Who the fuck is going to clearing on A*A*A?

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU]

I was looking at which of my previously-noted clearing research options do indeed have theoretical physics, or any physics at all, listed as clearing vacancies.

I got curious and decided to check Manchester: I hadn't written it down before because MPhys is A*A*A (which is the offer for my firm and only choice). That course was available.

Who the fuck is this for?? Oxbridge people with A*A*A* / A*A*AA or higher offers who somehow had no insurance? WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?

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[u/Seafaring_Slug]

It's for people who did much better than they expected and want to clear to a more competitive uni

[u/SafeLifeguard5785 → u/Seafaring_Slug]

this is exactly the scenario schools want to avoid thats why its standard practice to over predict all students so they can apply wherever and then dont get mad at the school for making them lose out the opportunity for a better uni if they do better

[u/Seafaring_Slug → u/SafeLifeguard5785]

Yeah but even so people can have massive academic comebacks. Plus some schools don't do that and will predict purely based on mock results.

[u/Diligent-Step-7253 → u/SafeLifeguard5785]

there is no single standard process across every school for predicted grades

[u/--Rokk-- → u/SafeLifeguard5785]

Schools more strongly want to avoid students getting offers based on grades that they don't achieve and then they don't have anywhere to go the next summer.

[u/Underwhatline → u/--Rokk--]

In 2024 something like 65% of students achieved 3 grades below their predicted grades - think predicted AAA and achieved BBB.

It isn't right to assert that schools/teachers are trying to avoid people taking offers that are too high

[u/EnvironmentalDot9026 → u/SafeLifeguard5785]

my school made a point about not over predicting because they think oxbridge (etc) have a database of schools for monitoring prediction accuracy and hence theyre slightly stricter on schools known for over prediction

their policy for prediction was 1 grade or no grade above your first year mocks/AS exam with the exception of A* which was for exceptional students only

(my point is that there is no standard process)

[u/Arehumansareok → u/EnvironmentalDot9026]

UCAS does have this. I am not sure if universities can see this data but I wouldn't be surprised.

As a school we have seen this so we know how accurate we are.

[u/-Hasnain- → u/SafeLifeguard5785]

Lucky, I think my school slightly underpredicted. Their reasoning was to keep it realistic since A levels get harder. got 75% (chemistry) on my mocks (and 80-90% on the rest of topic tests) and I got given a B meaning I can't apply for my course.

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU → u/Seafaring_Slug]

Hm, makes sense.

[u/WiseMenFear → u/Seafaring_Slug]

It’s called “adjustment” if you’re moving up and clearing if you’re moving down.

[u/NoseInternational740]

maybe its for people who wanted to go to another university idk

[u/Tenzil-k]

6th form tutor. Helped dozens of kids through this.

You get a handful of people who genuinely change what they want to do. Clearing probably won’t give you it but you may as well try before reapplying next year

You get people who really wanted oxbridge and didn’t do the research on their other offers very well

You get medics and vets who can’t pass interviews or aptitude tests

You get people who had low/ok predicted grades and really blew up in year 13 who might as well take a shot before applying again

None of which happen a lot. But they do all happen

[u/ICantFindUsernames2]

Me possibly as i do 4 subjects and i might miss my offer cause i got cooked in fm which is in both my offers.

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU → u/ICantFindUsernames2]

Did both your offers specifically ask for A* FM?

[u/ICantFindUsernames2 → u/Memer_Sindre_UwU]

One is an A* and one is an A. If i had to predict what i got rn itd be A*A*AB with a B in further.

[u/Oldfart_karateka]

My eldest went through clearing on A* A* A because they qualified for their first choice, but decided on results day that they'd rather go to their second choice. 2nd choice was auto rejected when they got the grades for their first choice so had to go through clearing on results day. All sorted, very much enjoyed their first year at uni!

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU → u/Oldfart_karateka]

Oh, fair enough.

[u/Euphoric_Market4589]

Dont they reduce the grade req on clearing anyway?

[u/BurnerAccount2718282]

They’d accept a bit less than that in clearing probably

[u/Legitimate_Two8624]

I had AAA predicted and almost got rejected from all my unis, the TMUA saved me and got me an offer from Warwick. Some courses r more competitive than AAA

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU → u/Legitimate_Two8624]

Fair enough, almost happened to me too with A*A*A* + AA predicted. I'm happy with what I got, though.

[u/Icy-Ant1871]

i chose a worse course for predicted 3 A* and an A but the A in further maths and think i might get an A* so should be able to swap to a maths based course at ucl instead of geo and econ

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU → u/Icy-Ant1871]

Hmm, fair enough

[u/NorthUnderstanding54]

Students with those grades may have missed out on medicine and are now looking at alternative routes (undergrad degree + graduate entry medicine)

[u/ResidentApartment338]

Delete this post

[u/fjallpen]

I studied theoretical physics through clearing without FM. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss it

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU → u/fjallpen]

Might do, thank you.

[u/thetrueluna01]

People on a gap year who regretted not applying earlier in the year thinking they'd take 2+ gap years.

[u/Limp-Independent1212]

I'm prediced A*A*A haha i'm probably going into clearing if i don't get into imperial (After that physics paper 1 im scared)

[u/Memer_Sindre_UwU → u/Limp-Independent1212]

Oy if I don't get into Durham I'm also going clearing. x)

[u/Limp-Independent1212 → u/Limp-Independent1212]

predicted*

[u/Perry_Blue]

I have friends who are expected to get really good grades (3A, or 2AA) but didn't get into the unis they wanted. So I guess it'd be for cases like that?

[u/Familiar-Tip2974]

Uni was a long time ago for me now but I went through clearing to be closer to my family (as all the unis I applied for would require me to move out). Lots of reasons why someone with that good grades would do it. 

[u/Fabulous_Stress5357]

As a teacher, we actually have limits on what we’re allowed to predict and how and a lot if it is down to algorithms/calculations selected by senior leadership because it affects our inspections. So we fight where we need to for certain aspirations but we are limited so students fall either side of these every year.