Offer Flexibility

How flexible are Oxbridge (Ox specifically) when it comes to missing offers? Should you drop a grade in one subject, how likely is it that you'll still be accepted? Just wishful thinking?

morale boosting stories anyone?

Reply 1

Alewhey

Don't. Just don't.

*Missed offer in 2004, got rejected*

Reply 2

Rembrandt

Same happened to me at Cam. Not a good idea.

Reply 3

RichE

15

Grifter

How flexible are Oxbridge (Ox specifically) when it comes to missing offers? Should you drop a grade in one subject, how likely is it that you'll still be accepted? Just wishful thinking?

morale boosting stories anyone?

It's getting less and less likely these days because so many people make the AAA requirement.

If you missed in a crucial subject (what you were about to study) there'd be no chance. Still only a pretty slim one of being taken if the missed grade's in an "irrelevant" subject.

Unless there was a good reason (illness) to back it up.

Reply 4

WhatFreshHell?

2

Do you think Ox arts students stand more chance if they get AAB rather than AAA cause they don't do that open offers thing?

Reply 5

RichE

15

WhatFreshHell?

Do you think Ox arts students stand more chance if they get AAB rather than AAA cause they don't do that open offers thing?

I don't think that there's much chance particularly on the arts side either. Though if a subject doesn't do open offers there may be a little more slack.

A college can't make more than an AAA offer, and will slightly over-offer number-wise because of missed grades.

But with so many getting that offer these days (though it's always been high) there are going to be very few cases of missed-offers-people still being accepted.

Even if an individual tutor would like to make an exception for someone who did well at interview, there may seemly not be rooms enough for this to be plausible.

Reply 6

fishpaste

I missed my cambridge offer for maths, I needed 2,1 in step and got 2,2. I was gutted, for about 2 seconds, they ever so nicely agreed to take me after a teacher wrote to them explaining I'd had personal probs. during the exam season.

Reply 7

Hoofbeat

14

just work your arse off and don't let it come to that! Like others have said, with more people being given Open Offers(particularly in the sciences and especially medicine it seems this year) there will be people ready to jump into your place and they have priority over someone who misses their offers . Two people missed their grades for Physics at Lincoln this year and neither of them were taken and I was accepted into Lincoln instead (I held an open offer).

Reply 8

musicbloke

17

I missed my offer of AAA - I got AABB and they let me in but I know someone else who had the same a few years back and wasn't let in.

MB

Reply 9

fishpaste

I can also give the example of Asnac at queens last year, they gave six offers out, every single offer holder failed their grades, consequently, queens took no asnacs that year.

Reply 10

Hoofbeat

14

fishpaste

I can also give the example of Asnac at queens last year, they gave six offers out, every single offer holder failed their grades, consequently, queens took no asnacs that year.

God!

That's quite amazing (and highly unlikely I would have thought!!!) that 6ppl missed their grades for the same college and same course :frown:

Reply 11

amateurish

4

I needed AAA and got AAAB & merit in an AEA, but the B was in one of the subjects they'd asked for an A in; I still got my place, but then I do a fairly small subject and I did some extra exams because I knew I wouldn't get an A in geography, having had teaching problems all the way through (although I didn't tell college that)! I do think it's fairly rare though, I don't know anyone else in college who missed their grades (or will admit to it-haha).

Reply 12

Geogger

13

There is someone on here who has an OPEN offer for Geographyat Oxford... this is the first time I've heard of them doing this for Geog, sounds as though its an increasing trend so they DON'T have to accept people who end up not getting their grades.
Just work your socks off!

Reply 13

minimo

15

I thought an open award was when they didn't put you in a college? I'm probably wrong.

Reply 14

Hoofbeat

14

minimo

I thought an open award was when they didn't put you in a college? I'm probably wrong.

Open Application = you didn't choose a college when you applied and you get allocated one for interview

Open Offer = the college you applied to liked you, but had too many good applicants and likewise no other college can take you at the moment. HOWEVER, you are GUARANTEED a place at Oxford if you meet the offer requirements. You get allocated to a college where someone else misses their grades following results day. If no-one misses their grades, the college who made the Open Offer are obliged to squeeze you in. In my case, I applied to New College, they liked me (I got a letter saying they understood another college was going to take me) and sent me to St Hilda's for more interviews. They sent me a letter saying that they didn't have enough spaces but I would be awarded an Open Offer. A couple of days after results days Lincoln College contacted me to say 2 of their Physicists had missed the grades and they were taking me :biggrin:

Reply 15

nooneknows

Three guys in the year above me had AAA offers for Ox. Two got AAB and were rejected.

Reply 16

WhatFreshHell?

2

This is freaking me out; I had thought there was some flexibility.
Hopefully I'll be OK...
When the exams are over I'm going to make a file of evidence I can send away in the case of an appeal, and have that sitting in a desk at school so they can be ready at a moment's notice to appeal the SQA'a ass off for me!

Reply 17

Waldo

Hmmm, my cambridge offer letter specifically stated that it 'might be possible' for them to 'relax' the offer conditions come exam results in august.

Reply 18

musicbloke

17

WhatFreshHell?

This is freaking me out; I had thought there was some flexibility.
Hopefully I'll be OK...
When the exams are over I'm going to make a file of evidence I can send away in the case of an appeal, and have that sitting in a desk at school so they can be ready at a moment's notice to appeal the SQA'a ass off for me!

yes, you can appeal but that won't help you. They get your results about a week before you get them and they will have made their decision by results day. If you do have a successful appeal and miss your place because of it then I suggest that you sue the pants off the exam board - they thoroughly deserve it , I mean how dare they make money out of the education system. Also, if you have a successful appeal it might be worth contacting the college and asking if you should apply again or whether they can give you a deferred offer.

MB

Reply 19

poulanck

I already have 4 As at Advanced Higher including at A in Music - the subject I intend to study. However, I am sitting A level music during a gap year - it was a sort of condition that the specialist music school i am at set for me to be accepted. Oxford has asked that I get an A but I am a bit worried about this as it is a whole new exam system (not to mention the fact that my crazy school doesn't give me any exam-leave!) and I am being a bit too relaxed about it all. I was kind of hoping that they would still let me in if I didnt get an A as it seems a bit cheeky to have asked as I was basically a post-qualification applicant. What do you think? I s'pose it would be a bit shocking to not get an A in the subject I'm going to be studying...

Offer Flexibility

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