Missing my firm offer intentionally

Why don't you want to go to ICL?

Call Imperial and ask them to cancel your application then Warwick will become your firm and only choose.

I applied to Imperial College London and Warwick for mathematics on a gap year. I firmed Imperial without thinking so hard about it, that wasn't very clever, as it happens. I later changed my mind, I want to study at Warwick, after giving much more careful consideration to the courses and what I wanted from university.

I asked the universities to allow me to switch my firm and conditional offers. It seems that that is unlikely though that that will not happen, since Warwick maths is a highly subscribed course. Warwick might not agree to it.

That's the problem. However, my Imperial College London offer requires me to get 1,1 in STEP II / STEP III. On the other hand, Warwick only requires me to get a STEP grade 2 in any STEP of my choosing.

Ergo, I will only take STEP II since I am subscribed for it atm, and thereby I will get my required grade for Warwick, Imperial will make me unsuccessful and I will go firm with Warwick on STEP results day. Does this plan seem viable to all you people? Can you foresee any problems with it?

Have you declared your STEP III on your application as pending? If so, not taking it could cause you problems, and you should at least inform the unis you are not taking it (in this circumstance they can revoke their offers, even if the exam doesn't form part of your offer).

The obvious thing to do is just to ask Imperial to release you from your offer. This will cause Warwick to become your firm. You'd lack an insurance offer, but as you don't want to go to Imperial, this isn't a major issue.

Have you declared your STEP III on your application as pending? If so, not taking it could cause you problems, and you should at least inform the unis you are not taking it (in this circumstance they can revoke their offers, even if the exam doesn't form part of your offer).

The obvious thing to do is just to ask Imperial to release you from your offer. This will cause Warwick to become your firm. You'd lack an insurance offer, but as you don't want to go to Imperial, this isn't a major issue.

I had the sense at least not to specify which STEP exams I was going to take in my application, both on my PS and on my listed qualifications (at least now I see it was good sense, hehe )

Are you sure that will work? As I understand it, if you ask to be released from your firm choice, you still need agreement from your insurance lest you be released into clearing. I would in essence have the same problem I've had with trying to switch my firm and insurance offers, as I understand it.

You're right that you need agreement from both.

Have you actually spoken to Warwick?

Simply not taking a STEP exam would not guarantee a rejection from Imperial - you could get EEE and Imperial could still chose to take you and cause your Warwick offer to disappear in August. Trying to miss you Firm offer is just daft - I haven't heard of a case of someone wanting to switch their Firm at this point that has been refused.

Just. Speak to Warwick.

Your idea as it stands is bad.

What you should do is sit both STEP I and STEP II. Try really hard on STEP I, as its the first exam, to secure at least a 2. If you are able to do this, and you are confident you have done this, flop STEP II and that should get you into warwick.

Aiming for a 2 in STEP II is much more difficult. And if you do mess up STEP I at least you can have a go at getting at least a 2 in STEP II.

I was going to go to imperial to do maths. To be honest I am very happy I didn't that university has a reputation amongst us mathematicians and I am stressed enough as it is. Although I am not sure Warwick will be much better on that front.

I applied to Imperial College London and Warwick for mathematics on a gap year. I firmed Imperial without thinking so hard about it, that wasn't very clever, as it happens. I later changed my mind, I want to study at Warwick, after giving much more careful consideration to the courses and what I wanted from university.

I asked the universities to allow me to switch my firm and conditional offers. It seems that that is unlikely though that that will not happen, since Warwick maths is a highly subscribed course. Warwick might not agree to it.

That's the problem. However, my Imperial College London offer requires me to get 1,1 in STEP II / STEP III. On the other hand, Warwick only requires me to get a STEP grade 2 in any STEP of my choosing.

Ergo, I will only take STEP II since I am subscribed for it atm, and thereby I will get my required grade for Warwick, Imperial will make me unsuccessful and I will go firm with Warwick on STEP results day. Does this plan seem viable to all you people? Can you foresee any problems with it?

You can sit the exam but just not answer any questions, so technically have taken it.

Wouldn't look great on paper - something to explain to employers down the road. If OP is good enough for Warwick maths, I'm guessing he might want to apply to the kinds of employer who would care about a question mark over his academic record. Better not to take it at all, from that perspective.

How would an employer see your STEP grades without you mentioning them? I don't think you're obligated to declare entrance exam marks on a job application, as you are with A-levels, are you?

I think you're right in principle, I did withdraw from STEP 3 to avoid any complications. Nonetheless, if I did stay registered for STEP 3 and simply not turn up, I wouldn't have to make that explicit in the future, or?