Accepting Offers
Receiving, accepting and declining offers.
Having considered your application, an admissions tutor may choose to offer you a place, reject your application, invite you for interview or for a less formal visit, or ask for further information. This can happen within a number of days or it may take many months.
You will need to login to TRACK to see offers and respond to them. Whenever there is new information on TRACK for you an email will be sent to the email address you put on your application form.
The information sheet we hand out to all Upper Sixth pupils can be downloaded here:
Do
- Check the email you put on your UCAS form. You will receive and update whenever the Track information changes
- Respond promptly for requests for further information, invitations to interview or for other visits.
- Check that any offer letters and Track say the same thing
- Keep Housemaster or Housemistress and tutor informed of offers
Do Not
- Accept offers until you have heard from all your institutions or are certain that you do not want to attend those which you have not heard from
- Accept an offer if you have not visited the institution
- Accept a change of course offer without carefully researching it
- Convert a conditional to "unconditional" offer without talking to the careers department and your Housemaster / Housemistress or Tutor
Warning: Some universities are making unscrupulous offers.
Some admissions tutors try to lure good applicants into making early decisions to accept a place on their course. Most commonly they will offer to change a conditional offer into an unconditional offer if you put them as your firm choice. Others will make a lower or unconditional offer on another similar course which they are having trouble filling with good applicants, possibly at a different campus. They have also offered laptops, cash and good deals on accommodation.
Think very carefully and talk parents, teachers and the careers department before you accept such offers. They are making the offer because they see you as a high quality applicant. Other universities will probably have the same view so it will pay to wait and see.
Types of Offers
A conditional offer means that your place is confirmed if you meet the grade (and some time other) conditions. The conditions are in the offer letter and on Track.
An unconditional offer means that you now have a place and, if you accept the place is yours regardless of results.
Unsuccessful means that your application has been considered and rejected. Withdrawn means the you have indicated that you no longer wish to be considered for a choice.
See also UCAS Types of Offer
Types of Reply
A Firm Choice is your first choice.
An Insurance Choice is your second choice. (optional)
You CANNOT CHANGE your mind about the order of Firm and Insurance after. Once you have made these choices they cannot be changed.
See also UCAS Types of Reply
Note on Unconditional Offers
If you accept an unconditional offer you have agreed to join the course. You cannot have an insurance offer (because you do not need one). You can go into clearing but only for courses as other universities.