Why did I get accepted into uni with these grades?

Firstly, this is not complaining or anything like that. I am genuinely curious as to how I have managed to get into the uni.

I have chosen to do a Comp Sci degree and my first choice for uni required A*AA or AAAA as entry requirements. I was predicted A*A*A*A but completely flopped in the exams and got AABB (I got like A*A*AA in mocks so was quite disappointed). Regardless, it hasn't seemed to matter as I've been accepted anyways. Is this common or did I get lucky or was another component of my application very strong?

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Which uni was it?

It might just be that they were undersubscribed for that course this year and would rather take someone who applied in the main round than go through clearing. If it's a course that interviews or requires some form of submitted work they might have been more impressed with that to let the missed grades slide.

I think if there was not interview or submitted work and it was just on the basis of the usual UCAS application though the former is possibly more likely.

Reply 2

noahwdennis

Original post by artful_lounger

Which uni was it?
It might just be that they were undersubscribed for that course this year and would rather take someone who applied in the main round than go through clearing. If it's a course that interviews or requires some form of submitted work they might have been more impressed with that to let the missed grades slide.
I think if there was not interview or submitted work and it was just on the basis of the usual UCAS application though the former is possibly more likely.

Thank you, it was Southampton Uni

Reply 3

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

Ultimately it’s better for the uni to accept near misses from the main cycle than people via clearing. Even a couple of grades below you’re likely to be able to cope with the course and have a decent outcome. Clearing students have a higher dropout rate and at the end of the day the uni needs the course to be as full as possible for 3/4 years.