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Students on campus, Nottingham University
University of Nottingham
Nottingham
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I got two grades lower than required but still got in without clearing

I was applying to Nottingham, which requires A*AA, for the statistics course. For my particular course, an A in maths, further maths (or A* in maths and B in further maths) and physics would do the trick. I was always confident I would be able to muster up this sort of grades at least, and, on results day, it was revealed that I did indeed get in. However, my results were much worse than anything I could ever imagine: not only did I not get an A* in maths, I also somehow managed to miss out on an A in both further maths and even physics, for which I was literally 99.9% sure I'd get borderline A/A*. Additionally, I failed to get the highest grade in my native Russian and got D3 (=A) for French Pre-U.

I was shocked to see what I saw for two reasons: one is obviously how shockingly bad the results were, but the other, more relevant question I was asking myself was: how on Earth did I get in without clearing? I got two grades lower than was required (B instead of A for further maths and B instead of A for physics)! I mean if I missed out by a grade, that would roughly be explicable by a good personal statement, extra A-levels, etc, but two?

Anyone have any ideas? Could it be that the course is nearly empty and Nottingham recruit weaker students to fill it? Or perhaps it really was my personal statement that came to my rescue?
(edited 5 years ago)

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Reply 1
Avatar for Abacuse
Abacuse
10
Physics course at Nottingham required A*AA on their website when I was applying for Uni last year, but I somehow got in through clearing with ABB, so it might be possible they did get enough students in the Uni
Students on campus, Nottingham University
University of Nottingham
Nottingham
Visit website
Really? That's bizarre. 3 grades below? Wow. Maybe it's just a Nottingham thing - they deliberately establish higher entry requirements to attract brighter students? Do you know any other people like yourself?
Really? That's bizarre. 3 grades below? Wow. Maybe it's just a Nottingham thing - they deliberately establish higher entry requirements to attract brighter students - or so they don't get flooded with applications? Do you know any other people like yourself?
Reply 4
Avatar for Abacuse
Abacuse
10
Original post by MathsMaxMapsMats
Really? That's bizarre. 3 grades below? Wow. Maybe it's just a Nottingham thing - they deliberately establish higher entry requirements to attract brighter students - or so they don't get flooded with applications? Do you know any other people like yourself?


Maybe, but Nottingham is a very good Uni, its in the Russel group and quite high up there in the league tables, and no I don't know anyone else who this happened to.
Original post by Abacuse
Maybe, but Nottingham is a very good Uni, its in the Russel group and quite high up there in the league tables, and no I don't know anyone else who this happened to.

I know it's a good uni - especially for statistics - but I find it weird that their actual entry requirements are so low (ABB).
Original post by MathsMaxMapsMats
Really? That's bizarre. 3 grades below? Wow. Maybe it's just a Nottingham thing - they deliberately establish higher entry requirements to attract brighter students? Do you know any other people like yourself?


Same, I was 3 grades below as well and they still let me in to do English some how. Guess they're just feeling extremely generous this year :biggrin:
Supply and demand. If there are fewer applicants or fewer who get the required grades, they drop the entry standards.

Nothing to do with your personal statement.

Congratulations BTW.
Original post by chazwomaq
Supply and demand. If there are fewer applicants or fewer who get the required grades, they drop the entry standards.

Nothing to do with your personal statement.

Congratulations BTW.

Yeah, it could just be that, or it could be that they always knew the majority of applicants wouldn't meet the requirements but still left them as they were to attract brighter students.

I appreciate your congratulations, but there is really nothing to congratulate me for, as it isn't actually my achievement that I got in - it's Nottingham that deserves all the merit.
Original post by ZelahShakira
Same, I was 3 grades below as well and they still let me in to do English some how. Guess they're just feeling extremely generous this year :biggrin:

Wow, well done! I think that pretty much confirms my theory of attracting stronger scholars.
Original post by MathsMaxMapsMats
Really? That's bizarre. 3 grades below? Wow. Maybe it's just a Nottingham thing - they deliberately establish higher entry requirements to attract brighter students? Do you know any other people like yourself?

they've actually stated this on their youtube channel, they stated that universities often put higher grade boundaries than they'll accept to make them see more prestigious and get smarter pupils.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvF7-5SIJ8
Universities are businesses, they want to the money, and so if they have empty seats they are going to do whatever they can to get the money and that would mean accepting students only to fill up these "empty" seats, even if you don't fulfil their requirements. They (Universities) simply, eat you up, chew you and then spit you out into the world which is unfortunately not as nice and cosy as University.
Reply 12
Avatar for alws
alws
18
They appear to have had many vacant places on courses this year, some courses have clearing or acceptance grades much lower than the advertised grades on the course page. For example, Chemsitry BSc has been lowered from AAB-ABB normally to BBC (with C in chemistry :colonhash:) in clearing. They will probably have issues in the future with drop outs!
Original post by alws
They appear to have had many vacant places on courses this year, some courses have clearing or acceptance grades much lower than the advertised grades on the course page. For example, Chemsitry BSc has been lowered from AAB-ABB normally to BBC (with C in chemistry :colonhash:) in clearing. They will probably have issues in the future with drop outs!

Wow a C in Chemistry for a Chemistry course in one of the most prestigious Russell Group universities!? And two Bs in two other subjects??? This is beyond bizarre and quite sad actually as that means only below-average students have applied to such a great uni :'(.
Original post by jumpman123
they've actually stated this on their youtube channel, they stated that universities often put higher grade boundaries than they'll accept to make them see more prestigious and get smarter pupils.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvF7-5SIJ8

Thanks for the video, that basically answers all the questions I have asked in op. Well done to you for finding it👏👏
Reply 15
Avatar for alws
alws
18
Original post by MathsMaxMapsMats
Wow a C in Chemistry for a Chemistry course in one of the most prestigious Russell Group universities!? And two Bs in two other subjects??? This is beyond bizarre and quite sad actually as that means only below-average students have applied to such a great uni :'(.


Yes, I found it quite worrying too, especially the fact that they specified the C could be in chemistry. I guess they are just trying to get a year's fees from students who will just later drop out - I don't think many people with a C grade in chemistry could manage with degree level chemistry. Chemistry has become much less popular in recent times though, people would rather study biochemistry or similar - a lot of unis struggle to fill chem places.
Original post by alws
Yes, I found it quite worrying too, especially the fact that they specified the C could be in chemistry. I guess they are just trying to get a year's fees from students who will just later drop out - I don't think many people with a C grade in chemistry could manage with degree level chemistry. Chemistry has become much less popular in recent times though, people would rather study biochemistry or similar - a lot of unis struggle to fill chem places.

Apparently Nottingham are an 'honest uni', but yeah, it could all just be that. Let's hope your latter theory is right tho🤞
Well I know someone who got into Queens biomed with BBB
Original post by PetrolHead26
Well I know someone who got into Queens biomed with BBB

Queen's is Queen's tho. And Nottingham is Nottingham.
Reply 19
Avatar for Doones
Doones
21
Original post by alws
Yes, I found it quite worrying too, especially the fact that they specified the C could be in chemistry. I guess they are just trying to get a year's fees from students who will just later drop out - I don't think many people with a C grade in chemistry could manage with degree level chemistry. Chemistry has become much less popular in recent times though, people would rather study biochemistry or similar - a lot of unis struggle to fill chem places.


They don't want people to dropout. Not least because some league tables now factor dropout rates into their calculations.

As has been said by others, it's supply and demand. Nottingham needs students and will accept a 1 or 2 grade miss (or sometimes more) for some courses, the same as many other universities.

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