Friday 29 August 2014

We're still open!

Keerthana
OK guys, so you might be thinking Clearing is over now…results day was some time ago and it is the end of August after all… but the reality is…Clearing is still open and will be open pretty much right up until the end of September.

Although some of our more popular courses, such as our Nursing courses, Computing & Information courses, Marketing & Tourism courses, Paramedic Science, Midwifery and PGCE Secondary Education (PE) courses are now full for September 2014, there are still a wide range of courses which are still available.

Courses including Architecture, History and Politics, Literature, Language & Theatre, Mathematical sciences, Law, Accounting & Finance, Business, Psychology & Counselling, Engineering, Pharmacy and Life Sciences are all available through Clearing at the moment. For a full list of courses available in each faculty please visit: http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/courses/clearing/ug.

Those of you who think haven’t met our entry requirements for the traditional undergraduate degree courses can opt to do a two year full time foundation degree or HND at one of our partner colleges and then do a 1 year top-up degree to obtain the full three year undergraduate degree. Please visit:  http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/courses/clearing/fd for more information.

Once you have decided on the course you would like to apply for and have registered with UCAS, please give us a ring on 02083319000 and one of our friendly Clearing staff will be able to look through your UCAS application and make a clearing application. Alternatively you can apply through ‘chat’ by visiting http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/themed-chat. Applicants for our PGCE programmes however need to apply through UCAS UTT by visiting: http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training.


Good Luck! J

Thursday 28 August 2014

The Thought Process/ All About The Future:

Chevonne
Hi everyone!

First of all, congratulations to everyone who received their A-level results on the 14th August.

Sometimes, you just need to take the time to think about what the future holds for you. Right now it's the whole thinking process that's important because it will allow you to think about the possible routes that you could take in life. You could go and get a job if you feel like you have had enough of education for a while or you may feel that going to university to get a degree is the best route for you. If so, have a think about the university that you want to go to and the course that you want to study.

Now, you have the opportunity to through Clearing and go to the university of your choice. This thought process never stops. You also need to think about the location of the university in terms of whether you want to move away or stay at home. Some universities are having Clearing Open Days to give you the chance to get a feel of what the university is like and give you more information about the course that you would like to study. The main thing is to get applying because although universities have spaces left, these spaces are filling up fast.

If you're not sure about something or have a query, we are here to help. You can drop an email to courseinfo@gre.ac.uk where we will try and respond to you as soon as possible or you can give us a call on 0208 331 9000. Alternatively, you can talk to us via our Live Chat services.

All in all, I wish you the best of luck in the future, whatever you decide to do.

Thanks

Chevonne

Wednesday 27 August 2014

Online Registration

Jenna
So it has been a very, very busy few weeks here in the Clearing Team. We made it through Results Day but now comes the drive for all those who can finally register onto their programmes. Most new students and continuing students will be able to register this week through the Online Registration on the Portal. This is the first step to finalising your place with us. Here are a few tips for new students especially who may be a bit confused at this time:

1. Check your emails and junk folder- an email letting you know you can register has been/will be sent to you.

2. Take your time and read everything- make sure all the information is correct

3. If you get stuck at any point, post a query or contact the Enquiry Unit on LiveChat or call us at 020 8331 9000

4. Complete all the steps- when you see the confirmation you are done!

5. Don't forget new students have to come in to a campus and complete Part 2 Registration

All information about registration can be found here: http://www2.gre.ac.uk/current-students/reg/new

Once this is done, sit back and enjoy starting your journey at University. We're all looking forward to meeting you in September! First week timetables for new students are already available on the website for your induction week here: http://www2.gre.ac.uk/current-students/new-students/timetables and continuing students should have their timetables confirmed soon.


For those of you who may not yet have applied to us, we still have spaces on many programmes and we'd love for you to join us. Give us a call or chat with us and we'll see what programmes we can offer you!

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Registration & Start Dates :)

Beste
Hi!

With the start of 2014/15 academic session we have a great number of newcomers, continuing students and final year prospect graduates are who are eager to register! Registration stands as one of the main queries at this time of the year. What happens in registration and when and where does registration take place are the main questions of students.

