onto a degree with a foundation year. Why? Like I said before, not a bleeding clue.

Example 3: Durham run a foundation programme, where students of varying abilities and experiences, mostly mature and international students, can get onto do degrees at Durham without A*s at A level. A man on the course I did last year got on it. His offer was to simply pass the course. I would say this makes sense, as most people who go on the course have been out of education for some time and often receive unconditional offers.

Southampton (a university with a similar reputation to Durham in its engineering department) also runs a foundation year programme for students who don't meet the specified requirements of A*AA at A-level. The A-level requirement is ABB, pretty fair I would say. However, if doing an Access to HE diploma, the requirement is ALL credits at distinction, no questions asked (this is the same requirement as OXBRIDGE to get on their normal degree). A girl on my course last year was so dedicated to getting on this course she actually did it! If it were me I would've told southampton to do one and go somewhere else.

As one can see, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to universities' Access to HE requirements (other than *most* top 30 unis having an entry requirement somewhere between 30 and 39 distinctions). The only conclusion that can be drawn in my eyes is that an embarrassingly high proportion of universities have no idea what the appropriate entry requirements for access course students should be.

You're more than welcome to draw your own conclusions.

May I ask how is UCL's offer 28 credits at distinction? Each unit at access is 3 credits, 3 doesn't go into 28, you can't get half a merit and half a distinction in an individual unit.

The better unis have it so because what you get on your course is pretty much irrelevant. It is the getting the offer in the first place which causes the bother. For example, UCL's LLB is a meagre 28 at distinction, but chances of getting an offer with any L3 is not that great. With Access, it's incredibly difficult.

The better unis have it so because what you get on your course is pretty much irrelevant. It is the getting the offer in the first place which causes the bother. For example, UCL's LLB is a meagre 28 at distinction, but chances of getting an offer with any L3 is not that great. With Access, it's incredibly difficult.

Because universities are hilariously bad at deciding levels of entry for Access to HE Diploma applicants.

Example 1: I am currently studying an access course in electronic engineering, I am looking at going into computer science at uni. I have an offer from KCL for 33 distinction, 12 merit (I think it's a fair enough offer). I also have an offer from bath (a university of about equal reputation) for 36 distinction, 3 merit, the remaining 6 at pass. Why does Bath want 3 more distinctions but is willing to let me have 6 credits at a pass grade (a grade which I personally think is so easy to achieve my 14 year old brother could do it)? Who the hell knows.

Example 2: A classmate of mine applied to several universities for civil engineering (he's doing the civil engineering/built environment access course), all with varying offers. Brighton gave him an offer of something like 18 units at merit (just about the easiest offer to a year 1 entry in the country if you ask me), Southbank (definitely in the "close to but not quite at the bottom of the barrel" class) university gave him an offer of something like 15-18 distinction, 15-18 merit, the rest at pass. Kingston (not a great uni, let's be honest, about the same level as Brighton I think) won't even let him into year 1 entry with an access course, and will only let him onto a degree with a foundation year. Why? Like I said before, not a bleeding clue.

Example 3: Durham run a foundation programme, where students of varying abilities and experiences, mostly mature and international students, can get onto do degrees at Durham without A*s at A level. A man on the course I did last year got on it. His offer was to simply pass the course. I would say this makes sense, as most people who go on the course have been out of education for some time and often receive unconditional offers.

Southampton (a university with a similar reputation to Durham in its engineering department) also runs a foundation year programme for students who don't meet the specified requirements of A*AA at A-level. The A-level requirement is ABB, pretty fair I would say. However, if doing an Access to HE diploma, the requirement is ALL credits at distinction, no questions asked (this is the same requirement as OXBRIDGE to get on their normal degree). A girl on my course last year was so dedicated to getting on this course she actually did it! If it were me I would've told southampton to do one and go somewhere else.

As one can see, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to universities' Access to HE requirements (other than *most* top 30 unis having an entry requirement somewhere between 30 and 39 distinctions). The only conclusion that can be drawn in my eyes is that an embarrassingly high proportion of universities have no idea what the appropriate entry requirements for access course students should be.

You're more than welcome to draw your own conclusions.

May I ask how is UCL's offer 28 credits at distinction? Each unit at access is 3 credits, 3 doesn't go into 28, you can't get half a merit and half a distinction in an individual unit.

5 units are 3 credits, and the other 5 are 6 credits.

Sorry but what point are you trying to make? Your wording's a bit off.

Are you saying the hardest part of applying with access to HE is getting the offers from universities in the first place? And what do you mean by "the better unis have it so because what you get on your course is pretty much irrelevant"?

