[YB101]

Hi


It's coming up to results day and I can't stop thinking about it ahhhh!!

Basically I wanted your opinion on what I should do/what you would do in this situation.


If I don't meet my firm i'll be gutted but I will survive
My insurance however, I'm not sure i'll be happy their so I might consider going into clearing, but would this be a wise choice?


My course is Biomedical science and my insurance is Reading University. Should I go to Reading or enter clearing? Would I probably find a better university in clearing?


Thanks

[PQ]

Noone can answer these questions for you.

However if you wait until you get your results and then try getting released from Reading could take a while (sometimes a uni will do it within an hour - other times it can take up to a fortnight).

It's generally best not do this unless you would rather go nowhere than go to your insurance. You obviously liked Reading enough to pick it as insurance - if you go into clearing then your chances of getting university accommodation etc etc drop significantly (universities give priority to students who picked them from the start).

There's nothing wrong with keeping your options open but if you wait until results day then you could risk losing out on all the clearing places while reading take their time.

Would you have time this week to go and visit reading again and have another look around the city and the campus? It might help you make your mind up.

[YB101]

(Original post by PQ)
Noone can answer these questions for you.

However if you wait until you get your results and then try getting released from Reading could take a while (sometimes a uni will do it within an hour - other times it can take up to a fortnight).

It's generally best not do this unless you would rather go nowhere than go to your insurance. You obviously liked Reading enough to pick it as insurance - if you go into clearing then your chances of getting university accommodation etc etc drop significantly (universities give priority to students who picked them from the start).

There's nothing wrong with keeping your options open but if you wait until results day then you could risk losing out on all the clearing places while reading take their time.

Would you have time this week to go and visit reading again and have another look around the city and the campus? It might help you make your mind up.

Oh I know that, I just wanted peoples opinions on what would be the wise thing to do


And tbh after I have applied to my 5 uni choices, I changed my Nottingham offer to Reading so I never really got a chance to look around and such, i've only been going from word of mouth

Obviously I know I have to wait until results day but I'd like to be prepared and know before hand what I'd do in certain situations

I know it's pretty OCD of my but I like to have a back up-back up plan xD

[PQ]

(Original post by YB101)
Oh I know that, I just wanted peoples opinions on what would be the wise thing to do


And tbh after I have applied to my 5 uni choices, I changed my Nottingham offer to Reading so I never really got a chance to look around and such, i've only been going from word of mouth

Obviously I know I have to wait until results day but I'd like to be prepared and know before hand what I'd do in certain situations

I know it's pretty OCD of my but I like to have a back up-back up plan xD

fairy nuff

If you didn't really get a chance to look around then I'd definitely suggest a day out to nose around - it might reassure you that you've made the right choice or it might be what you need to convince you that reading isn't for you.

If you KNOW before results day that reading isn't for you then you *can* do something - but it means contacting them before the end of next week (Friday 10th August) - they CAN change it so that they're no longer your insurance and then if your firm rejects you you'll go straight into clearing with no hassle (plus they'll know so they can give your place to someone who wants it!)

This is the ideal way to handle things - but it's only a good idea if your 100% sure that reading isn't for you, if you're not sure then it's more difficult (and it only gets worse because you'll be making the decisions about clearing in a rush and under pressure on results day....)

[YB101]

(Original post by PQ)
fairy nuff

If you didn't really get a chance to look around then I'd definitely suggest a day out to nose around - it might reassure you that you've made the right choice or it might be what you need to convince you that reading isn't for you.

If you KNOW before results day that reading isn't for you then you *can* do something - but it means contacting them before the end of next week (Friday 10th August) - they CAN change it so that they're no longer your insurance and then if your firm rejects you you'll go straight into clearing with no hassle (plus they'll know so they can give your place to someone who wants it!)

This is the ideal way to handle things - but it's only a good idea if your 100% sure that reading isn't for you, if you're not sure then it's more difficult (and it only gets worse because you'll be making the decisions about clearing in a rush and under pressure on results day....)

Hmm, if i get Reading to release me and it DOES take a while (more than a day), if I managed to call up some other universities before i apply to them on clearing and they say that they would accept me, wouldn't this be okay? I called up Newcastle and they said I could call them before hand so I assume I might be able to do the same with other universities ?

