Read this if you're stressed about meeting university grade requirements...
Pretty much all of us A-Level students are looking to go to University, and apart from the few prodigious academics out there, we all worry about making the grade to go to the University we want. There can be a lot of pressure on us from both ourselves and society in general to get into good universities, and does it not just infuriate you that as a good A-A* student, a little mistake on a paper give you a B, and change the course of your future as a result. Right?
Wrong. Grade requirements are used both as a filtering system so that people with no chance of making it there do not apply and as a way of increasing prestige of a University. And no, this is not just a consequence of the quality of the University. Many universities will increase grade requirements as a way of looking more attractive to applicants. Think about it: you see a course with AAB requirements and the same course at a different university with A*A*A, and you're going to think that the latter is better.
When it comes to the grade requirements that you yourself will be given, they will take into account more than just the ability to answer a couple of questions in a couple of 1 1/2 hour sessions. They want to know about what kind of student you are, and whether they think that you will do well on their course, even if you fall short a grade or two of the requirements. Are you a hard worker? Can you think about your subject outside of the comfort-zone that is the A-Level spec? This is just as important as the grades you get.
Before you all call BS, let me tell you that I speak as someone who's father has worked in great universities for many years, has two doctorates, has designed entire undergraduate courses himself and actually recently rejected a professorship in order to not get 'tied down' to them, and he told me everything you just read now.
Please give this some consideration
Wrong. Grade requirements are used both as a filtering system so that people with no chance of making it there do not apply and as a way of increasing prestige of a University. And no, this is not just a consequence of the quality of the University. Many universities will increase grade requirements as a way of looking more attractive to applicants. Think about it: you see a course with AAB requirements and the same course at a different university with A*A*A, and you're going to think that the latter is better.
When it comes to the grade requirements that you yourself will be given, they will take into account more than just the ability to answer a couple of questions in a couple of 1 1/2 hour sessions. They want to know about what kind of student you are, and whether they think that you will do well on their course, even if you fall short a grade or two of the requirements. Are you a hard worker? Can you think about your subject outside of the comfort-zone that is the A-Level spec? This is just as important as the grades you get.
Before you all call BS, let me tell you that I speak as someone who's father has worked in great universities for many years, has two doctorates, has designed entire undergraduate courses himself and actually recently rejected a professorship in order to not get 'tied down' to them, and he told me everything you just read now.
Please give this some consideration
Scroll to see replies
Original post by VannR
Pretty much all of us A-Level students are looking to go to University, and apart from the few prodigious academics out there, we all worry about making the grade to go to the University we want. There can be a lot of pressure on us from both ourselves and society in general to get into good universities, and does it not just infuriate you that as a good A-A* student, a little mistake on a paper give you a B, and change the course of your future as a result. Right?
Wrong. Grade requirements are used both as a filtering system so that people with no chance of making it there do not apply and as a way of increasing prestige of a University. And no, this is not just a consequence of the quality of the University. Many universities will increase grade requirements as a way of looking more attractive to applicants. Think about it: you see a course with AAB requirements and the same course at a different university with A*A*A, and you're going to think that the latter is better.
When it comes to the grade requirements that you yourself will be given, they will take into account more than just the ability to answer a couple of questions in a couple of 1 1/2 hour sessions. They want to know about what kind of student you are, and whether they think that you will do well on their course, even if you fall short a grade or two of the requirements. Are you a hard worker? Can you think about your subject outside of the comfort-zone that is the A-Level spec? This is just as important as the grades you get.
Before you all call BS, let me tell you that I speak as someone who's father has worked in great universities for many years, has two doctorates, has designed entire undergraduate courses himself and actually recently rejected a professorship in order to not get 'tied down' to them, and he told me everything you just read now.
Please give this some consideration
Wrong. Grade requirements are used both as a filtering system so that people with no chance of making it there do not apply and as a way of increasing prestige of a University. And no, this is not just a consequence of the quality of the University. Many universities will increase grade requirements as a way of looking more attractive to applicants. Think about it: you see a course with AAB requirements and the same course at a different university with A*A*A, and you're going to think that the latter is better.
When it comes to the grade requirements that you yourself will be given, they will take into account more than just the ability to answer a couple of questions in a couple of 1 1/2 hour sessions. They want to know about what kind of student you are, and whether they think that you will do well on their course, even if you fall short a grade or two of the requirements. Are you a hard worker? Can you think about your subject outside of the comfort-zone that is the A-Level spec? This is just as important as the grades you get.
Before you all call BS, let me tell you that I speak as someone who's father has worked in great universities for many years, has two doctorates, has designed entire undergraduate courses himself and actually recently rejected a professorship in order to not get 'tied down' to them, and he told me everything you just read now.
