Every one of the 8 sections, start to finish, so you can see the shape and the voice before you decide.
Amara's grades aren't the problem - the balance is. At A*AA predicted she meets or beats the typical offer at four of the five. But the list is built from three reaches and two targets, and if one grade slips there's nowhere on it that catches her.
The fix in one line. Keep UCL as the aspirational shot, lock one genuine safety and decide the firm and insurance pair now - not on results day.
These are real UCAS course figures from 2023 to 2025. Achieved means the grades students actually arrived with. Offer rate is the share of applicants who got an offer, so it is competition and not a personal chance. Confirm the entry requirements on each course page for 2027 entry. No outcome is guaranteed.
Read this before you build your five. UCL at 9% is a long shot for everyone - keep it but don't lean on it. Warwick is the most winnable reach. Birmingham and Sheffield have both taken students below the published offer. That makes them the strongest part of the list.
| Choice | Tier | Offer | Achieved | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCL CS | Reach | A*A*A | A*A*A* to AAA | 9% |
| Warwick CS | Reach | A*A*A | A*A*A* to A*AA | 52% |
| Bristol CS | Target | A*AA | A*A*A* to AAB | 37% |
| Birmingham CS | Target | A*AA | A*A*A* to ABB | 68% |
| Sheffield CS | Safety | AAA | A*A*A* to ABB | 79% |
The one to notice. Straight CS at UCL takes 9% - Philosophy and CS takes 73%. The same university, a more open door. It's only worth it if the second subject genuinely appeals, but most families never check.
| Course | Tier | Offer | Achieved | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCL CS (yours) | Reach | A*A*A | A*A*A* to AAA | 9% |
| Bath CS | Reach | A*A*A | A*A*A* to AAA | 30% |
| Warwick CS (yours) | Reach | A*A*A | A*A*A* to A*AA | 52% |
| Bristol CS (yours) | Target | A*AA | A*A*A* to AAB | 37% |
| Manchester CS | Target | A*A*A | A*A*A* to AAA | 49% |
| Birmingham CS (yours) | Target | A*AA | A*A*A* to ABB | 68% |
| Sheffield CS (yours) | Safety | AAA | A*A*A* to ABB | 79% |
| Southampton CS | Safety | A*AA | A*A*A* to AAA | 91% |
| Surrey CS | Safety | ABB | AAA to BCC | high |
| One more safety completes your ten |
| Course | Offer | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| UCL Philosophy and CS | AAA | 73% |
| Manchester CS and Mathematics | A*A*A* | 79% |
| Southampton Maths with CS | ABB | 97% |
The AAB row is the whole point. One course carries that entire scenario, and nobody chose it for that job.
| Scenario | Results | What's still open |
|---|---|---|
| Best case | A*A*A | Everything, including UCL |
| On prediction | A*AA | Warwick, Bristol, Birmingham and Sheffield all realistic |
| One grade drops | AAA | Birmingham and Sheffield hold, Bristol becomes a phone call |
| Two drop | AAB | Only Sheffield's achieved range covers this |
A five that holds up usually reads two reaches, two targets and one safety. This one reads three reaches, two targets and no true safety. A genuine safety is one where the grades clear the bar with room and the offer rate is high. Sheffield is the closest here but it was never picked for that job.
The rule. If the firm and the insurance ask for the same grades, the insurance isn't doing its job.
A few things on this list get decided before an application is ever read.
Admissions tests. Some top CS courses use a test or an interview. Check each of the five for 2027 entry and register early.
GCSE rules. The 8 and 7 clear every course in this report, no issue.
Subject rules. Maths is required everywhere and Further Maths helps at the sharp end. Amara has both.
This week. Lock the safety - Sheffield stays or Southampton comes in.
End of term. Check the test position for every course and diary the dates.
Next. Book the open days for the final three - the slots go fast.
After the next mocks. Review the predictions and lock the five.
The open decisions stay yours to make. This report frames them and shows the evidence - it never makes the choice for you. A Strategy Together session is where we work through them together.
This is a sample. To get one written for your family, start your own report.
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