The Student Room Group

Worried about missing your offer? Support and Advice *here* : 2016

At this time of year many people worry a lot about whether they are going to make their offers. For some it's simply a loss of confidence, while others are panicking about that exam that they are sure went really badly and can’t imagine how they will get the grades they need. This thread is for you :smile:

Extenuating Circumstances/Special Consideration
If you have been ill or there have been other things going on in your life (eg bereavement) which may have significantly affected either your revision or the exam itself, you should make sure that your school/college informs both the Exam Board and your firm/insurance unis well before Results are published. There is no guarantee that this information will be taken into account, but on the other hand it can’t be if the Exam Board/unis don’t have it in the first place. Bear in mind, however, that you are very likely to be expected to provide some documentary evidence of the issue, whatever it was, and that minor illnesses/my dog died/my laptop was stolen won't cut it. The most an examination board will add to the mark you actually achieve will be 5%, and as much as that only in extreme cases. It is also worth remembering that if you have been awarded additional marks in this way, you cannot expect that the universities will cut you some slack on Results Day as well.

For more information about how Special Consideration works, see Compost's thread here.


If you have had a teaching disaster - wrong syllabus, absent/incompetent teachers - the school/college should be prepared to write to the unis concerned to inform them about it. Again, there's no guarantee the uni will take any notice, but it can be helpful.

If you have a long-standing issue eg dyslexia your school or college should have made the necessary arrangements to get you on to a level playing field with other candidates - eg extra time in the exam. You won't get 'special consideration' on top unless there is a new and unexpected problem that has arisen.

I’m panicking I don’t know enough/the work is going really badly/I don’t understand a key topic
Easy to say, but really important: stay calm. Freaking out is not a good strategy for exam preparation. However bad things may seem, unless you’ve been bone idle you certainly know more than you think you do, and you’ll be surprised how much surfaces when you need it in the exam.

Try and be organised in your approach to revision, but don’t beat yourself up if the timetable doesn’t work out quite like that. Most revision timetables are works of fiction worthy of the Nobel Prize for Literature. If you are too distracted at home, go into school/college or a library and work there instead.

If there’s a topic you absolutely have to understand and you don’t, contact your teacher and ask for help. It is not a good idea to rely on your friends unless you are absolutely certain they know what they’re about.

Keeping well...
Looking after your health is really important. Don’t stay up all night on TSR; try not to sleep late in the mornings (yeah, yeah, I know) and make sure you get out for some fresh air and exercise every day; a brisk walk beforehand is excellent preparation for an exam. Seriously.

Try not to eat too much random rubbish; keeping the fruit and veg and plenty of water going in will improve your ability to fend off the bugs, and generally help you to cope with the stress more positively. Remember to take some plain water into the exam with you as your brain works better if you have enough fluid on board!

I’m sure I failed/won’t have got the grade I need
Whatever happened in yesterday’s exam, however disastrous you thought it was, don’t be distracted from the exams you still have to do. You are likely to have done better than you thought, and there will be very little more annoying than to find out in August that it was the exams after the ‘disaster’ that actually let you down.

If I do miss my offer, what are the chances that my firm/insurance uni will let me in anyway?
No-one can say what your chances are. The higher ranked the university, and the more competitive the course, the more likely it will be that they won’t take you if you don’t meet your offer. HOWEVER this is not definite, by any means. In previous years, many unis have accepted people who’ve missed their offers, even for competitive courses, so do not assume that all is lost. The only time when you will know for sure either way is on Results Day, so there is little to be gained by worrying about it now, and it is a terrible waste of energy - as well as a needless distraction - if you still have exams to do.
(edited 7 years ago)

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If you think you've missed your offer then there are a few things you can do to help prepare:

Make sure you've checked if you can apply for accommodation at your insurance choice AND APPLY BY THE DEADLINE. It's shocking the number of insurance students who don't bother to check and miss a deadline and end up not only with a disappointing results day because they missed their offer and were rejected but spend a month after scrabbling around to find private accommodation (and then their first year feeling like they've missed out on something). It takes half an hour maximum to check if you need to apply and put in an application.

