The Student Room Group

Clearing

So I'm pretty sure I'm going to meet the offer for my insurance and miss out on my firm...

Could I call up universities on results day and see if they will take me before I decline my place at my insurance? Or would I have to reject my insurance before seeing if other courses will take me? (Assuming my firm doesn't take me anyway)

Has anyone had experience with missing out on their firm offer by one grade? What did you do?


Need advice please guyssss :frown:
Original post by Katiee224
So I'm pretty sure I'm going to meet the offer for my insurance and miss out on my firm...

Could I call up universities on results day and see if they will take me before I decline my place at my insurance? Or would I have to reject my insurance before seeing if other courses will take me? (Assuming my firm doesn't take me anyway)

Has anyone had experience with missing out on their firm offer by one grade? What did you do?


Need advice please guyssss :frown:


Hi Katiee224

I hope your exams are going well!

It's a good idea to stay optimistic about your results (you never know, you might end up getting into your firm choice!), but it's also wise to consider your options if this isn't the case. Being proactive in this case is key - I would definitely recommend that you contact several universities to discuss your situation (i.e. grades expected, course(s) you'd like to study) before results day. You can complied a list of universities that are likely to give you an offer, so you'll be well positioned to hit the ground running if you decide to go into Clearing.

Bear in mind that it might take a while for your insurance choice to release you after results day, but getting an 'informal' offer over the phone from a number of universities while you wait to be released will often put you in a good position to get a formal offer as soon as you've been released.

You might also be able to get some more information here: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/no-offers-use-clearing

If you need any more information, just let me know!

Natalie :smile:
Original post by Katiee224
So I'm pretty sure I'm going to meet the offer for my insurance and miss out on my firm...

Could I call up universities on results day and see if they will take me before I decline my place at my insurance? Or would I have to reject my insurance before seeing if other courses will take me? (Assuming my firm doesn't take me anyway)

Has anyone had experience with missing out on their firm offer by one grade? What did you do?


Need advice please guyssss :frown:


You might get in anyway if you miss by a grade or two - see http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2786463

Otoh you might not - the course might be full with those who achieved their offer, or who missed by less than you. No one knows yet.

To ask a uni about clearing spaces officially you need a clearing number - which you would only get after rejecting your insurance in the circumstances you describe.
Reply 3
Does anyone know if (under the conditions you didn't meet the requirements) you are declined from your firm, is there a chance that the exact same course will be put onto the clearing with lower entrance grades by the uni?
Original post by T-Osiris
Does anyone know if (under the conditions you didn't meet the requirements) you are declined from your firm, is there a chance that the exact same course will be put onto the clearing with lower entrance grades by the uni?


Even if they were, you would not be eligible for it. The university has had your grades since the previous weekend and has had days to decide whether to take you or not. If they have declined you, then it is game over.
Reply 5
Original post by Anglia Ruskin University
Hi Katiee224

I hope your exams are going well!

It's a good idea to stay optimistic about your results (you never know, you might end up getting into your firm choice!), but it's also wise to consider your options if this isn't the case. Being proactive in this case is key - I would definitely recommend that you contact several universities to discuss your situation (i.e. grades expected, course(s) you'd like to study) before results day. You can complied a list of universities that are likely to give you an offer, so you'll be well positioned to hit the ground running if you decide to go into Clearing.

Bear in mind that it might take a while for your insurance choice to release you after results day, but getting an 'informal' offer over the phone from a number of universities while you wait to be released will often put you in a good position to get a formal offer as soon as you've been released.

You might also be able to get some more information here: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/no-offers-use-clearing

If you need any more information, just let me know!

Natalie :smile:


Hey thanks for the reply :smile:

So I can actually call up universities before results day and they'd give me an informal offer? I didn't know that :eek:

My friend said I should call my firm first thing in the morning before I get my results as they know them before me, that way I can be early in the que for a place if I miss my offer. Is this good advice or would they want me to get my results first?:colondollar:
Original post by Anglia Ruskin University
Hi Katiee224

I hope your exams are going well!

It's a good idea to stay optimistic about your results (you never know, you might end up getting into your firm choice!), but it's also wise to consider your options if this isn't the case. Being proactive in this case is key - I would definitely recommend that you contact several universities to discuss your situation (i.e. grades expected, course(s) you'd like to study) before results day. You can complied a list of universities that are likely to give you an offer, so you'll be well positioned to hit the ground running if you decide to go into Clearing.

Bear in mind that it might take a while for your insurance choice to release you after results day, but getting an 'informal' offer over the phone from a number of universities while you wait to be released will often put you in a good position to get a formal offer as soon as you've been released.

You might also be able to get some more information here: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/no-offers-use-clearing

If you need any more information, just let me know!

Natalie :smile:

Hi Natalie

UCAS forbids universities from making offers/poaching applicants who are UF or CF elsewhere.

Any university that follows UCAS rules isn't likely to be willing to make reassurances on results day.


There's no harm in the op phoning but it's a little cruel of you not to advise them of the UCAS rules that may prevent universities from considering them. You're giving false hope.
Original post by Katiee224
Hey thanks for the reply :smile:

So I can actually call up universities before results day and they'd give me an informal offer? I didn't know that :eek:

My friend said I should call my firm first thing in the morning before I get my results as they know them before me, that way I can be early in the que for a place if I miss my offer. Is this good advice or would they want me to get my results first?:colondollar:


You are wasting everyone's time calling universities up for a decision without your results. Track might show if you're accepted or not if your universities have made a decision at 7:30 on results day. You should only call if there is no change AND you have your results.

