Debating what to do for University 2025/2026

2

I'm currently on my gap year and finished my A levels last year with grades A,B,C in Psychology, History, and Biology. I'm hoping to pursue a career in wealth management/ financial advisory. I applied in January for a politics and economics course at Uni of Nottingham, Reading University, Uni of Southampton and a couple others who've not given me offers. However as I didn't do Maths at A-Level, UON offered me a place for Politics and International Relations, Southampton offered me a place for Accounting and Finance, and Reading just gave me the Politics and Econ course as their requirements are different. I've consulted UON for a course change as they were my top choice but they have said at the moment I am not able to change courses, at least not until clearing , etc.,. Just wondering what would be the best thing to do, perhaps reject all my current offers and re apply to a higher ranking Accounting and Finance Uni e.g., Exeter, or reject my offers and go through clearing, or to accept whichever one would be best for me.
Any advice??

Reply 1

McGinger

20

UON offered me a place for Politics and International Relations, Southampton offered me a place for Accounting and Finance, and Reading just gave me the Politics and Econ course
Do you want to do any of these degree subjects?

(Should I) apply to a higher ranking Accounting and Finance Uni e.g., Exeter, or reject my offers and go through clearing, or to accept whichever one would be best for me.
Have you asked Exeter if they are still accepting applications, or if they expect A&F to be in Clearing - and please remember that 'rankings' are actually meaningless and are just marketing fluff.

Any advice??
Pick a Firm and Insurance. Then wait until Results Day and see what your grade reality is.
Then make a decision about whether you want to resit and/or reapply, or if you should just go with whatever place you then have.

Reply 2

l3wiswr

OP

2

Original post

by McGinger

UON offered me a place for Politics and International Relations, Southampton offered me a place for Accounting and Finance, and Reading just gave me the Politics and Econ course
Do you want to do any of these degree subjects?
(Should I) apply to a higher ranking Accounting and Finance Uni e.g., Exeter, or reject my offers and go through clearing, or to accept whichever one would be best for me.
Have you asked Exeter if they are still accepting applications, or if they expect A&F to be in Clearing - and please remember that 'rankings' are actually meaningless and are just marketing fluff.
Any advice??
Pick a Firm and Insurance. Then wait until Results Day and see what your grade reality is.
Then make a decision about whether you want to resit and/or reapply, or if you should just go with whatever place you then have.

Hi mate,
Firstly, I'd like to do a course with at least some focus on finance, banking, economics etc.,. This is because I won't be attending a top target University, so I'd need to make the most of all my opportunities, including course decisions and work experience/ internships in my first couple years. I also know that Nottingham has really good graduate prospects and experience schemes, but this course I've been offered of Politics and IR isn't finance related at al,l which kind of puts me off.

I've seen on the UCAS site that Exeter is still accepting new applications from UK students, so that's not a problem.

Lastly, I've got my grades already. I'm just on my gap year at the moment. So all the offers I've received are unconditional.

Reply 3

University of Bath

Official Rep

14

Original post

by l3wiswr

I'm currently on my gap year and finished my A levels last year with grades A,B,C in Psychology, History, and Biology. I'm hoping to pursue a career in wealth management/ financial advisory. I applied in January for a politics and economics course at Uni of Nottingham, Reading University, Uni of Southampton and a couple others who've not given me offers. However as I didn't do Maths at A-Level, UON offered me a place for Politics and International Relations, Southampton offered me a place for Accounting and Finance, and Reading just gave me the Politics and Econ course as their requirements are different. I've consulted UON for a course change as they were my top choice but they have said at the moment I am not able to change courses, at least not until clearing , etc.,. Just wondering what would be the best thing to do, perhaps reject all my current offers and re apply to a higher ranking Accounting and Finance Uni e.g., Exeter, or reject my offers and go through clearing, or to accept whichever one would be best for me.
Any advice??

Hi there,

As McGinger has said, I think it would be better for you in terms of security to choose an F and I out of what you currently have rather than going through clearing, because it sounds like you have some really good offers to choose from.

Which subject would you like to do? Which uni did you feel most at home at? These things are far more important than minor differences in rankings. For wealth management Accounting and Finance seems like the most logical option, but this again is up to you and what you want to learn - you could most likely get into wealth management with P&E too. Southampton is still a very good uni for A&F and so if I were you I'd take another look into this course and see if its something you'd want to do. Then do the same with the others and see if one of those catches your interest more.

You can always decide to ring up unis on results day and collect a verbal offer elsewhere and then go into clearing if you want to do this later on - just make sure you're 100% sure first.

I hope this helps and best of luck 🙂

Holly
University of Bath

Reply 4

totallyfine

12

So you either accept UoN and then see if you can get a course change on results day or apporach Exeter to see if they would offer you a place if you went through extra now. (have you looked round Exeter yet?)

https://www.ucas.com/applying/after-you-apply/types-undergraduate-offers/extra-choices

I think it depends on how much you like Nottingham to take the risk. Exeter may or may not be still be in clearing by results day but you could resolve it by next week if you wanted to.

Reply 5

Uni of Southampton Students

Official Rep

16

Original post

by l3wiswr

I'm currently on my gap year and finished my A levels last year with grades A,B,C in Psychology, History, and Biology. I'm hoping to pursue a career in wealth management/ financial advisory. I applied in January for a politics and economics course at Uni of Nottingham, Reading University, Uni of Southampton and a couple others who've not given me offers. However as I didn't do Maths at A-Level, UON offered me a place for Politics and International Relations, Southampton offered me a place for Accounting and Finance, and Reading just gave me the Politics and Econ course as their requirements are different. I've consulted UON for a course change as they were my top choice but they have said at the moment I am not able to change courses, at least not until clearing , etc.,. Just wondering what would be the best thing to do, perhaps reject all my current offers and re apply to a higher ranking Accounting and Finance Uni e.g., Exeter, or reject my offers and go through clearing, or to accept whichever one would be best for me.
Any advice??

Hello @l3wiswr,

Congratulations on your offers!

Southampton has a great Accounting and Finance course. It is flexible and can be tailored towards your career goals by selecting the modules that you are interested in. The course offers the opportunity to take on a paid industrial placement year, which is great for work experience and skill development. There is also the option to study abroad for a year. Southampton has strong links with the industry and often invites guest lecturers in for talks. The university offers a wide range of paid UoS internships for various subjects, which are flexible around your studies.

These all sound like great offers and rankings aren’t everything, however it’s up to you to decide which university you would be happiest attending. Here are some other things to consider:

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Does the uni have strong links with the industry?