I need help in applying to another university for 2025 entry now!

I am a year 13 student who has already applied to study a Law with Politics LLB degree, with me handing this application in back in December 2024 before the equal consideration deadline closed. I was considering Exeter as they have good entry requirements for me as I was able to qualify for the conditional offer of ABB on their website (although it may be different after they look at my application) and are a good RG University. However, I ended up not applying to them in favour of Manchester as Exeter didn't do Law with Politics. Fast forward about 5 months, and I was rejected by Manchester, and I have become more interested and willing to just study and apply to universities with the law part of the degree, although I still am passionate about politics and would like/am interested in pursuing a career in both/either.

Right now my top universities I did get into that I am considering most are: The University of Surrey, and Lancaster University. Is it too late for September 2025 entry? I want to choose the university that will give me the best chances at getting employed at as good a place as possible as far as the degree can get me fresh out of Uni. Which of the three universities would do so for me? Would it be possible to still apply to Exeter now while still keeping my offers from Surrey or Lancaster? Should I email Exeter and see if there is anything I can do for this year?

I would love any advice possible, especially from Exeter if they see this. Thank you all.

If you have used all five choices, you can't apply to Exeter without declining your other offers (for details see UCAS Extra thread). You would need to think very carefully about doing this.
Your other option is to firm one of your current offers, sit on it until summer, and then decide if you want to apply to Exeter if your course is in clearing on results day.
Alternatively, you could plan a gap year and reapply for 2026 when you have had time to think and do more research.

I wouldn't want to go through UCAS Extra as I am happy with going to both Surrey or Lancaster, but I do want to ensure that I am making the right decision in terms of university, as I want to know I am getting the most out of it and want to make sure I will have good employment at a good company.

I think your second one works well, would it be possible for me to call Exeter first before turning one down to see if there is availability, and then depending on what they say (and what I am thinking personally at that time) go to my original firm or change it.

A gap year is also another option which I may consider, however I would ideally prefer to go with the option I said above.

Thank you for your help.

If Exeter is in clearing for your course, you can call on results day to see if they would consider you. However, if you are holding a confirmed place at Surrey or Lancaster, you would need to decline that place before you can officially apply. You also need to consider that you would be at the back of the queue for accommodation at Exeter.
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7505793

But I could call before and see what their availability is like, and If I applied now if it would be probable that I would get in, and still technically hold a place at Surrey?

Hi, my daughter was in a similar situation and basically what they are trying to explain is if you have used all your x5 uni choices already you cannot say withdraw one and apply elsewhere. Your options are look what’s still available in UCAS Extra and if your uni/course is in there then decline everything and go via extra and apply, or firm what offers you already have and wait until results day and see if Clearing has a uni/course you’d prefer. If not then it’s a gap year. Good luck.

Thanks for the information. What did your daughter do in this scenario? what was she studying? How has it all worked out?
Ideally I would like to keep my place at my firm uni in august but enquire and see if they would let me in if I were to go through clearing without giving up my place.

But I could call before and see what their availability is like, and If I applied now if it would be probable that I would get in, and still technically hold a place at Surrey?

Hi, my daughter’s applying same as you for 2025 - she applied for Law LLB (as originally wanted to be a barrister) so applied October 2024 to Cambridge, & 4 London universities, she also sat her LNAT, plus predicted A* x3. Then literally last month decided that she didn’t want to do law after all as she loves Politics and wants to continue with that (studying Politics, History and Sociology plus EPQ). This was after the equal consideration deadline. She called the unis she had been given offers for and asked if she could be considered and swapped onto Politics instead but they said it’s a popular course and all places had been given out except for x1 uni which said you have to apply via UCAS Extra (we checked the course she wanted was still available). She declined her offers (you have to for Extra) and has applied for a new course via UCAS Extra and it’s almost 3 weeks and we are waiting to see if she’s successful or not. If not she will most likely be taking a gap year. It’s not worth doing a degree that you won’t enjoy.
These things happen in life so don’t stress. My advice would be don’t settle for a degree you don’t want to do. Regarding Law, we were advised you need to go to a good Uni to do Law as it’s extremely competitive so coming out with a mediocre grade will not get you into a good law firm. Have you looked at The Times University Law Rankings to see how your chosen university compares? Make sure you do your research and it doesn’t do any harm calling and asking the uni’s if they’d consider you if you applied for a different course etc. Have you looked up the top unis for Law? I‘m also aware that Queen Mary’s London usually have Law LLB and Law with Politics in clearing (once again you must decline your offers on results day if you want to go into Clearing) and that’s a RG uni which is quite high ranking in Law?
Hope this helps, all the best.