All students receive an email towards the end of August with the link for Part 1 Registration and are invited to register.  Part 1 registration is completed online through the student portal. The process has a number of steps where the student is required to declare and confirm their personal details such as name, date of birth, address and the qualifications correctly logged on the system. Students are able to view and confirm that the programme of study and point of entry etc. are correctly detailed in existing records. Online registration is completed with the settling of how tuition fees will be paid.

After having completed Part 1 Registration, students are expected to come into one of the drop in sessions at the relevant campus Student Centre and present their qualifications. Here they will be issued with their temporary student card and registration is complete.


Usually Mid-September there is an induction week and a fresher’s fair! This year Fresher’s week is on Monday 15th and lectures begin the following week Monday 22nd. These dates may be vary between programmes and Faculties. 

Friday 22 August 2014

Alternative routes, not alternative futures...

Jamal
This post is an attempt to feed you broccoli (although not so literally), It’s something you might not like, but it may be good for you!

Many of the people applying through Clearing won’t have enough qualifications to get onto a degree programme, or maybe not degree programmes remotely related to your chosen field of study.

So many of us will be in that dreaded situation where you have one or more verbal/email offers for an “Extended degree” or a “Foundation degree” or a “HND/HNC” at a “partner college”, and a lot of us don’t consider it because it’s not a degree, or its not at the main campus.

What we forget is that all of these mean you will end up with a degree, perhaps in the same 3 years that all your friends will, and perhaps in the same subject you initially applied for! And even if it’s a different degree, it might lead to the same career, or a similar field.

This is something a lot of us just dismiss because it’s not what we first wanted, it might be because of a narrow-minded focus rather than a career focus. There is genuinely no difference between a degree that was done in a standard 3 years from one that was topped up from a 2 year foundation or HND, or one that had a year zero, from an employer’s perspective they are the same.

These alternative courses are usually more vocational, so if you are more in line with this kind of study it might even be a better option.

So in the case that you are given an alternative offer, do give it serious thought, you are welcome to contact us and ask us about the process and we would all be happy to help.

If you are in this situation, I hope you make the right decision.


Thanks for reading J

Thursday 21 August 2014

Undertaking Registration

Nell
We have now approached the Online Registration stage… this would be registration Part 1 for new students and registration for continuing students.

It’s not open quite yet but it’s going to start from the 27th onwards for certain courses. To register you must be UFAA (unconditional, firm, accept). You need to log onto the wonderful portal with your username and password, and access the registration tab.

For new students you will need a PHOTO. A lovely front facing one. If you haven’t got one, not to fear, when you come in to do your 2nd part registration a lovely continuing student will take your photo for you. (Please remember this as I came to mine soaking wet from the rain and for 3 years I’ve had to cope with an appalling photo on my ID card.)


TECHNICAL ERRORS - We all love ‘em don’t we? When the portal starts flashing error messages at you, the submit button doesn’t work…etc. etc, we do have a dedicated IT team endeavouring to help you. They can be contacted three ways:

  • You can call 0208 331 8272 and go through the options until you get to ‘Portal Help’
  • If it is a portal problem you can click ‘Need Help?’ on the portal page which will take you to a form you fill out and IT team will be alerted 
  • AND finally if you’re having issues on the Online Registration page you can click ‘Query tracker’ on that particular application page and an IT person will see what the problem is on that page.

Wednesday 20 August 2014

Clearing 2014 – The Digital Age

Sophi
The Clearing process itself has been around for a long time, our supervisors here at the Enquiry unit will tell us stories of when the Clearing phone lines used to be open 24/7 over results day and the whole process was done on paper with filling cabinets. 

Now Clearing is online, with social media helping students every day to find out a little bit more information about universities. You can use social media to find out what activities are happening at your prospective university or to see pictures of the campus.

Throughout Clearing many people accept places from universities that they have never visited. Social media can help to bridge the gap of information before you get a chance to go to an Open Day or even start in September.

