Clearing – making the call

If your results were not what you expected, you may have found yourself in Clearing. If so, there’s no need to panic. Last year, over 61,000 applicants secured a place through Clearing.

By now you’ve probably had a look at our search tool for Clearing vacancies. If you’ve found the ideal course for you, that’s great news! But you shouldn’t rush your decision and add the choice in Track. You should call the uni first to make sure they still have vacancies, discuss your application, and also to check whether they can accept you.

Making that call may appear daunting but we’ve got some words of advice from three universities on what to expect.

1) Laura Howells, Admissions Officer at Cardiff Metropolitan University

‘Clearing can seem like a confusing and stressful time for students but with some careful research and preparation, it doesn’t have to be!

Firstly, make sure you know which programme you want to apply for and check if there are vacancies. Most universities will publish a list of course vacancies on their website but you can also check the UCAS search tool.

Know what qualifications and results you’ve achieved. If you’re made an offer, it’s likely that we’ll ask you to send in copies of your qualifications – so it might be worth digging out those GCSE certificates!

When contacting universities, it’s best to be as clear as possible about your situation so that we can give you the best possible options. Universities will normally want to know what you’ve studied and what you want to study, as well as some personal details. For some courses you may be put through to a lecturer to have an informal chat about the course. However, our advisers will talk you through your options and what to do next if you want to accept an offer.

Remember that it’s your chance to ask some questions too! Find out about work placements, sports facilities, and assessment methods to make sure the course and university suits you. It’s also worth finding out if the university offers any Clearing open days.

However, the most important tip we can share with you is not to panic! Although Clearing can seem like a race to find a place, your university will be your home for the next three to four years so make sure that you take your time to make the right decision.

Have a look at these inspirational Clearing stories from Cardiff Met.’

2) Louise Carr, Student Recruitment Officer at Liverpool University

‘We appreciate that calling a university during Clearing can be pretty stressful, so here are our top five tips to help you prepare for making that call, and to help you find the right university for you:

1. Research: Admissions requirements vary greatly at different institutions. Before and during results day, look at websites to find universities that suit your academic profile and make a list of these to contact. If you are likely to achieve B grades, you don’t want to sell yourself short by accepting a course that requires D grades, and vice versa.

2. Qualifications: Universities make offers based on your results, so make sure you know exactly what qualifications you have completed, and your full results. For example, if you have a BTEC, what type of BTEC is it? Be prepared to talk about any relevant work experience you might have, particularly for more vocational courses. It’s also helpful to think about why you want to study your particular subject and why it interests you.

3. In person: On results day, you’ll need access to the internet and a telephone to make enquiries yourself. University staff can really only discuss your application and your results with you.

4. Ask: Selecting a course and university is a big decision so make a list of questions that will help you make an informed choice. Ask about the modules that make up your course, any study abroad opportunities, scholarships, accommodation, etc. Also, remember to find out what you need to do next if you want to accept the Clearing offer, and if there is a deadline to do that by.

5. Who to contact: The UCAS website is a good starting point for advice, and don’t forget your teachers as they have helped many students before you. Universities will have information about any remaining course vacancies on their homepages, for example at Liverpool, www.liv.ac.uk/results is updated with all our latest information.

Finally, try to keep calm and call upon your support network both at home and at school.’

3) Helen Wright, Undergraduate Admissions Manager at Swansea University

‘Finding out that your best laid plans haven’t worked out and realising that you are in Clearing can be a really scary moment, but the best advice I can give you is don't panic! Easier said than done, I know, but the majority of universities these days take a large proportion of applicants through Clearing, have a wide range of vacancies, and are ready to take your phone call.


What will happen when I phone a university in Clearing?

When you call our Helpline Team, you will be asked for:
1. Your UCAS number (if you are already in the UCAS system for this cycle)
2. The name of the course (or type of course) you're interested in
3. Details of your qualifications
4. A valid email address as you will be sent an email if you are offered a place

Make sure you have all of the above information in front of you before you call – even if you know your UCAS ID inside out and upside down, it’s amazing how many people’s minds go blank when they ring up! Also make the call yourself – once you start chatting, you might find you have lots of questions that pop in to your head.

University phone lines can get very busy so be patient and keep trying. Alternatively, many universities have online Clearing application forms so you can also submit your application via that method too. Admissions Tutors will be constantly checking applications so you should get a decision quickly.

Once you have secured an offer, take a breather and research a bit more about the course and university you might like to go to. You can’t add a Clearing choice until 17:00 on Thursday 13 August so there is plenty of time to ponder.

Good luck!’

Got any questions about Clearing? Put your questions to our helpful advisers on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, check out our video wall for lots of advice on how to use Clearing.

How to choose a course

There are over 37,000 courses listed in our search tool. Quite a daunting statement if you haven’t made your mind up yet about what you want to apply for, right? It doesn’t have to be though, after all every year there are hundreds of thousands of people in exactly the same situation as you’re in now, and they all manage to choose. So wouldn’t it be great if you could ask how they did it? How they narrowed down 37,000 to five course choices, and then ultimately just one? Well that’s exactly what we did.

We asked those of you on Facebook who already know what you’re going to study, or what you plan to apply for, how you decided that your course was right for you. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, we had heaps of responses. Reading through them all, I could see that most people chose their course through one of five ways, so here they are in a nutshell.


