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Marine Biology through Clearing

Hello, I was wondering if anybody has applied for Marine Biology through clearing to any universities in the previous years? I know that I am going to be using clearing, though I am worried that the course will be too popular to be avaliable? It would be good to know if anyone has seen it on there before so I do not feel hugely disappointed on the 19th as the more I think about it the more passionate I become! Thank youuu
Reply 1
Avatar for orca92
orca92
13
I haven't used clearing for marine biology obviously; but why do you think it'll be too popular for any places to become available? and why are you using clearing? are you unhappy with your firm and insurance currently?

If you look down the ucas course search for marine biology all the courses still with space left have a little 'x' next to the course (supposedly). There're some decent ones there to be honest; Newcastle Uni (i think it's a mistake) are supposedly still looking for students. Then there's Aberdeen, Liverpool, Essex and Bangor. Of course, once the results are out and people miss their offers more unis may enter clearing; the ones i've mentioned are pretty good unis though. I'm not that knowledgeable on clearing obviously as i doubt i'll be using it; but i did apply for 2010 entry to marine biology so i have an idea of its competitiveness and where's good.

EDIT: Aberdeen seems to have lost the 'x' next to it's course :confused:

EDIT 2: btw what are your A level grades likely to be like and which unis were you looking at trying to get into?
Reply 2
Avatar for dribblaaa
dribblaaa
OP
orca92
I haven't used clearing for marine biology obviously; but why do you think it'll be too popular for any places to become available? and why are you using clearing? are you unhappy with your firm and insurance currently?

If you look down the ucas course search for marine biology all the courses still with space left have a little 'x' next to the course (supposedly). There're some decent ones there to be honest; Newcastle Uni (i think it's a mistake) are supposedly still looking for students. Then there's Aberdeen, Liverpool, Essex and Bangor. Of course, once the results are out and people miss their offers more unis may enter clearing; the ones i've mentioned are pretty good unis though. I'm not that knowledgeable on clearing obviously as i doubt i'll be using it; but i did apply for 2010 entry to marine biology so i have an idea of its competitiveness and where's good.

EDIT: Aberdeen seems to have lost the 'x' next to it's course :confused:

EDIT 2: btw what are your A level grades likely to be like and which unis were you looking at trying to get into?



Thanks for the reply... didn't realise the 'x' meant spaces left:smile:
Well originally i applied for Veterinary Science, got an interview but nerves let me down. My target grades are AAB and i have done about 20 weeks animal work experience, its just so unbelievably competitive. Anyway I tried my best but summer exams just felt as if they didnt go anywhere near as well as the other exams so now im thinking I possibly only achieved ABC (english literature, biology and chemistry--hated chemistry with a passion, im just glad its over!)

oh my gosh you got a BBB offer for Plymouth!? That was my top choice but when i looked at the grades they wanted it was something like 360 points!? they must have loved you!
Reply 3
Avatar for orca92
orca92
13
dribblaaa
Thanks for the reply... didn't realise the 'x' meant spaces left:smile:


It does usually; but the uni has to ask UCAS to remove it if the course becomes full. Some unis forget/don't ask and therefore the 'x' is still there, but the course is full.

Well originally i applied for Veterinary Science, got an interview but nerves let me down. My target grades are AAB and i have done about 20 weeks animal work experience, its just so unbelievably competitive. Anyway I tried my best but summer exams just felt as if they didnt go anywhere near as well as the other exams so now im thinking I possibly only achieved ABC (english literature, biology and chemistry--hated chemistry with a passion, im just glad its over!)

oh my gosh you got a BBB offer for Plymouth!? That was my top choice but when i looked at the grades they wanted it was something like 360 points!? they must have loved you!


Yeah, my friend predicted A*A*A*a in the 3 sciences and maths got rejected from all his vet science choices. I honestly couldn't believe it; he was the perfect applicant, perfect grades, work experience etc.

Hmm, don't know where you've been looking; standard offer this year was BBB and at the open day they actually said that they would make everyone who applied a BBB conditional. Makes me think that it's not very competitive and they can't get in the best students usually (due to the overall uni reputation i reckon; it's just not the same level as the russel group unis that offer marine biology). The website says that next years grades will be 320 points so i'm guessing that they'll be asking for ABB. It also says that the course is full for 2010 entry unfortunately.

http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/0732/BSc+%28Hons%29+Marine+Biology

The problem is that only the worse unis will be entering clearing; they'll be looking for high achieving students (which you are) for courses that usually ask for less than BBB. If you were looking to get less than BBB then i would say go through clearing and try to get somewhere like Bangor or Hull. They're bad universities overall so can't ask for really high grades or they wouldn't get the applicants. However, they have decent Marine Biology courses and employers have a history of employing their graduates. For this reason they're good courses which tend to get less applicants and therefore the grades are lower.

If i was in you situation and got at least ABB i would reapply next year and aim for the better universities; Plymouth, Liverpool, Southampton etc as long as the grades remain ABB entry. From the employers who i've talked to, a lot of them when pressured said that they rated the better unis higher than the unis asking for lower entry requirements. Plymouth, St Andrews and Newcastle were particularly good with employers. I actually posted a few decent marine biology answers in the last few days and i'll link you to them.

That's probably the best thread; my post is number 5. I actually ranked the marine biology unis based on the research i did the last year when applying with employers etc.
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=26848221#post26848221

I wrote one decent paragraph in here where i explain why employers rate Plymouth highly and Southampton less highly.
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=26893752#post26893752

If i was you i would look which courses are in clearing; if there're some decent courses then i would go for them. However, if it's only the worse unis in there then i would seriously consider a gap year; expecially if you get ABB. ABB seems to be the standard grades needed to get into a good uni for Marine Biology now after Plymouth and Swansea upped their entry requirements for 2011 to it.

By the way, you weren't with Edexcel SNAB for Biology or OCR Salters B for Chemistry were you?

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