Here I will explain what goes on at a few of our social media sites.

Twitter – @UniofGreenwich


-          General Updates
-          Answering questions
-          Activities going on at the university or campuses

Facebook – University of Greenwich Enquiries


-          General Updates
-          Photos
-          Answering questions
-          Activities going on at the university or campuses
-          Live Chat
-          Clearing updates

Pinterest – University of Greenwich Enquiry Unit


-          Student life/blogs
-          Accommodation
-          Sports/Societies
-          Student Recipes
-          Clearing updates

Instagram – uniofgreenwich


-          Student life
-          Clearing
-          Graduation
-          Sports/Societies

Also check out these pages :

Vine :  UniofGreenwich  - https://vine.co/u/1108756689055862784

Fresher’s Fair information - http://www.suug.co.uk/freshers2014/

Google+: University of Greenwich Enquiry Unit - https://plus.google.com/b/118014831962412294976/118014831962412294976/posts

Foursquare: University of Greenwich - https://foursquare.com/uniofgreenwich

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Fresher's on the way!

Josh
This is my second clearing diary blog and one that I hope everyone will find useful and informative. During Clearing there is confusion, misunderstanding and mayhem. However one thing I would like to re-iterate to everyone in Clearing is to be calm and be clear in what you want to pursue. University is an emotional, physical and large financial commitment in life; therefore it is of upmost importance that the course and path you choose is right for you. 

Get information:
Make sure you have all the information about the University and course you wish to pursue. Gain as much background information as you can. If you fail to prepare then prepare to fail. You may need to look at things like finances, travel, commitments and student life.

Be clear:
Have an understanding of what you have and what you may need. Have a clear image of your route into the University and the course you wish to study. When you make an application to us make sure you’re aware of the procedure and how to approach us with regards to an application.

Lastly:

Enjoy Fresher’s Week as there will be lots going on and it’s the chance to meet new people and partake in new sports. I myself joined the football team as part of Fresher’s and I'm still there now. Take a gamble and get to know as many people as possible in the first few weeks as it will be your best chance to. Join teams and most importantly be prepared, do not second guess or chance anything. Make sure you are ready and that everything is in place “fail to prepare, and then prepare to fail”.

Monday 18 August 2014

Still Need a Place Through Clearing?

Terry
Hello everyone, hope you’re all having a good summer!

As you are probably aware, Thursday 14th August was the A-Level results day. University of Greenwich had a very successful results day this year, however, if you still need a place at Greenwich then we are still recruiting and taking clearing applications. I know people have mentioned how to apply through Clearing, but I’m just going to give you a quick reminder.

Step One: Phone the University of your choice to see if there are any places available in Clearing for that specific course. For University of Greenwich please call 0208 331 9000.

Step Two: If you already have a UCAS account then please skip to step three. If you don’t currently have a UCAS account then you would need to visit www.ucas.com in order to make your application. When it asks you to pick a course via UCAS, please don’t do this. Instead you need to make sure all your personal details, qualifications, personal statement and references are correct and valid. Once you submit your application it will then take 24-48 to fully process. So once you have waited between 24-48 hours, move onto step three.

Step Three: Call us on the number given above and we will check to see if you meet the entry requirements, if you do not meet the entry requirements for the course of your choice then we will try our best to find an alternative for you. For example we may suggest you apply for a Foundation Degree or a HNC/HND.

Step Four: If you get accepted onto the course, you can then go onto UCAS Track and pick us as your clearing choice. If you do not get offered a place then please don’t panic as it may be that you were not right for that course. But we still offer LOADS of other courses that may still get you to where you want to be. As well as taking clearing applications, we are also here to give advice and we would welcome any questions from you.


I hope this helps. Happy Clearing J

Friday 15 August 2014

Call us!

