Uni's and Conditionals.

Former Member

Hello guys

Right, I sent my Ucas away and i have heard back from one of the uni's. I applied for two courses there and have a unconditional for the forensic psychobiology and a conditional for the forensic science.

My question is, For Forensics the want me to get either a C in a higher or one of my Advanced highers, which isn't really specific and easier than i thought it was going to be.

But my problem is, and this will sound stupid but its my future so i don't care, I really thought they would want me to get at least a B at a higher or an adv.H. The forensic's course is really competitive due to the people that think it is exactly like CSI. For some reason i have it in my head that because they just want me to meet the minimum requirements that the uni isn't as good as they made out. I mean you would think they would want the best grades?

Do you get what i mean? maybe i'm just trying to find excusses at the minute because uni is a big jump, but i know i deffinetly want to do it. And for the ones that think i am writting this to brag i'm not. i mean i'm happy with this as i am sure i can get a C in my subjects, but it puts doubts in my head because the uni said its very competitive and hard to get into.

Also, just one more thing. If say there are 30 places for a course, and they give 20 unconiditionals out does that mean they give out 10 conditionals and people that don't meet it don't get in and they have places left? or do they give out more conditionals to the number of places availiable and then take out the ones that don't meet the conditionals? Is that a stupid question?

Infact i'm sure i sound like a dumbass but nothing new there

Former Member

I think the conditional offers are more so that candidates can prove they are hardworking as opposed to smart. I've not done a single piece of uni work yet that has required intelligence, its a lot of reading and just regurgitating from books, can't think of an occasion where i've actually had to think for myself to be honest.
Gaining the required grades just prove that you are able to acheive what you set out to do (ie predicted grades).
That said though i could be entirely wrong (and probably am as this is a complete guess)

Former Member

I have to say I disagree with Icey there. Part of the point in the conditional offers is to try to get the best candidates out of the pool of applicants. It's not a coincidence that the best, most prestigious universities and the most difficult courses have the highest requirements in terms of grades.

What is the university you're applying to? I think in some respects you might be right to think that the course is less prestigious than you had originally believed, if they only want you to get a C in your higher.

Of course, there are lots of other things that matter more than how prestigious the university is, such as whether the course is a good fit with your interests, you like the city, etc.

Former Member

What's the uni?

How do they fair in league tables generally and for those kind of subjects in particular?

Unless you already have a startling track record those are pretty soft offers for a supposedly very good course.

Another thing to look at is what are the employment statistics for the course leavers, what's the drop out rate, and and what jobs do the grads go into - are they getting the kind of jobs that yuo're after.

Former Member

Dundee Abertay. Its low in the ranking but Abertay and RGU (my prefered uni) are the ones thats have their courses recognised by the right people to get a good job out of it at the end (accredited by the Forensic Science Society.)
Although RGU is better and works along with the poilce and was the first in Scotland to be accredited by the Forensic Science Society, and is the only one in Scotland to be accedited in all three Component Standards - Crime Scene Investigation, Interpretation, Evaluation and Presentation of Evidence and Laboratory Analysis. Additionally, honours graduates who have elected to take the optional modules in Chemistry satisfy the criteria for Associate Membership of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

I'm not sure about employment at the end but i know RGU is higher, the guy said 100% are working in a area of forensics when they leave. But i dont know if that counts the ones that carry on at uni at Phd level.

...i think i've answered my own question lol