[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-296996-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":85,"doc-detail-296996-en":134},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":78,"head_meta":80,"extra_data":82,"updated_unix":84},105,"en","post-18-pathways-predicted-grades-and-choosing-a-university-or-apprenticeship","Post 18 Pathways - Predicted Grades and Choosing a University or Apprenticeship","","Post 18 Pathways explains how predicted grades are produced and why they are central to applicants’ predicted outcomes and university or apprenticeship decisions. It clarifies what predicted grades mean in admissions, how staff complete them by a set date, and the qualities expected of them, including data-driven professional judgement. It also outlines why predicted grades cannot be inflated and describes how applicants should select aspiration, solid, and safe options, alongside tariff points and practical factors such as location, costs, facilities, and career prospects.",{"@graph":14,"@context":77},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/post-18-pathways-predicted-grades-and-choosing-a-university-or-apprenticeship/296996/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/post-18-pathways-predicted-grades-and-choosing-a-university-or-apprenticeship/296996.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Patrick","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-24","2026-09-18",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",8,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69,73],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What are predicted grades and when are they made available?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Predicted grades are qualification grades an applicant’s school or college believes they are likely to achieve. They are made available at the beginning of September as part of the admissions process.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Why can’t predicted grades be inflated?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Inflated predictions can lead to offers the applicant cannot meet, disappointment on results day, or difficulty changing course access after admission. Universities can also withdraw offers if a predicted grade is grossly inaccurate.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How should applicants choose between aspiration, solid, and safe options?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Applicants should select one aspiration choice, three solid choices, and one safe choice. For example, if predicted AAB, the recommended pattern is AAA (aspirational), AAB (solid), and BBB (safe).",{"name":74,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":75},"What factors should applicants consider when choosing a university or apprenticeship?",{"text":76,"@type":64},"Key factors include location and distance from home, size of the university/campus/company, facilities, available courses, bursaries/scholarships and schemes, finance/fees, living costs and accommodation, transport, training opportunities, and career prospects.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":79,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":81,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":83,"site_id":7},296996,1789739426,{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":87},"success",[88,92,96,99,104,109,114,118,123,126,130],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},70,"exam",{"id":100,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":105,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":119,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":121,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":125},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":129},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":131,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":132,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":133},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":135},{"doc_id":83,"user_id":136,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":137,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":138,"file_id":139,"file_url":140,"file_type":141,"file_size":142,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":143,"language":144,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":145,"faqs":146,"seo_title":147,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":84,"read_time":148},549758146520,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/80002397d8c0411e94?_k=1775819394049821470","Post 18 Pathways  \nThe importance of your predicted  \ngrades  \nYour mock exams will be the biggest determinant of your predicted grades.  \nYou will need to know this when considering your course / university choice.  \nYour predicted grades will be made available to you at the beginning of September.  \n• A predicted grade is the grade of qualification an applicant’s school or college believes they are likely to achieve in positive circumstances.  \n• They are part of the universities and colleges admission process.  \n• Staff have been asked to complete them along with your reference by Friday 5th September 2025 .  \n• Your predicted grades will be:  \n• In the best interests of the applicant.  \n• Aspirational but achievable.  \n• Determined by professional judgement.  \n• Data driven.  \n• Finalised by the point of submitting an application.  \nWhy predicted grades cannot be  \ninflated.  \n• An applicant may receive an offer(s) they are unlikely to meet – leading to disappointment on results day.  \n• Applicants’ might gain admission to a course which they cannot access/succeed in. This can be difficult to change and would still cost the applicant money, time and effort.  \n• If a university or college has a reason to believe that a predicted  \ngrade is grossly inaccurate, they retain the right to withdraw any offers.  \nBased on your predicted grades you will need to focus on selecting:  \n• One aspiration choice  \n• Three solids choices  \n• One safe choice  \nFor example, if you are predicted AAB your choices should be as  \nfollows:  \n• AAA (aspirational)  \n• AAB (solid)  \n• BBB (safe)  \nTariff Points  \nFor all A level courses and Criminology.  \nFor Applied Law, Applied Science, Health and Social Care and Information Technology.  \nDestinations  \nUniversity or Apprenticeship  \nHow do I choose a university or apprenticeship?  \nWhat factors do I need to think about?  \nWhat to consider:  \n• Location  \n• Size of the  \nuniversity/campus/company  \n• Distance from home  \n• Facilities  \n• Courses  \n• Bursaries, scholarships and schemes (applies to universities)  \n• Finance/fees  \n• Living costs and accommodation  \n• Transport  \n• Training opportunities  \n• Career prospects  \nCan I apply for any university or  \napprenticeship that I want?  \nUniversities","cbCaitd1OZQgKfZz","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitd1OZQgKfZz","pdf",864840,34,"English","# Predicted grades\n## What predicted grades are\n## Why predicted grades cannot be inflated\n# Selecting choices based on predicted grades\n## Aspiration, solid, and safe options\n## Tariff points\n# Destinations and decision factors\n## How to choose a university or apprenticeship","[{\"question\":\"What are predicted grades and when are they made available?\",\"answer\":\"Predicted grades are qualification grades an applicant’s school or college believes they are likely to achieve. They are made available at the beginning of September as part of the admissions process.\"},{\"question\":\"Why can’t predicted grades be inflated?\",\"answer\":\"Inflated predictions can lead to offers the applicant cannot meet, disappointment on results day, or difficulty changing course access after admission. Universities can also withdraw offers if a predicted grade is grossly inaccurate.\"},{\"question\":\"How should applicants choose between aspiration, solid, and safe options?\",\"answer\":\"Applicants should select one aspiration choice, three solid choices, and one safe choice. For example, if predicted AAB, the recommended pattern is AAA (aspirational), AAB (solid), and BBB (safe).\"},{\"question\":\"What factors should applicants consider when choosing a university or apprenticeship?\",\"answer\":\"Key factors include location and distance from home, size of the university/campus/company, facilities, available courses, bursaries/scholarships and schemes, finance/fees, living costs and accommodation, transport, training opportunities, and career prospects.\"}]","Post 18 Pathways - Predicted Grades and Choosing a University or Apprenticeship | PDF",86]