Is it worth applying to a uni with higher entry requirements than your predictions?
Hi,
I'm currently predicted A*AB in Computer Science, History and Maths respectively. I want to study CS at uni.
Two out of my five application choices have slightly higher entry requirements than I'm predicted at A*AA.
I have a very strong personal statement, a supporting B grade from AS Physics last year, and the equivalent of 7A*'s and 3A's at GCSE.
Should I even bother applying? Both universities stress the importance of an A grade in Maths (which I believe I am capable of, but am not predicted).
I'm currently predicted A*AB in Computer Science, History and Maths respectively. I want to study CS at uni.
Two out of my five application choices have slightly higher entry requirements than I'm predicted at A*AA.
I have a very strong personal statement, a supporting B grade from AS Physics last year, and the equivalent of 7A*'s and 3A's at GCSE.
Should I even bother applying? Both universities stress the importance of an A grade in Maths (which I believe I am capable of, but am not predicted).
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Original post by Jackudy3
Hi,
I'm currently predicted A*AB in Computer Science, History and Maths respectively. I want to study CS at uni.
Two out of my five application choices have slightly higher entry requirements than I'm predicted at A*AA.
I have a very strong personal statement, a supporting B grade from AS Physics last year, and the equivalent of 7A*'s and 3A's at GCSE.
Should I even bother applying? Both universities stress the importance of an A grade in Maths (which I believe I am capable of, but am not predicted).
I'm currently predicted A*AB in Computer Science, History and Maths respectively. I want to study CS at uni.
Two out of my five application choices have slightly higher entry requirements than I'm predicted at A*AA.
I have a very strong personal statement, a supporting B grade from AS Physics last year, and the equivalent of 7A*'s and 3A's at GCSE.
Should I even bother applying? Both universities stress the importance of an A grade in Maths (which I believe I am capable of, but am not predicted).
Are your other three choices much lower entry requirements?
I would assume at least some of the A*AA universities will require the A* in maths? Either way, A*AA tier universities generally won't give offers to those with lower grade predictions as they can't even give offers to all those who would meet those conditions! You'd have a greater chance if you were predicted BBB and wanted an ABB course.
I'm in the same boat as you. I'm predicted A* A B in chemistry biology and maths respectively. For chemical engineering Bath and Leeds require A*AA and again they stress the importance of an A in maths. Some people in a similar situation are applying regardless. I think whether you get an interview will be based on the competition and whether they're confident you can get an A in maths like you say.Your gcses seem strong so I think it's worth using 1 of your 5 choices to apply for the A*AA course. Obviously don't apply to 5 courses that have higher requirements than you're predicted.
Original post by claireestelle
Are your other three choices much lower entry requirements?
Not much lower, but I'm going with a solid AAB/ABB third choice and probably a couple of lower ones coming in at BBB or possibly even less.
Original post by DarthRoar
I would assume at least some of the A*AA universities will require the A* in maths? Either way, A*AA tier universities generally won't give offers to those with lower grade predictions as they can't even give offers to all those who would meet those conditions! You'd have a greater chance if you were predicted BBB and wanted an ABB course.
They require a minimum of an A grade in Maths for Computer Science courses.
I know that it's hard to get an offer with lower predicted grades than the requirement, but I'm wondering how worthwhile it would be to try given my circumstances.
Original post by Saad1679
I'm in the same boat as you. I'm predicted A* A B in chemistry biology and maths respectively. For chemical engineering Bath and Leeds require A*AA and again they stress the importance of an A in maths. Some people in a similar situation are applying regardless. I think whether you get an interview will be based on the competition and whether they're confident you can get an A in maths like you say.Your gcses seem strong so I think it's worth using 1 of your 5 choices to apply for the A*AA course. Obviously don't apply to 5 courses that have higher requirements than you're predicted.
Not seen anyone in a similar situation before! I'm not planning to go for 5 higher courses, but I don't know if applying for even 1 course with higher entry requirements than predicted would just be a choice wasted, as you're in with such a small chance of getting an offer as to make it pointless.
