University Application

[Binky]

My son applied to six universities via UCCAS. He has now had all his offers in. Unfortunately, five of them are the same - all relatively high grades. The sixth is low, but wasn't really where he wanted to go in the first place. When making the choice, can you put your first choice and insurance choice even if they are asking for the same grades? Otherwise he will have to put a university down as his insurance choice as somewhere he really doesn't want to go. Do universities tend to stick to the grades offered or if you are just short of the requirements, might they still accept you? Any guidance will be appreciated. Thank you.

[antiguru]

If he didn�t want to go there, he really shouldn�t have put in down. You don�t say what he�s applied to do, but if it requires consistently high grades it is either a popular course or a subject that requires you to be bright to keep up.

He may have to rely on clearing if he doesn�t get the grades, but this isn�t necessarily a bad thing � it can just make for a stressful summer.

My advice is to get your son to call UCCAS and talk through his options.

[curiosity]

My nephew didn't get the grades he needed for the Uni course he wanted to take. The grades were good enough for another Uni that like your son he wasn't very keen on. He rang the preferred one on results day and the person he spoke to had met him at the open day and he had shown real interest and potential, and he got in. Not saying that this always works, but if he goes and meets someone linked with the course, then if he is just short, it may still work for him. Good luck

[saxy_jag]

I went to a university that used to be a poly. Many students there had arrived via clearing because they hadn't got the grades for their choices, but they all said that having started there, they wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.