Get help with your university decisions here! TSR Decisions Drop In 2025

Which Uni do I accept?? Help

I applied to Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Warwick and York to study biological science/biology and have recently received offers back from all of them. (yay)

The entry grades are:
- AAA for Durham and Bristol,
- AAB for Warwick
- AAB for Exeter (or ABB with A in EPQ)
- AAB for York (or ABB with B in EPQ)

My predicted grades are A*AA and I really hope that I’ll get AAA but obviously I don’t know

A week or so ago, before I had received a Durham offer (which i received 3 days ago) the plan was to accept Exeter as my firm and York as my insurance even though they were basically the same grade and I didn’t really want to go to York. This was because Bristol wasn’t really my thing (bit too busy) and Warwick is very close and lots of people from my school have applied too and I have just never really considered it as an option and York just felt like it didn’t really have a heart which is silly but i just didn’t like it nearly as much as I liked Exeter. I really loved Exeter and it’s close to family and on paper it’s brilliant and I just felt really at home and happy there and could totally see myself attending it, unlike how I felt at any other university.

When I visited Durham I really liked the Library but to be totally honest I was relatively underwhelmed by the rest of it, particularly the Biology building but I think that’s just because I was expecting it to be so much better than all the other unis I had visited and looking in it just didn’t seem like it. I know that the buildings and the feel of it doesn’t matter and the teaching will be really good and it’s just durham so very high employability rates and everything

Now with the Durham offer I feel like I have to accept it, and I want to accept it because Durham doesn’t give offers out to everyone but also I would have to put it as my Firm because it’s higher and so if i do get AAA then I would have to go even if I actually want to go to Exeter.

Basically I have no idea what to do because I had my heart set on Exeter because I really didn’t think I was going to get an offer from Durham and now it looks like I won’t be going to Exeter unless i fall short of AAA

Please could someone give me some advice??

Reply 1

Dan_06

Original post by (: Eliza :)

I applied to Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Warwick and York to study biological science/biology and have recently received offers back from all of them. (yay)
The entry grades are:
- AAA for Durham and Bristol,
- AAB for Warwick
- AAB for Exeter (or ABB with A in EPQ)
- AAB for York (or ABB with B in EPQ)
My predicted grades are A*AA and I really hope that I’ll get AAA but obviously I don’t know
A week or so ago, before I had received a Durham offer (which i received 3 days ago) the plan was to accept Exeter as my firm and York as my insurance even though they were basically the same grade and I didn’t really want to go to York. This was because Bristol wasn’t really my thing (bit too busy) and Warwick is very close and lots of people from my school have applied too and I have just never really considered it as an option and York just felt like it didn’t really have a heart which is silly but i just didn’t like it nearly as much as I liked Exeter. I really loved Exeter and it’s close to family and on paper it’s brilliant and I just felt really at home and happy there and could totally see myself attending it, unlike how I felt at any other university.
When I visited Durham I really liked the Library but to be totally honest I was relatively underwhelmed by the rest of it, particularly the Biology building but I think that’s just because I was expecting it to be so much better than all the other unis I had visited and looking in it just didn’t seem like it. I know that the buildings and the feel of it doesn’t matter and the teaching will be really good and it’s just durham so very high employability rates and everything
Now with the Durham offer I feel like I have to accept it, and I want to accept it because Durham doesn’t give offers out to everyone but also I would have to put it as my Firm because it’s higher and so if i do get AAA then I would have to go even if I actually want to go to Exeter.
Basically I have no idea what to do because I had my heart set on Exeter because I really didn’t think I was going to get an offer from Durham and now it looks like I won’t be going to Exeter unless i fall short of AAA
Please could someone give me some advice??

If you don’t have heart set on Durham then don’t firm it! Can all ways opt to have your insurance as the same grade as that’s what I’m doing as I don’t want to go shef and that’s given me my highest offer over Durham and Bristol

Reply 2

cksiu

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by (: Eliza :)

I applied to Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Warwick and York to study biological science/biology and have recently received offers back from all of them. (yay)
The entry grades are:
- AAA for Durham and Bristol,
- AAB for Warwick
- AAB for Exeter (or ABB with A in EPQ)
- AAB for York (or ABB with B in EPQ)
My predicted grades are A*AA and I really hope that I’ll get AAA but obviously I don’t know
A week or so ago, before I had received a Durham offer (which i received 3 days ago) the plan was to accept Exeter as my firm and York as my insurance even though they were basically the same grade and I didn’t really want to go to York. This was because Bristol wasn’t really my thing (bit too busy) and Warwick is very close and lots of people from my school have applied too and I have just never really considered it as an option and York just felt like it didn’t really have a heart which is silly but i just didn’t like it nearly as much as I liked Exeter. I really loved Exeter and it’s close to family and on paper it’s brilliant and I just felt really at home and happy there and could totally see myself attending it, unlike how I felt at any other university.
When I visited Durham I really liked the Library but to be totally honest I was relatively underwhelmed by the rest of it, particularly the Biology building but I think that’s just because I was expecting it to be so much better than all the other unis I had visited and looking in it just didn’t seem like it. I know that the buildings and the feel of it doesn’t matter and the teaching will be really good and it’s just durham so very high employability rates and everything
Now with the Durham offer I feel like I have to accept it, and I want to accept it because Durham doesn’t give offers out to everyone but also I would have to put it as my Firm because it’s higher and so if i do get AAA then I would have to go even if I actually want to go to Exeter.
Basically I have no idea what to do because I had my heart set on Exeter because I really didn’t think I was going to get an offer from Durham and now it looks like I won’t be going to Exeter unless i fall short of AAA
Please could someone give me some advice??

Congratulations to your offers. All the offers you got are excellent unis. Giving up one for another will not be losing anything.

If you don't like the uni, it will be really difficult to survive there for 3 years. Someone may say your fantasy towards Durham and Exeter is illogical and advises you this or that. Uni education is part of your life journey, a journey of dreaming and striving to make dreams come true. Sometimes fulfilling personal emotions outweighs logical considerations. If you achieved the grades and did go to your fantasy uni because of this or that, you will certainly regret.

Think seriously between Durham or Exeter. If you cannot decide, or unless you like Exeter more, firm Durham and insure Exeter.

Reply 3

HealthcareSci

What I see in this post is someone who has decided what they want, got the opportunity to do it but is considering throwing it away because of what they think they should do?

Don't let other people's opinions sway you. It's your life, your money (and remember that a university degree now is about £50k) so make the decision that's best for you.

Also, logistically - if your family is near Exeter and you have a strong relationship with them - Durham is about as far away as you can get. Which will add a lot into time and costs. For something you don't seem to want.

Would it help if I said that as an employer I would never select someone who went to Durham over Exeter for a job? Or the other way around. Mostly because the choice of university is really low down on selection criteria.

Good luck (and believe in your choices!)

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 4

(: Eliza :)

Original post by HealthcareSci

What I see in this post is someone who has decided what they want, got the opportunity to do it but is considering throwing it away because of what they think they should do?
Don't let other people's opinions sway you. It's your life, your money (and remember that a university degree now is about £50k) so make the decision that's best for you.
Also, logistically - if your family is near Exeter and you have a strong relationship with them - Durham is about as far away as you can get. Which will add a lot into time and costs. For something you don't seem to want.
Would it help if I said that as an employer I would never select someone who went to Durham over Exeter for a job? Or the other way around. Mostly because the choice of university is really low down on selection criteria.
Good luck (and believe in your choices!)

Thank you, this is very helpful. I think I am going to visit Exeter and Durham once more to see if that helps me make my decision!