I'm afraid the ARU rep is being a little misleading. You aren't going to get informed offers before results day. You need your results for an informal offer and until you're in clearing many universities will refuse to speak to you about an application. They won't be able to see your application until you're in clearing.

If you call before results then they might be willing to confirm that the course you're interested in is in clearing and what grades they will expect. You won't get any guarantees. And you're unlikely to get promises that they'll hold a place for the 48-72 hours it usually takes to get placed into clearing if your insurance accepts you.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by PQ
You are wasting everyone's time calling universities up for a decision without your results. Track might show if you're accepted or not if your universities have made a decision at 7:30 on results day. You should only call if there is no change AND you have your results.

I'm afraid the ARU rep is being a little misleading. You aren't going to get informed offers before results day. You need your results for an informal offer and until you're in clearing many universities will refuse to speak to you about an application. They won't be able to see your application until you're in clearing.

If you call before results then they might be willing to confirm that the course you're interested in is in clearing and what grades they will expect. You won't get any guarantees. And you're unlikely to get promises that they'll hold a place for the 48-72 hours it usually takes to get placed into clearing if your insurance accepts you.


PRSOM
Original post by PQ
You are wasting everyone's time calling universities up for a decision without your results. Track might show if you're accepted or not if your universities have made a decision at 7:30 on results day. You should only call if there is no change AND you have your results.

I'm afraid the ARU rep is being a little misleading. You aren't going to get informed offers before results day. You need your results for an informal offer and until you're in clearing many universities will refuse to speak to you about an application. They won't be able to see your application until you're in clearing.

If you call before results then they might be willing to confirm that the course you're interested in is in clearing and what grades they will expect. You won't get any guarantees. And you're unlikely to get promises that they'll hold a place for the 48-72 hours it usually takes to get placed into clearing if your insurance accepts you.


Good morning :smile:

Thanks for your comments. It does unfortunately seem as though you've misinterpreted what I said. I did make it clear that students can call other universities AFTER results day (with their results) in the event that their insurance choice has not released them after they've declined to get 'informal' offers.

UCAS offers the same advice:

'Get informal offers over the phone maybe from a variety of universities and colleges then decide which one you want to accept.' (https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/no-offers-use-clearing)

Also, with regards to my comment about contacting universities BEFORE results day, students can speak to universities about whether the course they're interested in is going into Clearing and whether their expected grades meet the entry requirements. I made no reference here to the student being given an 'informal' offer before results day. I totally appreciate your comment about universities 'poaching' or making offers to students who have offers elsewhere - you're absolutely correct, and most universities will be careful not to do this. In this case, if the student contacts a university, that university hasn't 'poached' the student - they're simply responding to an enquiry.

Thanks again, and hope this clears things up.

Best wishes

Natalie :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Katiee224
Hey thanks for the reply :smile:

So I can actually call up universities before results day and they'd give me an informal offer? I didn't know that :eek:

My friend said I should call my firm first thing in the morning before I get my results as they know them before me, that way I can be early in the que for a place if I miss my offer. Is this good advice or would they want me to get my results first?:colondollar:


Hi Katiee224

Hope you're well!

No - other universities aren't allowed to give you an informal offer before results day if you've accepted offers from other universities. You can, however, call up to find out whether the course you'd like to study is going into Clearing and whether your expected grades meet the entry requirements. Just to make it extra clear, this doesn't count as an informal offer as you won't yet have your results.

UCAS Track will normally be updated early on results day so you'll find out pretty early on if you've been accepted by your firm choice or not. However, if your UCAS track hasn't been updated, you can give them a call to find out if you've been accepted.

I hope that helps.

All the best with your results!

Natalie :smile:
Original post by PQ
You are wasting everyone's time calling universities up for a decision without your results. Track might show if you're accepted or not if your universities have made a decision at 7:30 on results day. You should only call if there is no change AND you have your results.

I'm afraid the ARU rep is being a little misleading. You aren't going to get informed offers before results day. You need your results for an informal offer and until you're in clearing many universities will refuse to speak to you about an application. They won't be able to see your application until you're in clearing.

If you call before results then they might be willing to confirm that the course you're interested in is in clearing and what grades they will expect. You won't get any guarantees. And you're unlikely to get promises that they'll hold a place for the 48-72 hours it usually takes to get placed into clearing if your insurance accepts you.


What if you had your results but werent in clearing yet and you sent them to the uni? This really is confusing because I think I recall another uni (or at least some website that presented itself as authoritative) saying that it's fine/encouraged to contact a uni before you have all your results?
Original post by greenmang0
What if you had your results but werent in clearing yet and you sent them to the uni? This really is confusing because I think I recall another uni (or at least some website that presented itself as authoritative) saying that it's fine/encouraged to contact a uni before you have all your results?


There's no one more authoritative on TSR than PQ, whose job is university admissions. If you have your results but aren't in Clearing, then you have been accepted by either your firm or your insurance. In that case, universities in clearing are not allowed to talk to you until you don't hold a place any longer. That means you have to get out of your confirmed place and into Clearing before you can be considered for a place, and that takes time. PQ will clear up any other issues if that is not your situation.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Carnationlilyrose
There's no one more authoritative than PQ, whose job is university admissions. If you have your results but aren't in Clearing, then you have been accepted by either your firm or your insurance. In that case, universities in clearing are not allowed to talk to you until you don't hold a place any longer. That means you have to get out of your confirmed place and into Clearing before you can be considered for a place, and that takes time. PQ will clear up any other issues if that is not your situation.


Ah ok, I wasn't aware of PQ's job. :redface: Thanks.

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