Original post by Jackudy3
Not seen anyone in a similar situation before! I'm not planning to go for 5 higher courses, but I don't know if applying for even 1 course with higher entry requirements than predicted would just be a choice wasted, as you're in with such a small chance of getting an offer as to make it pointless.
I think you should check the ucas offer rate calculator. You type in the subjects your doing, your predicted grades and the course you want to do at which uni. They compare your info against a database off previous applicants and whether they recieved offers. Just search ucas offer rate calculator.
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Saad1679
I think you should check the ucas offer rate calculator. You type in the subjects your doing, your predicted grades and the course you want to do at which uni. They compare your info against a database off previous applicants and whether they recieved offers. Just search ucas offer rate calculator.
Thank you, I didn't know about this tool.
One of the unis has insufficient data to provide me with a likelihood of receiving an offer, but my A*AB predicted grades get me a 69% chance of receiving an offer at the other A*AA requiring uni. I'd like to think that my passion for the subject (translating into a strong personal statement) and past exam performance will push me into that around 70% of people, as opposed to the 30% missing out.
Based on this, should I apply?
Original post by Jackudy3
Based on this, should I apply?
Yeah seems worthwhile to apply to 1-2 unis over your prediction. You may get an offer but it is very uncertain.
Cheers. I'll be probably apply to one or two with marginally higher entry requirements then, especially since the offer statistics have significantly reassured me. 70% offer rate despite a predicted falling a grade short is astonishing, I figured it'd be more like 5%, especially for the top RG universities I'm considering.
I'll take my chances. If I do end up getting into one of the two in the end (as in a confirmed place, not conditional), I'll be sure to return to this thread and let you all know.
I'll take my chances. If I do end up getting into one of the two in the end (as in a confirmed place, not conditional), I'll be sure to return to this thread and let you all know.
I was predicted BCC.
When applying to unis I focused on the course and lecturers and basically ignored the entry requirements lol. The unis I applied to wanted:
CCC
BBC
BBB
ABB
A*AA
I got 3 unconditionals from the first 3 unis, and I had an interview for the last 2 and from that got 2 conditionals, one for BBB and one for ABB. On results day I got BBB. I am currently in my second week at the fifth uni. I say go for it, what's the worst that could happen?
When applying to unis I focused on the course and lecturers and basically ignored the entry requirements lol. The unis I applied to wanted:
CCC
BBC
BBB
ABB
A*AA
I got 3 unconditionals from the first 3 unis, and I had an interview for the last 2 and from that got 2 conditionals, one for BBB and one for ABB. On results day I got BBB. I am currently in my second week at the fifth uni. I say go for it, what's the worst that could happen?
I can't improve the strength of my application anywhere besides the Maths predicted. I haven't yet tried to contest it, but will be doing very soon, probably tomorrow.
I put minimal effort in last year and now have ways to demonstrate an increase in effort and justify my Maths predicted being raised including:
Would this be sufficient to convince them?
I put minimal effort in last year and now have ways to demonstrate an increase in effort and justify my Maths predicted being raised including:
•
Hiring a private A-level tutor for 1h30m every week
•
Make the point that I did virtually no work last year, lots of negative reports for missing homework etc, and am now doing all the work and more.
•
Point out that historically I have always done ~2 grades better in every subject in the real exam than in the mock, and my sixth form will have the data to prove this. This is because I am a massive procrastinator and my work rate always skyrockets just before the real exam, lifting my grade massively.
•
Mention that in the first test back, my score was on par with students predicted A grades.
•
Refer to my past exam performance and how it shows my capability.
Would this be sufficient to convince them?
(edited 5 years ago)
Thanks a lot for your response.
When I referred to convincing them, I meant convincing my sixth form to raise my predicted, not convince the uni by putting it in my personal statement (which is already finalised, and I know for a fact it is good, plenty of supercurricular stuff and things that illustrate my passion for the subject, has been very well received by the experienced RG application guy at my school). I can’t post it here for obvious reasons, but just take my word for it when I say it’s good.
