The Student Room Group

Am I wasting my time with Clearing?

Because of personal issues during the exam season, I've messed up my A-levels but don't have the faintest idea of the degree to which I've done so. At best but possibly unlikely, I'll have got ABC/ABD, in which case I might be able to narrowly gain a place on an ABB course, providing there are a lot of spaces the university wants to fill (am I being too presumptuous here?). If my results are something in the range of BCD - BEE/F - probably more likely - then would it be correct to say that I'll have no chance of gaining a place on courses at places such as Exeter, Southampton and York (which I'm eyeing up on the Clearing lists)? I should also mention that the A-level in which I've done worst unfortunately is related most to my choice of degree.
Other questions:
How is performance in an A-level subject related to likelihood of being accepted for a place? e.g. if I got BCD and wanted to go for Economics and French, would I be worse off if my D was in maths (as opposed to Physics, for example)? I'm asking because I'm interested in joint honours courses where the combinations are typically very different from each other.
All in all, would it be a better use of my time if I looked at gap year opportunities instead?
Would it be worth calling up universities advertising the Clearing places I'm interested in about how lenient they're willing to be in light of my personal circumstances (I can provide evidence) and their leniency with their firm/insurance candidates in general? I know that they give priority to firm/insurance candidates.
Is it/was it more important to you to get a place at uni and avoid retaking Yr 13 OR would you retake to attain better A-levels and avoid tarnishing your academic record? What would you do in my position? I'm torn because I know I'll be devastated to have tarnished my (thus far) good academic record, but I also see no reason not to move onto the next chapter in my life if I can find a suitable/similar course at a uni I like, in spite of less-than-good A-levels; I also fear that I won't do well in retakes and will thus have wasted a year.
Any thoughts? I've read the Clearing advice material that TSR has to offer, btw.
Reply 1
Original post by 89911998a
Because of personal issues during the exam season, I've messed up my A-levels but don't have the faintest idea of the degree to which I've done so. At best but possibly unlikely, I'll have got ABC/ABD, in which case I might be able to narrowly gain a place on an ABB course, providing there are a lot of spaces the university wants to fill (am I being too presumptuous here?). If my results are something in the range of BCD - BEE/F - probably more likely - then would it be correct to say that I'll have no chance of gaining a place on courses at places such as Exeter, Southampton and York (which I'm eyeing up on the Clearing lists)? I should also mention that the A-level in which I've done worst unfortunately is related most to my choice of degree.
firstly there are no F's in A-level.
Second you are correct that you would like have no shot of getting in to those unis. You shoudl be with in 3 grades at most but preferably only miss by one or two.
Other questions:
How is performance in an A-level subject related to likelihood of being accepted for a place? e.g. if I got BCD and wanted to go for Economics and French, would I be worse off if my D was in maths (as opposed to Physics, for example)? I'm asking because I'm interested in joint honours courses where the combinations are typically very different from each other.
if maths was cited (e.g. Maths must be an A) then again yes that is worse.
All in all, would it be a better use of my time if I looked at gap year opportunities instead?
Would it be worth calling up universities advertising the Clearing places I'm interested in about how lenient they're willing to be in light of my personal circumstances (I can provide evidence) and their leniency with their firm/insurance candidates in general? I know that they give priority to firm/insurance candidates.
you shouldn't call up unis. They aren't allowed to talk to you or offer you a place until you have formally entered clearing on results day. And you should look at all option.

Is it/was it more important to you to get a place at uni and avoid retaking Yr 13 OR would you retake to attain better A-levels and avoid tarnishing your academic record? What would you do in my position? I'm torn because I know I'll be devastated to have tarnished my (thus far) good academic record, but I also see no reason not to move onto the next chapter in my life if I can find a suitable/similar course at a uni I like, in spite of less-than-good A-levels; I also fear that I won't do well in retakes and will thus have wasted a year.
Any thoughts? I've read the Clearing advice material that TSR has to offer, btw.

It depends on if you will be taught (most won't) because of the new exams.
I'm honestly sorry to say i don't think you'll get on a course in places like your or southampton they are some top unis (Russel group) it's up to you weather you go through clearing but with grades like that it might be better to retake some unis offer what they call a foundation degree which takes this form.

Foundation year (in subject area)

First year of degree (in chosen course)

Second year of degree (in chosen course)

Optional top up 3rd year of degree (in chosen course)

you might want to look at some of those:

http://www.solent.ac.uk/courses/2016/foundation/foundation-options.aspx

it might take you an extra year but you'll be there in the end. By all means go through clearing but be prepared you might not get in t a really high ranked place.
Reply 3
Original post by 89911998a
Because of personal issues during the exam season, I've messed up my A-levels but don't have the faintest idea of the degree to which I've done so. At best but possibly unlikely, I'll have got ABC/ABD, in which case I might be able to narrowly gain a place on an ABB course, providing there are a lot of spaces the university wants to fill (am I being too presumptuous here?). If my results are something in the range of BCD - BEE/F - probably more likely - then would it be correct to say that I'll have no chance of gaining a place on courses at places such as Exeter, Southampton and York (which I'm eyeing up on the Clearing lists)? I should also mention that the A-level in which I've done worst unfortunately is related most to my choice of degree.
Other questions:
How is performance in an A-level subject related to likelihood of being accepted for a place? e.g. if I got BCD and wanted to go for Economics and French, would I be worse off if my D was in maths (as opposed to Physics, for example)? I'm asking because I'm interested in joint honours courses where the combinations are typically very different from each other.
All in all, would it be a better use of my time if I looked at gap year opportunities instead?
Would it be worth calling up universities advertising the Clearing places I'm interested in about how lenient they're willing to be in light of my personal circumstances (I can provide evidence) and their leniency with their firm/insurance candidates in general? I know that they give priority to firm/insurance candidates.
Is it/was it more important to you to get a place at uni and avoid retaking Yr 13 OR would you retake to attain better A-levels and avoid tarnishing your academic record? What would you do in my position? I'm torn because I know I'll be devastated to have tarnished my (thus far) good academic record, but I also see no reason not to move onto the next chapter in my life if I can find a suitable/similar course at a uni I like, in spite of less-than-good A-levels; I also fear that I won't do well in retakes and will thus have wasted a year.
Any thoughts? I've read the Clearing advice material that TSR has to offer, btw.
The first thing I'd say to you is that it's important not to make assumptions about your results - it's true that they could be disappointing, but equally they may be (and often are) a lot better than you think.