Samantha
Results day was a manic experience with our team in the office dealing with telephone, chat and email enquiries from 8am til 8pm! It was well worth it and we are overwhelmed with the amount of interest we had in a range of our courses that still have vacancies available! This is my second clearing, and if last year was anything to go by, I was well aware of how fast paced and exciting results day can be! This year we managed to break last year’s record of calls, receiving over 7,000 yesterday alone! We also accepted 742 chats and answered 418 emails regarding clearing! Its positive to know people are not put off by the experience of clearing and seem to be excited at the chance to secure a place at university! Although results day may seem like it came and went so quick for you guys, as well as us in the clearing room here at the University of Greenwich, we still have many vacancies available across all faculties, including extremely popular courses such as Law, Primary Education and Pharmacy.

We will still be available from 9am til 5pm, Monday to Friday from next week, happy to answer any clearing queries you may have and to assess whether we can make an application (perhaps even an offer!) for you on the course of your choice. If you have missed out on your offers from other institutions or even here at the University of Greenwich, I stress you not to be put off at all! There are still many opportunities available to you to assist you on your pathway to higher education.

There is no query we have not experienced before and no question is a silly question so feel free to spend as much time as you feel necessary talking to us to assist you in making the right decision. Even if you may feel that your UCAS points are not sufficient for you to gain access to your choice of programme, we have many HND’s and Foundation degree options available across a range of subjects that would allow you to go on to complete an undergraduate degree in the future! My best piece of advice when it comes to clearing is remain focused on what you want to achieve in the future, try not to be led astray by just wanting a place at University and therefore applying for and accepting any place on a course you do not necessarily want to study!

REMEMBER Clearing has no official “deadline” we will only stop accepting applications when the courses become full or we are advised by the academics that the start date has far been surpassed, so you still have plenty of time to give us a call or request an online chat! Stay calm, think positive, and ask questions! Good Luck and Congratulations to you all on your offers J

Thursday 14 August 2014

RESULTS DAY!

Stacey
So Clearing has been happening for roughly the last month or so but today is the big day!

IT'S RESULTS DAY!

Basically on Results Day, we start super early (7am) and finish at 8pm and throughout the day it is ALWAYS super manic. So here are a few tips:


  • Stay calm
  • Don’t panic
  • Take your time to look through our courses before calling – It’s YOUR future! (There are loads of us who you can talk to and help you!)
  • You can alternatively chat to us online and create an application there: http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/courses/clearing
  • Make sure you aren’t holding any offers with other universities
  • Don’t be upset if you didn’t get the course you wanted, we offer loads of alternatives! J
  • There are thousands of people in the same place as you, so don’t be afraid J

There is an Open Day coming up on Saturday 16th August so if you need more help deciding, there will be academics there who you can talk to about a course you are interested in. Remember, there is no deadline for Clearing but we would recommend applying sooner rather than later!

So, just to clarify… You can call us on 020 8331 9000 or chat to us online (from the link above); we can let you know if the course you’d like to apply for is available. Please have your Personal ID ready so we can put through an application for you quicker! J

Wednesday 13 August 2014

Looking ahead..

Hey guys,

So as we approach A Level Results day, the email enquiries are coming thick and fast. We’ve had lots of queries from students looking forward to starting in September. Registration begins at the end of August and there’s loads of information for new and continuing students on our website:




If you’re unclear about when term actually starts, you can check in the link below:


For those of you who are set for September, you’ve got lots to look forward to as part of our fantastic Fresher’s fortnight. Check out the page below for a look at what’s currently lined up:

https://www.suug.co.uk/freshers2014/

For those of you still waiting on results, the team wish you all the best of luck. If things don’t go as you hoped, we’ll be happy to help so give the Clearing Hotline a call on 0208 331 9000 or speak to someone on LiveChat. And for those of you who have chosen Greenwich as their place of study, you are welcome to come along to our Clearing Information Day this Saturday 16th August where you’ll get a chance to speak to academics, ask questions and see the campuses. For more information, please see:



Good luck!

Tuesday 12 August 2014

"Two days to go!

Carney
Hello everyone! It’s now only two days to go until the main period of Clearing (A-Levels results day) occurs and things are heating up in the office. We have had all the new student staff join us in the main office who have been undergoing training over the last couple of days in preparation for their start here. And so with only a few days to go until Clearing, I just want to remind you all of the best ways to contact us in case you find yourself in Clearing:

First of all, the most important thing is not to panic!

