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Is it possible for a university to reconsider a rejection?

I was rejected apparently for not meeting the entry requirements, but when I emailed them I was told that I did meet the entry requirements and they said they would ask for x% overall.

I'm trying to explain this now, but is there any point? Can a university reconsider if they want to or is it an impossible task even if they did make a mistake?
Do you already hold the qualifications? If so then there's not much you can do aside from calling them after the application cycle/when clearing comes around.
Original post by Doc.Daneeka
Do you already hold the qualifications? If so then there's not much you can do aside from calling them after the application cycle/when clearing comes around.


I'm on a foundation year, I don't meet the requirements at A-level, but when I emailed them before applying I gave them all of this information and they still said I should apply and they will likely ask for around x%.

Yet they rejected my couple of days after applying and responded today saying that I don't meet the A-level grades. I'm wondering if they will reconsider because they told me there was no issue.

Or if not that, at least reverse the rejection so I can switch the choice?
Original post by Et Tu, Brute?
I'm on a foundation year, I don't meet the requirements at A-level, but when I emailed them before applying I gave them all of this information and they still said I should apply and they will likely ask for around x%.

Yet they rejected my couple of days after applying and responded today saying that I don't meet the A-level grades. I'm wondering if they will reconsider because they told me there was no issue.

Or if not that, at least reverse the rejection so I can switch the choice?


Write to them, quoting the email which stated they would ask for around x%.
Original post by Et Tu, Brute?
I'm on a foundation year, I don't meet the requirements at A-level, but when I emailed them before applying I gave them all of this information and they still said I should apply and they will likely ask for around x%.

Yet they rejected my couple of days after applying and responded today saying that I don't meet the A-level grades. I'm wondering if they will reconsider because they told me there was no issue.

Or if not that, at least reverse the rejection so I can switch the choice?

Okay, I see the situation now.

Contact their admissions people (a specific person for the degree you wanted to get into if possible) and let them know what's happened (forward your initial emails with the uni to help you) and ask them if they could reconsider your application or at least give a good explanation of why they rejected you when they had previously said that you would get in if you met x% during your foundation year.

Off of the top of my head: admissions officers are not allowed to say 'if you get x% then you will receive an offer' as that is essentially a conditional offer which can only be given after you have applied and they have assessed your application. So, essentially, whatever you were told in regard to an offer wasn't strictly binding, but rather a point of reference for you to aim for.
Original post by Doc.Daneeka
Okay, I see the situation now.

Contact their admissions people (a specific person for the degree you wanted to get into if possible) and let them know what's happened (forward your initial emails with the uni to help you) and ask them if they could reconsider your application or at least give a good explanation of why they rejected you when they had previously said that you would get in if you met x% during your foundation year.

Off of the top of my head: admissions officers are not allowed to say 'if you get x% then you will receive an offer' as that is essentially a conditional offer which can only be given after you have applied and they have assessed your application. So, essentially, whatever you were told in regard to an offer wasn't strictly binding, but rather a point of reference for you to aim for.


Yeah they never said that they will give an offer, but they did say that they normally ask for x%. If the issue really was with my A-levels as they stated, then this should have been mentioned in the reply, other universities made this clear and thus I never wasted the choice in applying.


Original post by ageshallnot
Write to them, quoting the email which stated they would ask for around x%.


Yeah I've sent if all off already, I'm just wondering if there is any point. Can they even change their mind if they wanted to?
Original post by Et Tu, Brute?



Yeah I've sent if all off already, I'm just wondering if there is any point. Can they even change their mind if they wanted to?


Yes, I've seen various cases on here.
Original post by Et Tu, Brute?
Yeah they never said that they will give an offer, but they did say that they normally ask for x%. If the issue really was with my A-levels as they stated, then this should have been mentioned in the reply, other universities made this clear and thus I never wasted the choice in applying.

Well it is still possible that the officer that rejected you on the basis of your A-Levels didn't know anything about your earlier correspondence, so it could be worthwhile chasing them up about this. They may have simply considered you on your A-Levels and, wrongly or not, ignored your foundation year.
As the saying goes 'anything's possible'
You did include your foundation year in your application didn't you?

In the education section (with a pending grade in Summer 2014) which would have been picked up by your referee. It seems unlikely that they would have ignored a foundation year - the way that UCAS display qualifications would have made it clear that you were studying currently.

If they've rejected you based on A levels instead of considering your foundation year then they're able to adjust that decision if they change their mind (or if it turns out they ignored important information).
Reply 10
Avatar for Kimina
Kimina
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Yes. This happened to me last year after writing numerous letters and convincing my head teacher and head of sixth form to do the same.
Are you sure that you meet all the entry requirements including those specified for GCSEs? If so, then it is probably worth contacting them again, and asking for a more detailed explanation as to why you were rejected. They are allowed to reconsider, especially if they considered your A-levels instead of your foundation year by accident.

However, it is possible that they have rejected you due to getting a higher standard of applicant this year, and thus putting up their entry requirements. If this is the case, they do not have to stick to their previous correspondance, even if this seems unfair.

Good luck!
Original post by Et Tu, Brute?
I'm on a foundation year, I don't meet the requirements at A-level, but when I emailed them before applying I gave them all of this information and they still said I should apply and they will likely ask for around x%.

Yet they rejected my couple of days after applying and responded today saying that I don't meet the A-level grades. I'm wondering if they will reconsider because they told me there was no issue.

Or if not that, at least reverse the rejection so I can switch the choice?


Im in the exact same situation as you. Did they reverse the rejection in the end
Original post by Rishig47
Im in the exact same situation as you. Did they reverse the rejection in the end

Unfortunately the thread is 7 years old and the OP hasn't been active on TSR for about 3 years.
Once you are rejected. You remain rejected with nothing to change that outcome. A bit of advise would be to move on.
Original post by Antony Hughes
Once you are rejected. You remain rejected with nothing to change that outcome. A bit of advise would be to move on.

Universities can and do reverse rejections if a mistake was made or relevant information wasn't available
Original post by PQ
Universities can and do reverse rejections if a mistake was made or relevant information wasn't available

They can. But in this case they cant as the criteria to do a reverse rejection is not met
Original post by Antony Hughes
They can. But in this case they cant as the criteria to do a reverse rejection is not met

OP had been told that their foundation year was an acceptable entry qualification and then got rejected on the basis of their A levels.

The university had made an error (either in stating that the foundation was acceptable or in not taking the foundation year into account).

And for what it's worth a university doesn't need to speak to UCAS or an applicant to reverse a rejection - there's no specific "criteria" to meet to reverse a rejection other than "provider X has changed their mind"

UCAS guidance to universities:
You rejected the applicant but you now wish to make them an offer. | You can make a conditional or unconditional offer with an amended decision.
You do not have to contact the applicant; they will automatically be notified of the change. Amended decision.

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