Please give this some consideration
So why doesn't every university have A*A*A* as their standard offer? Surely they all want to attract the best candidates?
This isn't true, universities base their requirements on the difficulty of the course. No way I'd get into my engineering course if I don't get the grades.
I have had this conversation with several admission tutors from several universities. They may compromise sometimes, but their priority would be to get the best students obviously
I have had this conversation with several admission tutors from several universities. They may compromise sometimes, but their priority would be to get the best students obviously
Original post by Kool_Panda
So why doesn't every university have A*A*A* as their standard offer? Surely they all want to attract the best candidates?
Because presumably, if the University of West Scotland set A*A*A* as its requirements, I bet I could guess the number of applications they would receive. 0.
It's about striking a balance between getting the best possible applicants and encouraging the mid-range to apply anyway. Generally, the top 10-15 universities know that some of their offers are going to be rejected in favour of more prestigious universities (Oxbridge/UCL/Durham etc list goes on). So they offer A*AA-AAB to, as mentioned, encourage a wider range of applicants to pick and choose from, to ensure they don't have any empty seats (because they cost money).
(edited 9 years ago)
wish it was true though, really scared about my grades
Original post by Kool_Panda
So why doesn't every university have A*A*A* as their standard offer? Surely they all want to attract the best candidates?
It is a balance. Of course, out of the ~120 universities in the country, some genuinely are better than others and will give only expect students that can meet their standard. The point I am making is that this is only one aspect of the reasoning behind grade requirements.
If all universities required A*A*A* for their courses, hardly anyone would apply. If nobody applies, government funding from student loans drops to nothing and the universities have no money and cannot continue to function.
They must be high enough to attract students by eluding to quality, but not so high that the college does not meet the standard they set, and that people do not apply.
Well, if this is all true, I just won't bother turning up to anymore exams!
Original post by hexagonalRod
This isn't true, universities base their requirements on the difficulty of the course. No way I'd get into my engineering course if I don't get the grades.
I have had this conversation with several admission tutors from several universities. They may compromise sometimes, but their priority would be to get the best students obviously
I have had this conversation with several admission tutors from several universities. They may compromise sometimes, but their priority would be to get the best students obviously
My Dad got into Royal Holloway to study Physics in 1977 with an offer of two E's. This, of course, is hardly an expectation for anybody today, but my points still stand.
Offer = k(Achieved Grades) / Candidate Merit, where k is a constant of moderation of the accuracy of my proposals
Perhaps you're experience has been different, but then again, if I am correct, they are hardly going to tell a possible candidate about the inflation of grade boundaries for financial reasons, or anything else that is not about grades, because at the end of the day, you do need grades at least within the ballpark of the offer to get a place. That is what they re going to tell you to focus on. The only reason that my Dad got that bizarre offer was because, without exaggerating, he is actually quite an exceptional scientist.
(edited 9 years ago)
I have an AAA offer, so what you are saying is that I can get an ABB and I'll still probably get in?
Original post by Kool_Panda
I have an AAA offer, so what you are saying is that I can get an ABB and I'll still probably get in?
I'm not saying this will happen with you, but I didn't meet my grade requirements and I didn't even have to call the uni, they accepted me straight away.
Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons
I'm not saying this will happen with you, but I didn't meet my grade requirements and I didn't even have to call the uni, they accepted me straight away.
How far off were you?
Original post by Kool_Panda
How far off were you?
Well, I was meant to get ABB, I got BBC. Had a rough time with psychology. My original uni requirement was AAA, but they bumped it down because I'm from a deprived area.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons
Well, I was meant to get ABB, I got BBC. Had a rough time with psychology.
It would obviously vary by university though?
Original post by Kool_Panda
It would obviously vary by university though?
Yup, and don't base what'll happen to you on my experience. I'm just saying it does sometimes happen.
Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons
Yup, and don't base what'll happen to you on my experience. I'm just saying it does sometimes happen.
Well, I don't plan on getting ABB anyway. It's just nice to know that there is a comfort blanket.
Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons
Well, I was meant to get ABB, I got BBC. Had a rough time with psychology.
All ABB universities are easy-going, check out the average grades on which.university.com .
It's hard to get into competitive ones..
Original post by hexagonalRod
All ABB universities are easy-going, check out the average grades on which.university.com .
It's hard to get into competitive ones..
It's hard to get into competitive ones..
No **** Sherlock, that's why they're competitive. Mine was actually AAA grades that I needed, but they were bumped down because I'm from such a poor area.
Good news i guess, i need ABB but i will probly get BBB
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by theklassic
That's good enough. You guys should really google
Which University.
You can get all the stats there, the average grades for students studying your course and whatnot.
What university is that for?
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