  • You can then contact us by the phone on: 0208 331 9000 and follow the options. Please use a landline or find a quiet place to talk to make things easier!
  • You can contact us via social media on Facebook: UniofGreenwich and on Twitter at: UniofGreenwich. 
  • Email: courseinfo@gre.ac.uk or clearing@gre.ac.uk
  • And finally in person! We will have a team based on our Greenwich Maritime campus that are happy to help anyone face to face. They will also deliver guided tours of the campus throughout Thursday and Friday for anyone wishing to see the campus. 

We also have a Clearing Applicant specific Open Day this coming Saturday on all three of our campuses from 12 noon till 16.00. Feel free to come down and say hello J

Other than that, I can only reiterate, prepare! Clearing can be scary and daunting but if you prepare and are sensible, it really is a doddle.

Good luck folks!"

Monday 11 August 2014

Information for applicants

As Results Day is fast approaching, I believe there will be a lot of anxious applicants awaiting their grades.

This will be my second Clearing which I am excited about because I’ll be on emails responding to queries on courseinfo@gre.ac.uk. I must admit I will miss being on telephones, giving applicants the good news of being accepted on to a programme or providing them with an alternative programme.

To all our Clearing team newbies ‘Welcome’, this will be an exhilarating time from you especially on Results Day.

Information for all applicants:

  • Don’t refer yourself before you've been given an offer by a university. This means that other universities will not be able to see your details and you won’t be able to add a clearing choice when you do receive an offer. If you have done this it can be amended, email releases@gre.ac.uk asking to be released and it should be removed, normally within 48 hours. 
  • It makes it much easier for us to help if you have your UCAS/GTTR Personal ID ready when you contact us. If you are applying for a postgraduate or part time course then we would like your application reference or student/banner ID. 
  • If you want to study a Postgraduate course or Part Time you can apply directly to the university via our online application system. There is not any deadline for applications but programmes will close either when they become full or when they start. 
  • If you have taken a qualification to meet your conditions that is not automatically put onto UCAS then you will need to send proof in to the university before the 31st of August. This is easy to do, just scan the proof of your results and email it to qualifications@gre.ac.uk. 
  • You cannot have any pending qualifications when applying for a course through Clearing as we cannot give any conditional offers. This means if your GCSE results come out after you’re A Levels I am afraid you will have to wait. 
  • If you haven’t done your Student Finance yet get your application in as soon as possible because that gives you the best chance of getting your money on time. If you have changed your university and/or course you should submit a change of circumstances to Student Finance England. 
  • Remember that there are no guarantees in Clearing, and although we will do everything we can to try and help you get the place you want there are no guarantees. We cannot guarantee that if you call back later a program will still have spaces or the same entry requirements. 
  • If you are made an offer you have 24 hours from the day you receive the email to add the university and the programme as you’re Clearing Choice on UCAS track in order to accept. If you apply for multiple courses we can’t put the deadline back in order for you to wait and see if you get an offer for your other applications, so whether or not to accept is your choice. 
  • You may want to know the exact number of places there is left on a program but we are afraid it’s a number we don’t have and that changes constantly during the Clearing process, if we are still taking applications then there is still a chance of getting a place. 
  • Remember that Clearing entry requirements for programmes are subject to change during the Clearing period. For this reason we can’t give them out, however we will be able to tell you whether you are eligible to make an application at that time. 
  • If you have already been unsuccessful for a program we would not recommend reapplying during the Clearing process unless you have resolved the reason your application was originally unsuccessful. 
  • Due to the volume of applications during Clearing we can’t provide feedback as to the reason why an application is made unsuccessful. 

If you have any questions please contact us on 020 8331 9000, or if you would like to avoid waiting to get through, you could also contact us via email courseinfo@gre.ac.uk, live chat, Facebook or Twitter.

Friday 8 August 2014

Grades VS Clearing!

