Words by Hannah Morrish
<img width="40%" align="right" src="https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/w/images/c/c5/My_brum2.jpg" alt="Outside Birmingham's Aston Webb building" style="margin-right: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
I missed my offer for my dream place at the University of Birmingham, but I still got in. The secret? Networking. Good-old fashioned networking; as simple as that.
Before results day came, I had carefully built a relationship with the course lead. Because they knew more about me than just my application, they were reassured that I was capable of performing well on their course, despite missing their offer. It helped me and it could help you too. Here’s how.
<h2>1. Make the most of open days</h2>
I went to an open day at the beginning of October with my parents. Neither of my folks went to uni so this was a whole new experience for them too. My dad has a business background so it’s natural for him to see the value in networking and building connections with people. I had to handle retakes while doing my A-levels; my dad really encouraged me to be brave and talk to the course lead about my situation. <br>
If you've missed the initial open day make sure you get yourself to the offer holder open days, this is a also a brilliant opportunity to network and start building relationships
<a href="http://thestudentroom.clickmeter.com/UM_article" target="_blank"><img width="100%" align="center" src="https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/images/cms/snippet/2016-10/Uni_Match_CTA.png" alt="Find your perfect uni in 60 seconds" style="margin-bottom: 10px;"></a><br><br>
<h2>2. Submit your uni application and crack on with your studies</h2>
Because I had retakes to deal with my strategy was to submit my application as early as possible in the autumn so that I could focus on nailing my grades.
I did receive an offer relatively quickly from Birmingham which meant I knew what I was aiming for.
<table class="tborder" width="95%"><tr><td><B>On TSR</B>
<br>Meet other students who are applying to the same uni as you
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<h2>3. Keep in touch with your university </h2>
Having received an offer, my dad and I decided to visit another open day to re-connect with the course tutor. This felt especially important because I had just found out I had to retake an AS exam alongside my A2 exams. I was prepared to do everything to ensure that it wouldn’t impact my year two exams but at the same time I did feel wary that it might affect me reaching my offer.
But then my grandma passed away after a really long battle with dementia. I was absolutely heartbroken; managing grief alongside studying hard put even more pressure on my application.
This meant I couldn’t attend the open day as planned. I emailed the course lead, explaining my situation and asking I could visit another time. She was really supportive and we agreed a date.
This meeting was an absolute game-changer for me. I explained about the AS exam retake and at the same time told her I had just aced my sociology globalisation module with an A*. I hadn’t dropped a mark. I think it demonstrated that I was a capable student who was really focused on doing the best I could.
She told me that, whatever happened on results day, they would take my drama AS retake into consideration. In her opinion it would be a shame for me to miss my place on their history course based on a subject unrelated to my future study.
<h2>Results day and beyond</h2>
I missed my offer by one grade in drama. Track didn’t exist when I applied, so we had to call the university to check on my application. I broke all the rules by asking my folks to make the call (don’t do this - make the call yourself). Finding out that I had my place was a huge relief; my hard work and networking had paid off.
<img width="40%" align="right" src="https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/w/images/4/49/GraduationHM.jpg" alt="Graduation Day" style="margin-right: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Re-taking GCSEs and an AS-level wasn’t at all easy during my A-levels, but in a strange way it was a blessing. I might not have been the most academically bright applicant but my work ethic was relentless; I had set my heart on Birmingham and I was going to get there.
It’s easy to view a retake as a weakness but actually it provided me an opportunity to build a relationship with the university and demonstrated to them how committed I was.
Their faith in me paid off, I graduated with a first in my dissertation and 2:1 overall, performing at the same level as my straight-A peers.
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