I'm not clear whether you are holding any offers at the moment, and this is important. Depending on the course and uni, you might be surprised how accommodating they can be!

If it comes to that and you can get a place through Clearing on a course that appeals to you, go for it. The importance of uni 'prestige' to your job prospects is massively overstated for almost everything except the higher echelons of law and investment banking (and even then it's overstated to a degree). Indeed, some courses at so-called 'lesser' unis may in fact have much better networks and systems for getting you into work than the 'higher' unis.

Most economics single honours are heavy on maths, so a D might not help you much even with a joint honours course, but the only way to find out is to ask them. If you are not holding offers at the moment there's nothing to stop you from ringing up to inquire about general possibilities, but nobody will say anything definite until you actually have your results to hand.

As to whether to retake your A levels, this depends on whether you find something in Clearing that you really want. It is definitely not recommended to attempt to retake A levels while also doing your first year at uni - and hardly necessary anyway. A level grades can be used as a 'tie-breaker', for example in competition for graduate training schemes, but the class of degree is even more important. If you distract yourself during your first year, even if the final marks don't count towards your degree result you won't have done the necessary groundwork to ensure the best possible result for years two and three. It's also worth remembering that your first year marks will still appear on your transcript. So it's only worth retaking the A levels if you can concentrate on that alone - and you are aiming for unis that need the improved grades.
Reply 4
Original post by Minerva
The first thing I'd say to you is that it's important not to make assumptions about your results - it's true that they could be disappointing, but equally they may be (and often are) a lot better than you think.

I'm not clear whether you are holding any offers at the moment, and this is important. Depending on the course and uni, you might be surprised how accommodating they can be!

If it comes to that and you can get a place through Clearing on a course that appeals to you, go for it. The importance of uni 'prestige' to your job prospects is massively overstated for almost everything except the higher echelons of law and investment banking (and even then it's overstated to a degree). Indeed, some courses at so-called 'lesser' unis may in fact have much better networks and systems for getting you into work than the 'higher' unis.

Most economics single honours are heavy on maths, so a D might not help you much even with a joint honours course, but the only way to find out is to ask them. If you are not holding offers at the moment there's nothing to stop you from ringing up to inquire about general possibilities, but nobody will say anything definite until you actually have your results to hand.

As to whether to retake your A levels, this depends on whether you find something in Clearing that you really want. It is definitely not recommended to attempt to retake A levels while also doing your first year at uni - and hardly necessary anyway. A level grades can be used as a 'tie-breaker', for example in competition for graduate training schemes, but the class of degree is even more important. If you distract yourself during your first year, even if the final marks don't count towards your degree result you won't have done the necessary groundwork to ensure the best possible result for years two and three. It's also worth remembering that your first year marks will still appear on your transcript. So it's only worth retaking the A levels if you can concentrate on that alone - and you are aiming for unis that need the improved grades.


Thank you for your response. If I were to retake A-levels, I'd be taking a year out - the potentially highly detrimental impact of doing so whilst at uni is not lost on me! I'm concerned, however, over how unis would perceive this upon receiving my application for 2017 entry - if we had the same A-levels, same quality of personal statement + references, same predicted grades, etc would they favour a new Year 13 over me when making offers? Does this depend on the uni?

A foundation year won't erase the disaster I've made of my A-levels, which is why I'm more keen on the idea of redoing the latter. What are your thoughts on a foundation year?
Reply 5
Original post by 89911998a
Thank you for your response. If I were to retake A-levels, I'd be taking a year out - the potentially highly detrimental impact of doing so whilst at uni is not lost on me! I'm concerned, however, over how unis would perceive this upon receiving my application for 2017 entry - if we had the same A-levels, same quality of personal statement + references, same predicted grades, etc would they favour a new Year 13 over me when making offers? Does this depend on the uni?
Impossible to say for sure, but unlikely unless you are applying for a seriously competitive course at a very highly ranked uni. Some unis do ask for higher grades for resit applicants so you might want to check that out before applying. Also - let's be positive - you aren't going to be resitting all your A levels, so you would need to show that you have something constructive to do with the rest of your time during your gap year. In which case your application is already different from the standard Year 13 version, and it's up to you to make sure that this is a positive attribute!

A foundation year won't erase the disaster I've made of my A-levels, which is why I'm more keen on the idea of redoing the latter. What are your thoughts on a foundation year?
Unless you really want to do the course, and have a guaranteed path to the full degree, I'd say retaking A levels would be the better option for you. You may find in any case that you are overqualified for the foundation year. Again, only the unis concerned can tell you that.
My advice would be if clearing doesnt offer you the course you want, then resit your A levels. By far the most cost effective move.

Failing that consider if they do your course with a foundation year.

Complete madness to accept a place on a course at a poorer uni, just for the sake of getting any place.

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