What does: clearning/firm/insurance mean?

I was reading a post about what people plan to do after A level results what exactly do people mean when they say meet my insurance or call my firm?
What is the ''clearing'' process?
thanks

Reply 1

MathsGirl

When you apply for university you get to choose 5 unis.

You then have to wait and see if you get offers from these, normally you will need to attend an interview and get an offer after this with the entry requirements.

Once you have all your offers from all 5 unis you can then pick an firm and insurence. That means your firm is your first choice and your insurence is your second. Your firm is either realistics in terms of grades needed or slightly higher and your insurence should be lower than you expect so that if you dont get the grades fro your firm you should get accepted into your insurence university. However, if you dont meet the grades for either university, you go into clearing which means you have to choose other universities and hope they have space for you.

I hope that clears things up a bit

Reply 2

TheSownRose

Theconomist

I was reading a post about what people plan to do after A level results what exactly do people mean when they say meet my insurance or call my firm?
What is the ''clearing'' process?
thanks

Firm: After you've got all your offers, you have to reply to them. If your reply is 'firm', that means this is the uni you'd most like to go, and - if you meet the conditions of your offer - you will go to.

Insurance: Another potential reply is 'insurance'. This is (sensibly) a lower offer than your firm, and where you'd like to go if you don't the grades for your firm offer but do get the grades for your insurance. If your firm is unconditional (ie, you are already qualified for it), you don't get an insurance.

Clearing: is a UCAS process that happens after results day, matching students who hold no offers - either by not receiving any, rejecting all, applying too late or by missing both of their offers - with uni places that don't have students to fill them.

Reply 3

Minerva

Theconomist

I was reading a post about what people plan to do after A level results what exactly do people mean when they say meet my insurance or call my firm?
What is the ''clearing'' process?
thanks

Check out the TSR Wiki - you'll find all the information you want in there.