Applying with lower predicted grades than the minimum requirement.

[Beastern]

OK, let's say I would like to apply for IR course at Royal Holloway.. It is written at the universities web that the minimum requirement for the course and the typical offer is 35 IB points.. If my predicted grade is 34, does it mean I have no chance of getting an offer? Basically, the question is whether it is possible to get an offer applying with lower predicted grades than needed or not?

[nametaken]

Some universities aren't so lenient with their entrance criteria. What I mean is, in a nutshell, yes. If it's by 1 point, then there is the possibility of the university accepting it. But, you'll have to bear in mind that it varies immensely from university to university. I doubt for example, a university like Oxford, or Cambridge would allow this however as competition is already at an all time high.

You'll probably have to contact the university in question and ask for yourself....

My opinion.

Edited June 5, 2011 by nametaken

[Sandwich]

What nametaken said, but I'll also add that failing to meet minimum requirements is the first thing they do to cut applications. Unless you're applying to a course that has fewer applicants than there are places, what they do is go through whittling it down by various criteria. Not meeting minimum requirements will get your application stuck in the bin pretty quickly, so it's not really worth it unless you've nowhere else to apply. I'd either get your predicted grade increased by 1 or give it a miss.

[ninety]

Hi people. I actually have a similar problem to Beastern.

I'm currently predicted 39 points out of 42 (excluding the bonus points, but I'm hoping to get 1-2 bonus points). You can see my predicted grade for each subject in my signature.

I'd like to apply to LSE for Law, but their minimum requirement is a little different to my actual predicted grade. They require 38 points overall with 7,6,6 or 6,6,6 at HL. So while I fulfil the requirement of 38 points overall, I'm only getting 5,7,7 for my HL subjects. Will I be disadvantaged?

By the way, I'm also interested in Law at Queen Mary, and they require 36 points overall, with 6,6,6 at HL. Will I be disadvantaged here, too?

Edited June 7, 2011 by ninety

[Keel]

OK, let's say I would like to apply for IR course at Royal Holloway.. It is written at the universities web that the minimum requirement for the course and the typical offer is 35 IB points.. If my predicted grade is 34, does it mean I have no chance of getting an offer? Basically, the question is whether it is possible to get an offer applying with lower predicted grades than needed or not?

Hi,

I would like to add on to what has been said to your particular case which has not been mentioned. There is a big difference between the processes of getting your offers and meeting the requirements of your offers. I see no reason why the university would not give you an offer if you are one point below their 'official' requirement. They may give you an offer of 35, or 38 or 32. A lot of factors come into play. So my advice contrasts greatly from the above posters. My advice would be to go ahead with the application to this university but at the same time take precautions to secure your place. (a) apply to at least one 'safety' university who's requirement you can 100% fulfill; (b) Make sure your personal statement is really good, given that you have a solid personal statement it is highly likely they will give you an offer (universities understand the bias and unreliable nature of the 'predicted grades' process. They are after good quality students. Not giving offers to students who are just under the requirements runs the risk of dismissing 'good students' even before they get their actual results). © While it is a nice thing to get your 'predicted grade' up, I see no point (this could be a bonus). Why not get your actual grade up. I think it is highly likely you will get an offer, what kind of offer, it is hard to say. Thus prepared to receive one which is 3 points above the 'official requirements'. Put in the extra effort in your classes and remember that the EE and ToK can get you a relatively easy 2 extra (aim for the 3!!!). Remember you are allowed to apply up to 5 different universities; spread the ranges out so you have a safety, saftey reach, reach, reach, and high reach. Good luck!!!

Hi people. I actually have a similar problem to Beastern.

I'm currently predicted 39 points out of 42 (excluding the bonus points, but I'm hoping to get 1-2 bonus points). You can see my predicted grade for each subject in my signature.

I'd like to apply to LSE for Law, but their minimum requirement is a little different to my actual predicted grade. They require 38 points overall with 7,6,6 or 6,6,6 at HL. So while I fulfil the requirement of 38 points overall, I'm only getting 5,7,7 for my HL subjects. Will I be disadvantaged?

By the way, I'm also interested in Law at Queen Mary, and they require 36 points overall, with 6,6,6 at HL. Will I be disadvantaged here, too?

Hello,

I would give the same advice as I gave Beastern. If you really want to go to this uni, go for it! You may be slightly 'disadvantaged' but I don't see why they have any reason not to give you an offer. The thing is a lot of people will be applying to the LSE so the overall likelihood is less. Its not just because there are applicants who have higher predicted grades but there will be more applicants who apply earlier than you, who have better personal statements than you, who have better pre-IB qualifications than you and, if it happens, give a better interview than you. So your predicted grade is not the only factor. 5 uni choices...sacrificing one for a dream uni is nothing. Go for it and good luck!