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After all your exams are done - do some research (don't do this now - focus on your exams first!):
look again at the website and materials and forums for your insurance university to remember why you liked it.
look again at your shortlist and longlist of courses that you considered applying to or applied to - do any have lower offers or are advertising places in Extra or Clearing (when it opens in July). Be ready with some really attractive alternative choices to look into *if* it all goes wrong and you end up in Clearing.
have a think about what you might do if you miss your predicted grades dramatically - are there any alternative courses you'd consider? what about looking further afield - if you only looked at a very small group of universities (either geographically or reputation-wise) then there could be amazing options for you if you broaden your criteria? would a resit year be an option? what about taking a different level 3 qualification (eg an art foundation diploma, an access course, a BTEC, completely different A levels)? Have you looked into your options for an apprenticeship? Or going directly into employment - maybe your part time or summer job has made you rethink your options?
Reply 2
PQ
,,,


PRSOM :biggrin:

[There's a problem with the tagging function messing up the formatting...hence the multiple edits to this post :mad:]
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 3
How likely am I to get onto an integrated degree with a foundation year with an incomplete access course. I've had a conditional offer to just pass, ive only got 33 credits but 30 of them are merit or above. There have been personal issues that I have explained to admissions and I have sent them my best essay as a sample of my work. I'm a mature student
Original post by JPSMCC
How likely am I to get onto an integrated degree with a foundation year with an incomplete access course. I've had a conditional offer to just pass, ive only got 33 credits but 30 of them are merit or above. There have been personal issues that I have explained to admissions and I have sent them my best essay as a sample of my work. I'm a mature student


Nobody but the university itself can possibly tell you this. There are too many unknowns, and mature students tend to be dealt with on a case by case basis. I suggest you contact them and ask them directly.
Reply 5
Thanks. I have and I'm waiting on a response. I gave them my grades, explained why I fell behind, got a reference from my tutor and gave them a sample of my work. Anything else I can do.
Original post by JPSMCC
Thanks. I have and I'm waiting on a response. I gave them my grades, explained why I fell behind, got a reference from my tutor and gave them a sample of my work. Anything else I can do.

I can't think of anything - you seem to have it all covered. Good luck.:smile:
Reply 7
I have a small question regarding the entry requirements to my university.

Swansea has offered me ABB for mechanical engineering, (Maths required), but as I'm also doing further maths, I find it will be quite unlikely that I will get a B in further maths as it is quite challenging. So I am hoping for a C in further maths.

So if I get ABC (A in maths, C in further) would they take the fact that I am doing a more challenging, but non-required, course such as further maths. It feels like I should've taken an easier course and I am undermining my chances of being accepted to someone who is doing something other than further maths.

I understand that it is different each uni etc. but am I correct in saying this? I hope not...
Reply 8
Original post by snailbro
I have a small question regarding the entry requirements to my university.

Swansea has offered me ABB for mechanical engineering, (Maths required), but as I'm also doing further maths, I find it will be quite unlikely that I will get a B in further maths as it is quite challenging. So I am hoping for a C in further maths.

So if I get ABC (A in maths, C in further) would they take the fact that I am doing a more challenging, but non-required, course such as further maths. It feels like I should've taken an easier course and I am undermining my chances of being accepted to someone who is doing something other than further maths.