At this stage, the only way I can improve the strength of my application is by attempting to get the Maths grade raised.
With the reasons I bullet pointed above, do you think I’d have a good chance of my sixth form raising it if I got this across to them? Sorry for not making it clear who I was referring to in my previous post.
When I referred to convincing them, I meant convincing my sixth form to raise my predicted, not convince the uni by putting it in my personal statement (which is already finalised, and I know for a fact it is good, plenty of supercurricular stuff and things that illustrate my passion for the subject, has been very well received by the experienced RG application guy at my school). I can’t post it here for obvious reasons, but just take my word for it when I say it’s good.
At this stage, the only way I can improve the strength of my application is by attempting to get the Maths grade raised.
With the reasons I bullet pointed above, do you think I’d have a good chance of my sixth form raising it if I got this across to them? Sorry for not making it clear who I was referring to in my previous post.
Still not spoken to them, but it's on my to do list and I'll get back to you and let you know the result.
My PS includes multiple things on par with the examples you gave, so should it not wind up being raised I'm hoping that will make up for it.
My sixth form are open to changing predicted grades if you can justify why it should be raised, and that it is realistic. Just saying "I will work harder" is obviously not enough, I think they want hard evidence that you have turned things around, which I am hoping to provide them by way of my most recent test score and the fact that I now have a tutor.
My PS includes multiple things on par with the examples you gave, so should it not wind up being raised I'm hoping that will make up for it.
My sixth form are open to changing predicted grades if you can justify why it should be raised, and that it is realistic. Just saying "I will work harder" is obviously not enough, I think they want hard evidence that you have turned things around, which I am hoping to provide them by way of my most recent test score and the fact that I now have a tutor.
(edited 5 years ago)
It's worth applying - you can only attend 1 university, so as long as you have some safer options on your list then it's worth applying for a few risky ones.
My daughter was also predicted A*AB 2 years ago. She was rejected by the A*AA courses (Imperial and UCL - both of whom now have A*A*A as their standard offer) but got offers from the AAA courses and the AAB course.
She ended up getting A*AA in her actual A-Levels but there were no places in adjustment at UCL or Imperial and she didn't want to take a year off to reapply, so she's doing the course at the AAA University.
My daughter was also predicted A*AB 2 years ago. She was rejected by the A*AA courses (Imperial and UCL - both of whom now have A*A*A as their standard offer) but got offers from the AAA courses and the AAB course.
She ended up getting A*AA in her actual A-Levels but there were no places in adjustment at UCL or Imperial and she didn't want to take a year off to reapply, so she's doing the course at the AAA University.
Original post by mathsinsider
It's worth applying - you can only attend 1 university, so as long as you have some safer options on your list then it's worth applying for a few risky ones.
My daughter was also predicted A*AB 2 years ago. She was rejected by the A*AA courses (Imperial and UCL - both of whom now have A*A*A as their standard offer) but got offers from the AAA courses and the AAB course.
She ended up getting A*AA in her actual A-Levels but there were no places in adjustment at UCL or Imperial and she didn't want to take a year off to reapply, so she's doing the course at the AAA University.
My daughter was also predicted A*AB 2 years ago. She was rejected by the A*AA courses (Imperial and UCL - both of whom now have A*A*A as their standard offer) but got offers from the AAA courses and the AAB course.
She ended up getting A*AA in her actual A-Levels but there were no places in adjustment at UCL or Imperial and she didn't want to take a year off to reapply, so she's doing the course at the AAA University.
I've had my predicted grade bumped up to an A, leaving me at A*AA, the required predictions for my two top choice universities.
Everywhere else on my application is strong, and as far as I'm concerned the only place I could fall down in terms of getting an offer is at interview (required for one of them), or if they seriously pick holes and refuse to give me an offer because I didn't have predicted straight A*'s/the best grade (A) in AS Physics (got a B).
Obviously I have to actually get the grades and that's a whole other kettle of fish, but from an application perspective I seem fairly watertight.
Thoughts? How much is interview weighted?
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