[Damnit]

Basically, I tanked all my university interviews and as a result I have no offers, but I've got relatively good grades - 9/10 A*s at GCSE, 4 A's at AS, and *hopefully* 3/4 A*s for the entire A-Level courses (please don't misconstrue this as me boasting, I just wanted to provide some contextual info).

However the courses that I'm planning to go for through clearing (Economics/English/Psychology) are completely different from the course that I applied to study (Medicine) back in September. I was wondering how "hard" it would be for me to find a place through clearing for one of these courses? (I am genuinely interested in all of them.)

Also, just quickly, generally speaking, how long is the phone interview? Is it particularly challenging (i.e. would it require prior preparation)? Also, if you get a provisional offer over the phone from a university, but you want to continue exploring your options - what the hell are you supposed to say on the phone???

"Thank you so much for the offer! Yeah, ok, so I'll just go look for some other courses at other universities now..............."

[SpiggyTopes]

It won't be with those grades!

[nevergohalfpace]

How did you get no offers with such good grades 0_0.

[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by nevergohalfpace)
How did you get no offers with such good grades 0_0.

Because it was medicine, and it's very common.

[Damnit]

(Original post by nevergohalfpace)
How did you get no offers with such good grades 0_0.

I got asked who the secretary of health was in my Birmingham interview - I didn't know.

Obvs I kicked myself when he said "Erm, Andrew Lansley?" ... Embarrassing.

There's plenty more stupid stuff I did in my other 3 interviews that I don't want to get into. The trauma.

My Oxford interview was literally FML.

[Damnit]

Also, could anyone tell me how/when you get a clearing number? Tyvm in advance.

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by Damnit)
Basically, I tanked all my university interviews and as a result I have no offers, but I've got relatively good grades - 9/10 A*s at GCSE, 4 A's at AS, and *hopefully* 3/4 A*s for the entire A-Level courses (please don't misconstrue this as me boasting, I just wanted to provide some contextual info).

However the courses that I'm planning to go for through clearing (Economics/English/Psychology) are completely different from the course that I applied to study (Medicine) back in September. I was wondering how "hard" it would be for me to find a place through clearing for one of these courses? (I am genuinely interested in all of them.)

Also, just quickly, generally speaking, how long is the phone interview? Is it particularly challenging (i.e. would it require prior preparation)? Also, if you get a provisional offer over the phone from a university, but you want to continue exploring your options - what the hell are you supposed to say on the phone???

"Thank you so much for the offer! Yeah, ok, so I'll just go look for some other courses at other universities now..............."

You can try loads of places, considering your high grades, you could ask a few uni's who aren't in clearing but adjustment about a place, but depending if they are willing to take your call.

[sanaindaclub]

(Original post by nevergohalfpace)
How did you get no offers with such good grades 0_0.

Mind me asking your ukcat?

[Damnit]

(Original post by Iqbal007)
You can try loads of places, considering your high grades, you could ask a few uni's who aren't in clearing but adjustment about a place, but depending if they are willing to take your call.

But wouldn't that take away from the precious little time I have to contact universities that do have listed vacancies?

Also, do you have any information about the little chat over the phone - it's completely fine if you don't, but I'm just really curious.

[Historophilia]

Why not just reapply for Medicine after you have your A levels?

Lots of people don't get offers the first time round, one of my friends was in that position and then got two offers for medicine (Manchester and Bristol) and another did the same and also got an offer from Manchester.

With proven grades you do have an advantage over other candidates and with a gap year you can do lots of work experience and worthwhile experiences to build up your application.

Don't give up hope yet. With such good grades you can do better than the places you'd get in clearing.

[Damnit]

(Original post by sanaindaclub)
Mind me asking your ukcat?

Would it be correct of me to assume you meant to quote me?

Lol, I'll answer anyway, erm, I didn't do the UKCAT, I only did the BMAT - score-wise, I remember I got a better adjusted percentage score than the average person admitted to Oxford for Medicine this year (I definitely remember thinking "FFS").

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by Damnit)
But wouldn't that take away from the precious little time I have to contact universities that do have listed vacancies?

Also, do you have any information about the little chat over the phone - it's completely fine if you don't, but I'm just really curious.

Maybe, but it depends on when you get your results.