[Loeszie.]

I have the same problem... I am thinking of applying for English or Modern Languages at Oxford or Cambridge (still have to decide which one), and they usually ask for 6, 7, 7 at HL (in total 38 or 39 points, which is without bonus points right?). I don't have predicted grades yet (I'm getting them after the summer), but I'm currently scoring 5, 6, 6 (in total I have 37 points) at my HLs. This means I'd have to score a grade higher on each of these subjects. I am pretty sure I can change the 5 (which is for English) into a 6, and the 6 for Spanish into a 7, but I'm not sure whether I will be predicted a 7 for Dutch. However, I used to get 7's for Dutch in MP5 (I know that's different from DP but still), so could I ask my teacher to predict me a 7?

My English teacher can base her predicted grades on IA's (we've already done the IOP and both WLs), but my Dutch and Spanish teacher can't. We're only just starting on our Dutch WL1, and I doubt she'll know the grades for that by mid-September. Do the teachers mainly look at IA's when predicting grades or do they also look at how you're doing in your 'normal' tests?

If I am predicted 6, 6, 7 I think I will just give it a shot, and if I don't get in it's bad luck. I have back-up plans like going to KCL (34 points for English Language and Communication), Reading (I believe they ask 34 points or so for English) or even studying in Leiden (The Netherlands), where they only ask for a diploma.

[Guest Soiboist]

Hi people. I actually have a similar problem to Beastern.

I'm currently predicted 39 points out of 42 (excluding the bonus points, but I'm hoping to get 1-2 bonus points). You can see my predicted grade for each subject in my signature.

I'd like to apply to LSE for Law, but their minimum requirement is a little different to my actual predicted grade. They require 38 points overall with 7,6,6 or 6,6,6 at HL. So while I fulfil the requirement of 38 points overall, I'm only getting 5,7,7 for my HL subjects. Will I be disadvantaged?

By the way, I'm also interested in Law at Queen Mary, and they require 36 points overall, with 6,6,6 at HL. Will I be disadvantaged here, too?

This is frankly one of the problems with IB and university admissions, because the university will always compare the IB to the educational system of its own country. For the UK this means that they will compare it to A levels, and hence the higher levels will be the most significant subjects for the university to consider. If universities would have understood the IB they would perhaps had acknowledged the fact that you have taken Maths HL, possibly the most rigorous course for IB, and so not minding that you don't reach the entry requirements. However, as they don't really understand the IB you will most likely be disadvantaged I'm afraid to say. They will probably compare it to taking Maths for A levels (not Further Maths), and then a C or B (whatever a 5 translates to, the new A* messed that up I think) will not look so good. This does depend on the university though, because some of them might partially recognise the difficulty of Maths HL. LSE won't I would assume, since a 7 in HL is required for Economics.

If you think that you can score higher on the exams you could make your reference come up with a reason why you're only predicted a 5 for Maths. Then again, considering the difficulty a 5 might even be rather good. I'd still say you have a good chance though, and especially if you have very good reference, PS and motivation to study your subject. Considering that you have two 7s for your higher levels might make up for your 5, and Maths is not a subject typically related to Law. If you want to be certain you should email the universities that you will apply to, and hopefully they will be understanding.

[Slovakov]

I've had a similar situation: the requirements for Mech. Engineering (MEng) at Birmingham were 36pts including 6 in math HL and 6 in physics HL. I applied there with a predicted grade of 35pts and 5 in both math and physics HL. I didn't exoect to have an offer from them, but I got it However, the offer is for BEng course, with a possibility of switching to a MEng course after two years it I turn out to do very well.

So, I think you should try and see what they say. I guess if you apply for law, then Math HL won't be that important for them and thus you are quite likely to get an offer. Good luck!

[ms11]

OK, let's say I would like to apply for IR course at Royal Holloway.. It is written at the universities web that the minimum requirement for the course and the typical offer is 35 IB points.. If my predicted grade is 34, does it mean I have no chance of getting an offer? Basically, the question is whether it is possible to get an offer applying with lower predicted grades than needed or not?

Hey

It's always worth applying if you're really interested in going, especially when you're predicted grades are only one point off the minimum. If you're personal statement's good and the university sees you as a strong candidate in other respects then they may well give you and offer. Alternatively, you could just ask one teacher (do you have a favourite?) to boost your prediction by one - that's what loads of people in my school did. But apply anyway - you gotta remember that one point at IB is not the equivalent to a grade at A level, so if they're looking at you compared to an A level candidate in a similar situation, they're more likely to give you an offer.

Go for it, and good luck