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How far below grade requirements do unis usually go in clearing?

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Original post by Themysticalegg
Honestly 4 years ago I was shocked by the leniency and I hope more people find out about the marketisation of higher education before they attend university... maybe I should of gone on TSR earlier. :lol:

This all started when the target of 50% participation in university was suggested like 20 years ago and universities expanded rapidly to accomodate and now that applicants are going down as other options which are not university have become more evident This vicious cycle is surely going to lead to at least some universities going broke but I just noticed I went completely off topic. :biggrin:


Yeah I mean it's one of the reasons I stick around on TSR, because I want applicants to know about this type of stuff.

TBH, I don't think it has much to do with the 50% target. It's got more to do with funding. Back in the day, when fees were only like £3000, the government still gave unis funding and put a cap on the number of students who could go to each uni. It all sort of worked and everyone was relatively happy.

Then, when fees went up, the government subsidy went away, and a lot of unis complained about not being able to make ends meet- so the government took away the quota and let unis fight it out. Some unis are going to the wall- especially small, niche ones, and others have resorted to shady practices to try and attract students. A lot of unis also let in international students paying big fees who really aren't up to standard (or so I am told).

The current funding model is completely unsustainable, so someone will have to do something at some point, but obviously rn it's not anyone's top political priority.

Original post by harrysbar
That was interesting, what a nice guy he seems :smile:

I had a long talk with an Admissions tutor at Southampton a couple of years back and he pretty much admitted that they overinflate their actual requirements to look better but as he rightly pointed out, that's less dangerous than the unis who give out too many unconditional offers to "outstanding" applicants who haven't even sat their exams yet.


Glad you found it interesting- I thought it was great that he was willing to be so honest. :h:

I agree that the "unconditional-if-firm" thing is definitely worse- but I would also say a lot of applicants are starting to see through that, or at least question it, whereas playing games with offers is more subtle and confusing for applicants. Arguably, the unconditional-if-firm offers some benefits to the student, whereas giving inflated offers only benefits the uni.

But both things are a symptom of a wider problem, and I don't really blame the unis.
It’s worth pointing out that a university will generally prefer to be lenient with their firm (and sometimes insurance) students over dropping their requirements for clearing. Universities know that clearing students are much more likely to drop out (whether because they rushed a decision or due to accommodation problems) whereas someone who is committed to the university is more likely to put in the extra effort required to succeed with lower grades.

Also most universities don’t publish their adjusted entry requirements in clearing - they just expect applicants to make speculative phone calls if they’re within a few grades of the standard requirements.

Universities will often explain whether leniency is expected for your course if you ring them up (and any prioritisation that happens - eg for mech eng a good maths and physics grade will matter more than your history grade - someone with A*A*D might be more likely to be accepted than someone with BBB in many cases). So if you’re picking your firm and worried about accepting a higher offer then ring up and ask. Even if they are very strict about grades they’ll normally be able to explain that and then at least you know that you need a good insurance choice that you’d be happy with!
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