The better unis have it so that what you get on the course is pretty much irrelevant. 45 credits at distinction is never going to be comparable, in what it says about you, as A*A*A* (i.e. the max you could achieve at A-Level or 45 IB). My point is further that 45 credits at distinction is not a true comparison to A*AA (i.e. the LLB offer) in difficulty or how it is perceived by unis.

Being able to meet 28 at distinction won't do; they're really only going to consider students on 45 at distinction and even then, they're not going to give much consideration at all. In essence, the getting an offer and the terms of the offer are nearly entirely disconnected. That's why some places have it at 12 at distinction and some have it at 45.

The better unis have it so that what you get on the course is pretty much irrelevant. 45 credits at distinction is never going to be comparable, in what it says about you, as A*A*A* (i.e. the max you could achieve at A-Level or 45 IB). My point is further that 45 credits at distinction is not a true comparison to A*AA (i.e. the LLB offer) in difficulty or how it is perceived by unis.

Being able to meet 28 at distinction won't do; they're really only going to consider students on 45 at distinction and even then, they're not going to give much consideration at all. In essence, the getting an offer and the terms of the offer are nearly entirely disconnected. That's why some places have it at 12 at distinction and some have it at 45.

Your point is contradictory. If the unis have it so what you get on the access course is "irrelevant", why would they only want people with 45 distinctions? If it were irrelevant surely the opposite would be true?

Regardless of that I actually agree with what you said about 45 distinctions at access Vs A*A A at A-level, why then would a uni like bath give me an offer of only 36 distinction 3 merit (this is the same offer as listed on their website) to a course with an A level requirement of A* A A, when Kingston doesn't even take access courses for direct entry into year 1 of their degree?

Your point is contradictory. If the unis have it so what you get on the access course is "irrelevant", why would they only want people with 45 distinctions? If it were irrelevant surely the opposite would be true?

Regardless of that I actually agree with what you said about 45 distinctions at access Vs A*A A at A-level, why then would a uni like bath give me an offer of only 36 distinction 3 merit (this is the same offer as listed on their website) to a course with an A level requirement of A* A A, when Kingston doesn't even take access courses for direct entry into year 1 of their degree?

The crapper unis have more experience of Access students. Maybe a few terrible students, from Access, matriculated at the sacred institution and ruined it for everyone else. It happens sometimes; plus Access is typically poor prep for many STEM courses.

The crapper unis have more experience of Access students. Maybe a few terrible students, from Access, matriculated at the sacred institution and ruined it for everyone else. It happens sometimes; plus Access is typically poor prep for many STEM courses.

UCL don't have any interviews, unless they want to clarify extenuating circumstances, neither does Kings college.

Are interviews offered? Yes

Are all applicants interviewed? No. Only candidates deemed to be borderline or from non-traditional academic backgrounds may be called for interview.

Are all those made an offer interviewed? No. The majority of admissions decisions are made on basis of information provided on UCAS application form.

And that grading is not an offer they give, it is the initial requirement on their website before you evan make your application.

It is an offer. You could make an application with CCC at A-Level. You just wouldn't be successful.

I didn't respond to your 2 other posts, which were also factually inaccurate, because I don't care to educate you.

Hahaha, UCL and Kings college do not have interviews, they only take them in (as you have clearly copy and pasted) for some cases as I have already stated.

I really do not know what you're trying to prove by uttering fatal information that rather confuses the striving student, but if your point is that access courses aren't worth **** compared to A levels, or that there less regarded, (excluding the sciences who have specific subject requirements) then if it makes you happy, okay little boy Acces courses are are extensively inferior to that of A levels in that it's not evan worth measuring.

Now if that makes you happy then pat yourself on the back, in the mean time I advise you for the sake of good karma to stop uttering hearsay and in my opinion BS on the Internet.

UCL ask for 28 credits at distinction and the rest at merit in my Access course for entry into the law LLB, there are 45 graded credits overall, but the university of Birmingham ask for all credits at distinction and many other universities such as Liverpool and Manchester ask for the same as Birmingham meanwhile Kings college and UCL don't mind if a couple of my credits are at merit evan though there A level entry requirements for law are A*AA, oh and they take in extinuating circumstances for English and math GCSE in which I don't have but the other ones don't really sound to friendly in that regard when I contacted them.

Isn't UCL and Kings supposed to be really competitive seeing as there in Central London thus attracting many international applicants? If so why are there entry requirements so low for my access course, while others take my access course as a second/third best to A levels.

By the way I'm predicted all my units at distinction anyway.

Thank you in advance

access is considered harder than a levels and many university's prefer it to a levels, i'm not saying it is harder but that's the truth i'm hearing.