Some people just know
There’s a group of people out there who, for one reason or other, have always known what they wanted to study. Perhaps they were inspired at a young age by their favourite TV character or by a family member they looked up to. However it came about, they’ve been focussed for as long as they can remember on a particular career, and this is guiding their studies. You might think they’re a lucky bunch, because for them the decision never really had to be made – but spare a thought for those who were inspired by Bananaman...

Start with your heart

Looking at what you enjoy – what makes you tick – is a good way to kick-off your research. If you love writing for example, courses with plenty of written assessments are a good starting point. Moving on to your broader interest, you might be able to find courses that reflect your hobbies and extracurricular activities, as well as subjects you know you’re good at. If you can do this then you’ll probably find writing your personal statement a piece of a cake, as you’ve got heaps of evidence to support why you’re genuinely interested in the course you’re applying for.

Work experience works
Work experience, both paid and unpaid, can help you narrow down what you like doing, and – as importantly – what you don’t. If you’ve already got some experience then think about the tasks involved and also the industry it was in, to determine whether these are areas you can see yourself learning more about. If you haven’t got any work experience, then arranging to work shadow someone in a career you’re interested in is a great opportunity to find out whether you want to study a course which could lead to something similar. Although having your sights set on a job isn’t the only reason you’d choose to go to uni (this video explains lots of other motivations) it’s one that we know is important to some people.

Speak to those in the know

Although no one knows you quite as well as you know yourself, there are other people who can help you choose a course. Current and past teachers can give you insight in to where your strengths lie academically, and therefore what types of course you could be well suited to. If you have a particular career in mind then speak to people who work in that profession already – it’s a great way to find out which courses might help you to pursue it.

No idea? No boundaries!
Sometimes not knowing what you want to study can seem like you’re in the dark, but try to see it instead as having an open mind. Look at as many different avenues as possible, and do as much research as you can. Attending open days and UCAS conventions gives you the chance to find out about lots of different courses, some of which you might never have considered (or heard of). Take the opportunity to speak to staff from universities and colleges on these days – they’ll be able to give you far more information than could possibly be crammed in to a prospectus!

Watch our UCAStv video guide to choosing courses for even more great advice.

                                         

An Extra opportunity...

Not holding any offers, either because you’ve been unsuccessful with all five choices or because you’ve declined all the offers you received, is likely to leave you feeling anxious about your application. Take heart, however, in the fact that each year there are many students in exactly the same position who go on to accept offers – even before Clearing.  Want to know how? In a word: Extra. Our guest blogger Amy Smith, Admissions Co-ordinator at Nottingham Trent University, explains how you can make the most of this valuable opportunity...

Amy Smith, Admissions Co-ordinator at
Nottingham Trent  University

UCAS Extra. One of the best kept secrets. Extra is an opportunity for those applicants whose initial 5 choices did not go entirely to plan, be that because they were unsuccessful, had a change of heart about the institutions they applied for (it’s amazing what you can find out about a place following an open day, check out the blog entry from Sarah at LSBU) or just want an entirely new direction from their university education (fancy going from a Science background to Art and Design?). As long as you don’t hold any offers elsewhere, Extra is your chance to get one!

Here are a few tips for applying through Extra:

Find vacancies

Courses that are open in Extra are advertised on the UCAS website through Course Search, as long as they have spaces available. For example, if you search for courses at Nottingham Trent University, you can tick the box to search for ‘Extra courses only’ to exclude all the courses that are full. Time is short though, as places will fill up and once they are gone, they are gone.

Be prepared

Do your research and see what’s out there. Check vacancies on Course Search, but don’t be afraid to look at institutions' websites, or contact the universities and colleges directly to get even more information about the courses you are interested in. You don’t get many second chances in life, but with Extra you can submit a new personal statement directly to your chosen institution if you wish. You’d need to check whether they’re happy to consider it first, but if they are then use it to your advantage - show you have done your research and explain why you are interested in your new choice. 

You don’t have to wait until August

Those eligible for Extra have the advantage of not having to wait until Clearing to secure themselves an offer or a place at university. You have access to a wide variety of courses and have until the 3rd July 2013 to make a choice through Extra. Courses may fill up in the meantime though!


Hit the button

If you’re eligible for Extra then an ‘add Extra choice’ button will appear in Track.  This allows you to enter your chosen institution and course details, and then your application will be sent for consideration. You can only choose one Extra choice at a time, so make it a good one!



It’s still not the end!

If you are unsuccessful in your first Extra choice, or decline an offer made to you, you can add another choice within the Extra timeline (25th February-3rd July 2013). 

Obviously, Extra is not without its risks. Remember:

• If you have chosen to decline all of your previous offers to enter Extra, you will not be able to go back to them at a later date, so think carefully about your decision! 
• You cannot change your Extra choice until a decision has been made or 21 days have passed.
• Not all courses at all institutions will be open through Extra, so if you are determined to apply for a particular institution or course and have been unsuccessful, you may have to wait until you have your results and apply again next year. 

Your university experience should be one that you remember for the rest of your life, so make the most of the opportunity and take advantage of what is available to you. 

Thank you to Amy Smith from Nottingham Trent University for sharing her advice on Extra.

You’ll find more information on using Extra on the UCAS website and in our UCAStv video guide below.