Shropshire Star

Clearing the confusion about university

A-level results day can be a time of mixed emotions, as Annabelle Gardner will testify.

Published

For every smiling student jumping for joy after receiving decent grades, there's another who is left disappointed and confused after missing out on the required marks.

“I was a little bit stressed and upset when I opened my A Level results," remembers Annabelle, now 23. But after a little research she found a course she liked at Harper Adams at Edgmond, near Newport, and never looked back.

Now Annabelle, from Eccleshall, is about to graduate with first-class honours.

"I made the phone call, it was so quick and easy and I was ready to start in September."

Welcome to the world of clearing, the tried and tested route into higher education that lists courses and entry requirements for students who may have missed out on their original choice or simply had a change of mind.

Attitudes towards clearing are changing fast. It was once considered a free-for-all, the last hope for desperate students that inevitably ended up in a mad scramble for university places.

However, in recent years it has become a respected and vital tool for students planning their next steps in education.

Last year a record 64,900 students found university places through clearing – with more than 30,000 course vacancies listed – meaning around one in eight people accepted to full-time university courses got there through clearing.

“My biggest piece of advice when opening your A-Level results is don’t panic at all," says Annabelle. "Whatever’s on the paper, there’s always another option, and clearing is definitely one.”

According to Derek Walton, head of student recruitment at Wolverhampton University, which has a campus at Priorslee in Telford, it is vital that students remain calm and focused when considering entering clearing.

"It’s important to remind yourself what your priorities are," he says.

"Is there a particular university where you want to be based or a specific course that you want to study? If so, remember that these are your priorities and you need to take actions to achieve them."

Mr Walton suggests following these simple guidelines:

- Make sure you have your Ucas website password and personal ID number to hand.

- Even if you don't hold offers of a place, check with the university whether spaces are available on the course that interests you.

- If your grades are lower than expected, it is still worth speaking to your first choice university to see if it will still offer you a place.

- If you can't get on your first choice course, check to see if there are similar courses at the same university with lower entry requirements.

- Alternatively, consider the same course at a university which still has places available, or explore Foundation, HNC and HND options.

- If your grades are higher than expected, you will need to make an 'adjustment' through Ucas in order to seek an alternative course.

Mr Walton adds: "There are plenty of good quality courses available through clearing, but do not delay in making a considered choice because there is competition for places."

This year clearing is expected to be busier than ever, with many universities still having places available due to a dip in initial applications caused by a reduction in the population of 18-year-olds and a decrease in EU students.

At the country's elite universities thousands of courses are still being advertised, with two thirds of Russell Group universities reporting vacancies at the start of this week.

More than 4,000 spaces were advertised on the Ucas website, with places still available on competitive courses including medicine, law, English, maths and the sciences.

The University of Birmingham had places available on eight courses, including computer science and material science.

It has all led to experts describing this year's clearing as a buyers' market.

Harper Adams, which runs courses in business, engineering, agriculture, animal health, food science and land management, holds a clearing open day from 11am to 3pm on Monday, where prospective students can speak to academic staff about the courses, as well as take part in tours led by existing students who will be on hand to answer any questions. There will also be people able to advise about accommodation, finance, and career support.

Shrewsbury University Centre, which has a number of courses available through clearing, including English, history, biochemistry and medical genetics, has a series of open days lined up beginning at 1.30pm tomorrow, then followed by one at 11.30am on Saturday, and further open days at 1.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday next week

Wolverhampton University holds an open day at all its main campuses from 9am until 3pm on Saturday.

Annabelle says open days are an excellent opportunity to find out whether a university really is right for you.

“I definitely recommend coming on the Clearing Open Day as it gives you that extra bit of information. You can talk to course lecturers and have a look at the campus and the facilities."

More information about places available through clearing:

*Wolverhampton: www.wlv.ac.uk/clearing , telephone 01902 518585 or call into The George building in Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton

*Harper Adams: www.harper-adams.ac.uk , 01952 815000 or email admissions@harper-adams.ac.uk

*Shrewsbury: www.ucshrewsbury.ac.uk/undergraduate/clearing , 0808 1642710, or email: clearing@chester.ac.uk