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what are my options?(extra,clearing,adjustme nt)

Hi, i'm on a gap year and I was predicted BBC and applied to universities with these grades, received a few offers and accepted them. I achieved these grades in a couple of january exams that I did. However, I then decided that I was in a position to turn those two B's into A's in June. So I decided to do a few more resits and currently am. I believe come August I should get AAC.. in Economics, Maths, English Lit.

Realistically, will I have a chance to get a place to study: Maths, Economics, Accounting and finance, Maths and finance etc etc.. at a Russell Group? in particular Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham, Manchester.
Do these universities often have places in clearing? I have checked extra and all of the aforementioned courses are listed in extra for birmingham, Does this mean they will have places in clearing also?

I'm fairly flexible for what I want to study, anything maths/finance related.

What would you advise I do?

I know someone who rang up birmingham university and told them his situation (similar to mine) and they gave him an offer to study accounting and finance.

is it too late for me to do this? I have a firmed conditional offer.

Will I be qualify for Adjustment? on results day I should have exceeded my offer of BBC. Or will I have to try clearing?

Another question about clearing.. Can I receive multiple offers? E.g if I ring a uni up and get an offer, can I then try other unis also?

any advice/info would be greatly appreciated. I'm just kind of worried. I've put in much hard work these last few months to achieve what I believe will be AAC, but I don't want to be in a position where I receive no places that reflect these grades and i'll be forced to study at my firm.
You'll be eligible for Adjustment because you've exceeded your firm's conditions.

In Clearing, it's very fast paced. You would be able to hold several informal offers to study, but they may expire by the next day (or in a few days. but then again, they may not, depends on the university), so you'll have to choose quickly in some cases. You can only officially apply for one clearing place at a time in the UCAS system.
Many 'top' Unis do not put ANY places into Clearing (Bristol as one example). Adjustment places at such Unis are usually targeted at those with exceptional grades, not those who just scrape into a normal standard offer.

If you really do want to have a go at getting into another Uni than the one you are currently holding an Offer for, then withdrawing and reapplying in October is probably the best way to give yourself a better shot at RG or similar. Yes, I know thats 'another year' - but if you want it that badly, its worth the wait.

My only caution would be that you should think carefully about what you are studying at Uni, and why - a 'top' Uni may not offer you the course you want and will not necessarily give you a more exciting time as a student. Just 'aiming higher' for the sake of it, may not make you any happier.
Original post by help-me333
Hi, i'm on a gap year and I was predicted BBC and applied to universities with these grades, received a few offers and accepted them. I achieved these grades in a couple of january exams that I did. However, I then decided that I was in a position to turn those two B's into A's in June. So I decided to do a few more resits and currently am. I believe come August I should get AAC.. in Economics, Maths, English Lit.

Realistically, will I have a chance to get a place to study: Maths, Economics, Accounting and finance, Maths and finance etc etc.. at a Russell Group? in particular Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham, Manchester.
Do these universities often have places in clearing? I have checked extra and all of the aforementioned courses are listed in extra for birmingham, Does this mean they will have places in clearing also?

I'm fairly flexible for what I want to study, anything maths/finance related.

What would you advise I do?

I know someone who rang up birmingham university and told them his situation (similar to mine) and they gave him an offer to study accounting and finance.

is it too late for me to do this? I have a firmed conditional offer.

Will I be qualify for Adjustment? on results day I should have exceeded my offer of BBC. Or will I have to try clearing?

Another question about clearing.. Can I receive multiple offers? E.g if I ring a uni up and get an offer, can I then try other unis also?

any advice/info would be greatly appreciated. I'm just kind of worried. I've put in much hard work these last few months to achieve what I believe will be AAC, but I don't want to be in a position where I receive no places that reflect these grades and i'll be forced to study at my firm.


It's good to know your options but the thing to remember is that you have a lot of flexibility and things going in your favour. Currently you have an offer and assuming you at least meet it, your offer at your firm will become unconditional. Do you have any interest in taking up that offer, or would you definitely not take it? There is not a whole lot of value in Extra, even if you can get into it, as you would have to give up your current place.

The main option open to you is adjustment, provided you exceed your firm offer as you would if you get AAC versus an offer of BBC. At this point you can keep your firm and look around freely with no risk to your existing offer AND you still retain the option to pull out altogether and take a gap year. You will need to ring around to see what is on offer at the likes of Bristol but you will need to meet their minimum entry requirements. Provided you do meet them, you may stand a reasonable chance because if you get AAC then you would scrape into the ABB uncapped pot for funding. Unis are free to take as many people as they like who get ABB (or equivalent) or better.

In summary your options are many, so your best plan of attack is probably something like this:

1. Hold onto your firm choice, if there's any chance you might want to go there.
2. If you get AAC and exceed your offer then apply for adjustment and call around to see what's out there
3. If nothing happens you then have the choice to either go to your firm, or pull out altogether and re-apply.

I would echo the cautions of returnmigrant however. A Laissez-faire attitude of taking any course you can get may not benefit you in the long term. Be clear about what you want because the course is far more important than the institution you study at. Study the course content carefully and make sure it's for you.
(edited 10 years ago)

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