[PQ]

(Original post by YB101)
Hmm, if i get Reading to release me and it DOES take a while (more than a day), if I managed to call up some other universities before i apply to them on clearing and they say that they would accept me, wouldn't this be okay? I called up Newcastle and they said I could call them before hand so I assume I might be able to do the same with other universities ?

The problem is that universities aren't supposed to talk to you unless you are officially in clearing (UCAS consider it poaching!)

Sometimes you can get someone sympathetic and they'll talk to you and hold a space until you can arrange to get into clearing but it's against the rules from UCAS.

Be prepared to send them through a copy of your UCAS form too - if you're confirmed with Reading then no other universities will be able to see your details.

[JakeE10]

What's wrong with Reading Uni? From what I've heard and seen it's a very good uni. I am also hoping that the course I want to do is in Clearing at Reading Uni if I don't get into my firm (don't want to go to my insurance - same situation as you!)

[YB101]

(Original post by JakeE10)
What's wrong with Reading Uni? From what I've heard and seen it's a very good uni. I am also hoping that the course I want to do is in Clearing at Reading Uni if I don't get into my firm (don't want to go to my insurance - same situation as you!)

I know it's a very good university but i've had my heart set on my firm for so long and I know Reading is ranked very high for my course at all.

Also, I think the fact that I don't know much about my course at Reading is making me not want to go as much :/

argh I don't know

[cdoyle]

I didnt get my firm in 2010 was 2 Uniform marks ie 478 needed 480 off. ended up in my insurance hated every moment of it but my folks at home told me if i didnt take my insurance they would take me to the job market the next morning. Now I have left my course and am starting a similar one to my original firm. If you really dont want to do it if you are only half heartedly or no heartedly (bad English but you get the drift..) want to do your insurance check out the courses in clearing first tho' and then compare that with your insurance choice.

[YB101]

(Original post by cdoyle)
I didnt get my firm in 2010 was 2 Uniform marks ie 478 needed 480 off. ended up in my insurance hated every moment of it but my folks at home told me if i didnt take my insurance they would take me to the job market the next morning. Now I have left my course and am starting a similar one to my original firm. If you really dont want to do it if you are only half heartedly or no heartedly (bad English but you get the drift..) want to do your insurance check out the courses in clearing first tho' and then compare that with your insurance choice.

That's the plan Currently making a list of alternatives and contact numbers (you can never be too prepared )

Hope you don't mind me asking but what was your firm and insurance? Why did you not like your insurance ?

How were you able to transfer to your original firm choice or did you take a year out ?

[JakeE10]

(Original post by YB101)
That's the plan Currently making a list of alternatives and contact numbers (you can never be too prepared )

Hope you don't mind me asking but what was your firm and insurance? Why did you not like your insurance ?

How were you able to transfer to your original firm choice or did you take a year out ?

How are you making a list of alternatives if you don't know what's going to be in clearing yet? or are you just hoping/guessing? I'm only asking because I need to do this too

[TheSownRose]

I chose to change rather than go to my insurance. Admittedly, I had the complicating factor of I also wanted to change course, but if I had made it in to my firm I probably wouldn't have (I think external pressure would have got me.) There was nothing wrong with my insurance - it was York, for a similar course to my firm - I just found myself increasingly disliking the prospect of going there as results day grew nearer.

What is it that you dislike about Reading?

[YB101]

(Original post by JakeE10)
How are you making a list of alternatives if you don't know what's going to be in clearing yet? or are you just hoping/guessing? I'm only asking because I need to do this too

Basically I have a rough idea of what might be in clearing/spaces (I say this very loosely) I'm going by "whatever spaces were left over from extra" and universities that I know are less popular for the course i'm applying for. Have a look around extra although I know it's never accurate.

Manchester have announced the subjects that will be in clearing so I'm hoping to apply to some of the chemistry courses.

I'm also just gathering numbers (department and clearing telephone numbers) of other unis that I'm considering and ringing them up before hand to see what I can do. Planning on calling in at literally 8.31

Also got the numbers of unis that have given me offers previously



I don't know what i'm doing basically but it's making me less nervous