Thank you for all the information and comparison, I really appreciate it. If I have any more questions I will reply to this again. Best of luck to your daughter.

Hi, my daughter’s applying same as you for 2025 - she applied for Law LLB (as originally wanted to be a barrister) so applied October 2024 to Cambridge, & 4 London universities, she also sat her LNAT, plus predicted A* x3. Then literally last month decided that she didn’t want to do law after all as she loves Politics and wants to continue with that (studying Politics, History and Sociology plus EPQ). This was after the equal consideration deadline. She called the unis she had been given offers for and asked if she could be considered and swapped onto Politics instead but they said it’s a popular course and all places had been given out except for x1 uni which said you have to apply via UCAS Extra (we checked the course she wanted was still available). She declined her offers (you have to for Extra) and has applied for a new course via UCAS Extra and it’s almost 3 weeks and we are waiting to see if she’s successful or not. If not she will most likely be taking a gap year. It’s not worth doing a degree that you won’t enjoy.
These things happen in life so don’t stress. My advice would be don’t settle for a degree you don’t want to do. Regarding Law, we were advised you need to go to a good Uni to do Law as it’s extremely competitive so coming out with a mediocre grade will not get you into a good law firm. Have you looked at The Times University Law Rankings to see how your chosen university compares? Make sure you do your research and it doesn’t do any harm calling and asking the uni’s if they’d consider you if you applied for a different course etc. Have you looked up the top unis for Law? I‘m also aware that Queen Mary’s London usually have Law LLB and Law with Politics in clearing (once again you must decline your offers on results day if you want to go into Clearing) and that’s a RG uni which is quite high ranking in Law?
Hope this helps, all the best.

Extra is exactly the same as clearing except that it’s less rushed and universities can make conditional offers.
Why not ring Surrey and ask if they’re able to offer any reassurance that you can apply back to them in Extra if you don’t get an offer from Exeter. They might be able to give you the confidence that you aren’t risking a place there if you decline their offer to use Extra.
I would say that Surrey’s placement year scheme and support is likely to have more of a positive impact on your employability than the difference in reputation that you are talking about between universities.
However if you think that you would be happier and more likely to thrive and do well at Exeter then that’s key to boosting your employability.

Please pay no attention to university rankings tables. They have no bearing on recruitment decisions in the legal profession.

What do you believe does have the biggest bearing on recruitment decisions in the legal profession?

Please pay no attention to university rankings tables. They have no bearing on recruitment decisions in the legal profession.

I respectfully disagree. In an ideal world, university rankings might not matter but in reality, they exist for a reason. The difference between attending a top law uni and a lower-ranked one can be significant, depending on your career ambitions.
This perspective was reinforced by advice we received from a leading barrister within a Magic Circle firm. Top law universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL, King’s College London, Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, and possibly Nottingham or Warwick consistently attract recruitment from Magic Circle and elite US firms, offering better access to training contracts and high-level opportunities.
Ultimately, the choice is personal. However, when the tuition fees are essentially the same, it raises the question: why opt for a lower-ranked institution when higher-ranked universities offer superior faculty, stronger employer connections, mooting opportunities, and more robust career support?
A quick look at available data confirms that top universities deliver tangible benefits in terms of prestige and job prospects. That said, it’s true that lower-ranked institutions can provide a more personalised learning environment. In the end, the best choice depends on your goals, learning style, and the environment that will help you thrive.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer but when you’re investing a significant amount of time and money into your education, it’s only natural to want the best possible return in terms of both learning and career outcomes.

Do you think that lawyers pay any attention to rankings when they recruit people? We don't. We pay attention to how good each candidate is. The advice you have been given doesn't contradict this.
Yes, strive to go to the best university you can get into, but please don't fixate on rankings. In general, the universities with the most financial resources offer the best education.