Anisa
14th of August.. Probably one of the main dates that every A level Student will have noted on their calendar. We can’t lie, probably our parents too! On this day, we tend to go through various emotions; happiness, sadness and majority of the times, frustration. I know you may have heard it so many times, but it’s the truth. It is highly essential that you keep yourself calm and focus on what procedures to take on to get yourself to your ideal University.

We all know about the common clearing procedure… However what about those who have exceeded their conditions?

ADJUSTMENT! Yes… There is another process which we call ‘Adjustment’. 
Adjustment is available from results day till the 31st of August. But bear in mind… It is only available when your Conditional Firm (CF) place turns to Unconditional Firm (UF) that you can register yourself for Adjustment. One thing though.. (for single entry applicants), there will be have to be a fee made for £11 to be able to submit that through. But come on… Don’t let that put you down! It’s for the best and enhances your aspirations as well! Once it has been submitted and/or have been registered, you will have 5 WORKING DAYS to decide on what you want to do.

If you’re wondering what it means to be eligible for Adjustment, here are some examples:


There are ways to make sure you get what you achieve for. Don’t limit yourself to what you can do and where you can go. If you know that you have exceeded your conditions, use this opportunity to push yourself to a degree that will be more of use and challenging for you! It is up to YOU to shape your future, we just provide the services!

Thursday 7 August 2014

Here to help...

Nerissa
This will be my first Clearing since I started working here in January. I initially had apprehension due to hearing other personal anecdotes of their Clearing experiences and how stressful it may be. Though it is only early Clearing at the time of writing this blog, I have been able to overcome such trepidation as I remember that I am not alone. I am surrounded by an encouraging support network in the office that I can go to for guidance in helping prospective students. The work environment in allows me to be actively engaged and I am able to learn by by to observing others in how they handle the various types of calls we receive on a daily basis.

My role entails assisting enquirers on the telephones and facilitating the process for future students who want to apply and attend our university. With that said some callers may simply want to know about the current university course offerings and I am able to provide some additional information on suitable courses for enquirers. With it being early clearing, the time before results day occurs, I find that I experience a variety of calls from individuals who are at all stages of the application process and are seeking additional support in how to progress onto the next step.

I have had a lot of calls on how the application process works through Clearing. I advise enquirers that the application process does start with having a current UCAS application and explaining that the application is a vital step in allowing members of the Enquiry unit as well as academics to view their qualifications, their personal statement and their reference in one central location. From there I am able to see which qualifications individuals have put on UCAS and then I can refer to our entry requirements on our 2015 criteria via the University website.  I have experienced situations where individuals are unsure as to what type of qualifications they obtain, and I try to identify which level of qualification it is and advise they send in their transcripts as part of the application process so that it can be assessed.

Though I only started working here in January, I have improved my confidence level through building upon my knowledge of different education systems and understanding the complications that arise from going down a non-traditional education route. It is important to reassure others that although it may be a daunting process, it shouldn't deter others into going into higher education.

Wednesday 6 August 2014

My unforgettable day...

Keerthana
With results day fast approaching, I wanted to share my experience of what I have to say was an unforgettable day…

Three years ago, I was in a similar situation to most of you…waiting eagerly for results day to arrive. I knew just as much as you all do, this day was going to be the day that was going to change my life forever! The day that would give me a direction and a chance to shape my future just how I wanted it to be! The day I would be able to clench those exam results with both hands and be rest assured that I’ve got that place on the course I really wanted to study, at the university I really wanted to study at.

Come results day… all was not what I was expecting. I missed my conditional offer by one grade (a few marks in fact) and I was put into Clearing (something I was not prepared for what so ever!) I started to panic not having a clue where to start! I felt so disappointed with myself; I just wanted to lock myself away somewhere. But I knew I had to pick myself up and act fast if I wanted to secure a place at university that year. Thankfully, the head of year at my school was there to advise me and after searching through the UCAS website and making several calls to the universities that were offering my course through Clearing; I finally got a place at this university.