My old college gave it to use at 6am on-line so many of us had a head start to get talking.

It's kinda simple, it's students on the other end, they ask you what you want and your grades, if everythings ok, they put you through to the department who take down your detail and give you the offer to accept on-line.

[ChocoholicPolyglot]

If you have grades like that and still don't get offers then I'm dead meat because my grades are just "normal" if I compare them to yours.

[CHY872]

You should reapply next year. If you get 3-4 A*s, you'll be in a great position to get an offer at pretty much any university. Maybe not for medicine (if your interview technique is that poor) but for any other subject.

If you go through clearing, you're basically stuck with whatever course is available - and usually not at a top university. (people have gone from computer science to english lit, for example) For some, clearing is worth it, but considering that the top 5-10 universities will mostly be sewn up by that point, I'd definitely recommend you taking a gap year.

[Damnit]

(Original post by Historophilia)
Why not just reapply for Medicine after you have your A levels?

Lots of people don't get offers the first time round, one of my friends was in that position and then got two offers for medicine (Manchester and Bristol) and another did the same and also got an offer from Manchester.

With proven grades you do have an advantage over other candidates and with a gap year you can do lots of work experience and worthwhile experiences to build up your application.

Don't give up hope yet. With such good grades you can do better than the places you'd get in clearing.

Oh, because I really have no real desire to do Medicine - which was one of the main reasons I got rejected everywhere. Obviously then it begs the question "why the **** did you apply if you didn't want to do it" - it's a long story.

I was thinking of going through clearing first, and then depending on what I do actually manage to get out of it, I'd then decide whether or not I'd re-apply next year......

[Historophilia]

(Original post by Damnit)
Oh, because I really have no real desire to do Medicine - which was one of the main reasons I got rejected everywhere. Obviously then it begs the question "why the **** did you apply if you didn't want to do it" - it's a long story.

I was thinking of going through clearing first, and then depending on what I do actually manage to get out of it, I'd then decide whether or not I'd re-apply next year......

That's fair enough then.

But I reckon you should take a gap year and give yourself time to think about what you want to do properly.

In clearing you could easily rush into something and end up regretting your decision. You're going to spend 3 or more years doing a degree so choose carefully.

If you get the results you are hoping for you could also try again for Oxford for a different subject if you took a gap year.

There's also the fact that all the subjects you are interested in are very competitive ones, so in clearing their will be limited places and not at top Universities, which you are obviously capable of.

[Damnit]

(Original post by Iqbal007)
It's kinda simple, it's students on the other end, they ask you what you want and your grades, if everythings ok, they put you through to the department who take down your detail and give you the offer to accept on-line.

Really?? I saw my school's careers advisor this morning and she said that I'd probably get grilled on the course that I was applying for - e.g. "Why do you want to study x", "Why this university" etc.

Are you sure they're all students on the other end? Surely if you're calling the department directly you'll be speaking to an admissions tutor or something (again this is based on my careers advisor)?

[nevergohalfpace]

(Original post by sanaindaclub)
Mind me asking your ukcat?

I'm not going for medicine. I just assumed getting all A/A*s is a nearly guaranteed to get a place. Must suck to put in all that effort and get rejected. Hope she gets into a good uni tho through clearing

[Damnit]

(Original post by nevergohalfpace)
I'm not going for medicine. I just assumed getting all A/A*s is a nearly guaranteed to get a place. Must suck to put in all that effort and get rejected. Hope she gets into a good uni tho through clearing

-_-

[Mike93L]

(Original post by Damnit)
Oh, because I really have no real desire to do Medicine - which was one of the main reasons I got rejected everywhere. Obviously then it begs the question "why the **** did you apply if you didn't want to do it" - it's a long story.

I was thinking of going through clearing first, and then depending on what I do actually manage to get out of it, I'd then decide whether or not I'd re-apply next year......

If you reapply next year for a course you do want to go you can be sure of getting an offer from a good uni if you're getting 3/4 A*s (and you'd have extra time to research which courses you'd like to do) whereas if you rush in clearing you may end up doing something you actually don't want to do and settling for second best.

You could use next year as a gap year and travel the world or just get a job instead which tbh if I could defer my offer I'd seriously consider. Just saying that you shouldn't rush into a decision in clearing and seriously consider reapplying.