I understand that it is different each uni etc. but am I correct in saying this? I hope not...
It's impossible to say what view Swansea will take if you don't meet your offer. I'd advise you to do the best you can in your remaining exams and see what happens in August. It sometimes happens that people who have missed their grades get offered the BEng with the option to progress to the MEng after the second year, if you have done well enough in your first year exams. It is also not unknown for people to get in just the same, having missed just one grade, especially for science courses. Whether Further Maths was 'required' for you to be made an offer or not doesn't really come into it.
Reply 9
I have applied to do Psychology at Uni of Manchester and its my absolute dream, the grade requirements are AAB but I'm afraid that may miss this by one grade, maybe two if im unlucky. Ive also done an epq though so do you guys think I would stand a chance of getting in?
Original post by lowongas
I have applied to do Psychology at Uni of Manchester and its my absolute dream, the grade requirements are AAB but I'm afraid that may miss this by one grade, maybe two if im unlucky. Ive also done an epq though so do you guys think I would stand a chance of getting in?


Absolutely no one can tell you, or anyone else who has applied this year to any course. Even the university itself will not know the answer to this until they get the exam results of all their offer holders and can see how many have missed their offer. People frequently do get in if they have dropped one grade, but no one can tell you if you personally will or not. Try to focus on something else for the next two months.
If I get rejected by a certain university and they offer places through clearing, can I apply to them? Or would they just reject me again?
Original post by keepdreaming-
If I get rejected by a certain university and they offer places through clearing, can I apply to them? Or would they just reject me again?


You don't apply anywhere in clearing before phoning a university and being invited to apply.
If you've already been rejected then they're highly unlikely to invite you to apply through clearing.
My offer is AAA for Kings College London for Psychology and I'm predicted A*AA, but i dont think ill get anywhere near that.

My insurance from Uni of Birmingham is AAB (or ABB with an A in EPQ), If i dont get the A in EPQ but i still get ABB do i have a chance of being let in??
Reply 14
Original post by Alina-11
My offer is AAA for Kings College London for Psychology and I'm predicted A*AA, but i dont think ill get anywhere near that.

My insurance from Uni of Birmingham is AAB (or ABB with an A in EPQ), If i dont get the A in EPQ but i still get ABB do i have a chance of being let in??


A chance yes. But no-one can say for sure. Not even the universities until Results Day. It entirely depends on how everyone else does and how many places they have.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Alina-11
My offer is AAA for Kings College London for Psychology and I'm predicted A*AA, but i dont think ill get anywhere near that.

My insurance from Uni of Birmingham is AAB (or ABB with an A in EPQ), If i dont get the A in EPQ but i still get ABB do i have a chance of being let in??


Have you applied for accommodation at Birmingham? You're not guaranteed but they'll usually work through first come first served for non guaranteed insurance students: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/accommodation/guarantee.aspx

If you think there's a reasonable chance you should be going there make sure you maximise your chances of somewhere nice to live.
Original post by PQ
Have you applied for accommodation at Birmingham? You're not guaranteed but they'll usually work through first come first served for non guaranteed insurance students: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/accommodation/guarantee.aspx

If you think there's a reasonable chance you should be going there make sure you maximise your chances of somewhere nice to live.


Yep, applied for accommodation, did it fairly early too I believe
Original post by Alina-11
Yep, applied for accommodation, did it fairly early too I believe


Brilliant :smile:

(you'd be amazed how many people don't check whether they need to or not and end up with a double disappointment on results day!)
Reply 18
Original post by Alina-11
My offer is AAA for Kings College London for Psychology and I'm predicted A*AA, but I don't think ill get anywhere near that.

My insurance from Uni of Birmingham is AAB (or ABB with an A in EPQ) If I don't get the A in EPQ but I still get ABB do I have a chance of being let in??


Hi, we are all scared that we won't meet our offers but, for now, you just have to focus on the exams and try and do your best. I'm sure you'll be fine:smile:
Good Luck
I'm holding an AAA offer but I think I'm going to get ABB. What would my chances be like in clearing? I've also looked at foundation years and they're really vague about their entrance requirements but I'm keeping that option open too.
Additional info: additional AAB at A level (not in the required subjects), additional C at AS level, 7 A* 5A at GCSE
Also, can clearing choices diverge slightly from your original degree choice?

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