And now, three years later, I have officially graduated with a first class BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science degree and working with the Enquiry Unit during the busy Clearing period for the third year running, speaking to students who are in Clearing just like I was, doing what I can do to make their dreams of studying their desired course at university a reality too. Success or what!

So what is the moral of the story I hear you ask? BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING! Yes it will be very upsetting if you don’t achieve the results you were expecting and you don’t meet the conditions of the offer you were made. But as they say “where there is a will, there is a way!” Do a bit of research before results day: become familiar with the Clearing process, get a list of contact details of universities you could potentially apply to through Clearing and think about alternative courses you may have to apply to. On results day itself, try to get your hands on the Guardian newspaper which will have useful information about the universities who have places available in Clearing. Act fast and make those important phone calls. Do make sure you have your UCAS ID number to hand. And be prepared to give way a little and make sacrifices, such as the location of the university, to give you the best possible chance of securing a place at university. Good luck!

Tuesday 5 August 2014

The Right Course for You…

Laura
Hi Everyone, how are we all? I hope you are all enjoying the Summer!

Today I am going to talk a bit about how to choose the right course for you. As we all know Clearing is incredibly fast paced and requires lots of quick decision making from both the applicant and the academics making their decisions. When applying through Clearing it is important you choose a course which you feel best suits you. If you end up applying through Clearing I would advise that when choosing a programme you choose one which feels right. Due to the fast paced nature it can be easy to make rushed decisions about what programme you want to make a Clearing application for. But it’s important to remember that if you’re accepted onto the programme you apply for, you will be studying on that very programme for a few years, so be sure you actually want to study the subject.

It sounds silly but come Result’s Day it is very easy to let the feeling of wanting to get a place at University no matter what the programme outweigh the feeling of wanting to study a particular programme that you really wanted to do.

Here are my top tips when choosing a course to do through Clearing:


  • First and foremost remember all of the Clearing advisors are here to help you and can talk to you about what each programme entails and will be happy to assist you when making decisions about what programme you want to study on. 


  • If we can’t offer you a place on your desired programme remember there will be other options, we may offer courses that are very similar to your desired choice. Or alternatively there is always next intake – we’re not going anywhere! J


  • Have a few backup courses in mind before calling. We won’t always be able to offer you a place on your desired programme, but if you have a few backup options in mind we can have a look to see if we can offer you those alternatives. **Make sure your backup choices are still programmes you would really like to do**


  • Follow your heart! Sounds mega cheesey but choose the programmes you have always had a passion for and know you would enjoy studying.


  • Don’t Panic! Remember that no matter what we will do our best to help you, you’re not alone in this and whilst Clearing can be stressful, it will all work out. 

Monday 4 August 2014

The Big Day

Jamal
This post is aimed at A-Level students; we’re coming up to the big day where you will find out your grades, where all the conditional offers change to unconditional or unsuccessful.

It might be that on that day, you will need to apply through Clearing, but are you prepared? Maybe you will do better than you expected and you’ll have an opportunity to apply through adjustment, are you prepared?
On that day, places will come and go very quickly, so in order to secure a place, you need to be prepared. In this post I wanted to give you three tips to keep in mind when the day comes.

Stay calm
Keep calling up universities, don’t lose hope, if you find it difficult, having someone who can speak on your behalf can help.

In any case, don’t lose hope, don’t settle for the first offer you get unless you’re genuinely satisfied with the offer, and keep calling until you have exhausted all your options.

Stay organised
Think about what you want to study give yourself a scope to stay within. How far are you willing to move? Are you going to commute? Narrow your choices down to a shortlist.

It might be a good idea to make a list of universities beforehand in order of your preference (with phone numbers) to save you time on the day. Tick them off as you speak to them and make notes.

Stay focused
When I first applied through Clearing, I wanted to study Architecture; I was offered Landscape Architecture and turned it down, it would have been a change in career direction I wasn't after. If you end up in a similar situation, don’t feel obliged to accept the offer, especially if it’s outside of your scope.

With that, I sincerely hope your grades go well and you would need to go through that stage of having no offers in hand, but I advise you all to be prepared.


All the best!