The TSR Community Awards 2025 are now live >>

Disparity between actual grades and requirements

Hey, could anyone explain to me why the disparity between entry requirements and actual grades on most courses is so large. On basically every course I see where the entry requirements are ABB or AAB, the actual grades of the majority of the students are Bs and Cs.

Reply 1

University of Bath

Official Rep

Hi there,

This is a good question!

May I firstly ask where you are getting the Bs and Cs data from? Is it UCAS' historical entry grade data? Because this data also takes into account contextual offers which are by definition lower than the standard asking grades and so when put in a weighted average should be interpreted with caution.

If its from observation, then there are a number of reasons why people with lower than the asking grades will get places. Almost all unis carefully consider and still accept close near-misses (people who narrowly miss the asking grades) and depending on the popularity of the course, may accept clearing applicants too with slightly lower grades.

Message being, its always worth applying to one or two unis where the asking grades are a little higher than what you're predicted because depending on a lot of factors you may still be considered for an offer.

Hope this helps a bit!

University of Bath

Reply 2

LSBU

Official Rep

Original post

by Alfred1!

Hi there,

This is a really common question, and the answer becomes clearer once you understand how universities actually use entry requirements. The grades listed on websites, like ABB or AAB, are simply the standard offer to indicate the academic level of the course. But in reality, universities look at so much more than just grades. Your personal statement, motivation for the subject, relevant experience, and overall potential all play a huge part in admissions decisions.

At London South Bank University (LSBU), where I study, this is especially true. Even though many LSBU courses list requirements around 112-120 UCAS points (BBC-BBB), students often join with a wide range of grades. That’s because LSBU takes a very inclusive and contextual approach. If a student shows strong potential or passion for their subject, the university is flexible. It’s not about filtering people out, it’s about giving talented students a real chance to thrive.

A lot of the grade variation you see nationwide also comes from Clearing, where universities accept students who may be slightly below the original offer. This doesn’t lower the standard of the course, it just recognises that grades aren’t the only measure of ability. LSBU focuses on practical skills, creativity, motivation, and growth. Once you’re enrolled, everyone receives the same strong teaching and support, so students with different grade backgrounds can still succeed.

If you want to understand how LSBU admissions work or see what current students think, I’d really recommend two things:

•

Come to our Open Day on Saturday 15th November you can speak directly with our academic team and admissions staff, and ask questions about entry requirements, offers, and flexibility. 👉 You can sign up here: LSBU Open Day.

•

Chat with current LSBU students on Unibuddy they’ll give you honest insights about what grades they applied with and how the process really works. 👉 You can also chat with our students through our Unibuddy platform: Chat with our students.

LSBU genuinely cares about potential, not just predicted grades, and that’s why you’ll often see a difference between published requirements and the grades students actually join with.