Clearing into Empty Spaces?

Hello all,
now I know that Oxbridge doesn't allow students to move into unfilled spaces via clearing, so this is more of a matter of curiousity. What does Oxbridge do with these places? I appreciate that the Summer Pool exists, yet they must still have some unfilled places when the term starts?

Reply 1

RowanL

8

The places simply remain unfilled, our Fine Art tutor only accepted a student for the first time in 3 years at my college this year.

Reply 2

Wilder Airs

OP

11

Original post by RowanL

The places simply remain unfilled, our Fine Art tutor only accepted a student for the first time in 3 years at my college this year.

I find that really silly... but what can you do.
Thanks a bunch for getting back to me Rowan, I really appreciate it.
Wilder. :smile:

Reply 3

RowanL

8

That is why on the letters on which they send out offers (Oxford at least) they say if you're planning to reject please let them knew immediately because then they may be able to offer the place out to someone else. I think the idea is that they won't 'compromise' their standards by accepting someone that they initially rejected at interview/has the grades but didn't interview.

Reply 4

nulli tertius

21

Original post by Wilder Airs

Hello all,
now I know that Oxbridge doesn't allow students to move into unfilled spaces via clearing, so this is more of a matter of curiousity. What does Oxbridge do with these places? I appreciate that the Summer Pool exists, yet they must still have some unfilled places when the term starts?

Cambridge has the summer pool and both universities have open offers.

However, whilst this used only to be a problem with American "no shows" and advance warning was given before A level results were published by applicants' failure to pay the fee deposit, the increasing number of home students looking to go to the USA on scholarship means this is becoming a significant problem. At present the only remedy is the open offers.

Do not be surprised in the future if both universities revive unconditional offers and create a scheme for early enrolment of those applicants so that applicants become contractually committed.

Reply 5

fluteflute

19

Original post by nulli tertius

Cambridge has the summer pool and both universities have open offers.

However, whilst this used only to be a problem with American "no shows" and advance warning was given before A level results were published by applicants' failure to pay the fee deposit, the increasing number of home students looking to go to the USA on scholarship means this is becoming a significant problem. At present the only remedy is the open offers.

Do not be surprised in the future if both universities revive unconditional offers and create a scheme for early enrolment of those applicants so that applicants become contractually committed.

Is home students going abroad a greater issue than international offer holders choosing to go elsewhere?

Reply 6

nulli tertius

21

Original post by fluteflute

Is home students going abroad a greater issue than international offer holders choosing to go elsewhere?

Yes for three reasons:-

Firstly because American applicants are generally given unconditional offers even if they have not finished high school, fee payments can be used as a touchstone as to whether applicants will turn up. There can be no similar touchstone for home students studying abroad as the possibility of changing university choice through missing offers or adjustment is integral to the UCAS conditional offer system.

Secondly, because of aggregation. Something that is not perceived as a major problem when a few people do it, becomes one when a lot do it. In such cases blame is often not evenly apportioned. Rather, the last straw carries the moral opprobrium for the death of the camel rather than each straw bearing a part of the guilt for it.

Thirdly, Oxford and Cambridge are engaged in a political process. They cannot really recruit on a nationality blind basis, much as they might claim to do so. They receive staggeringly large sums of public money (albeit this is mostly not paid for undergraduate tuition). If they are seen as universities for foreigners, there would be pressure to divert that funding to "British " universities (and expect Imperial to come under precisely this pressure in the next couple of years). As such, regardless of the talent pool, Oxford and Cambridge have to be seen as recruiting mostly British students. A "no show" from a foreign student is therefore a minor funding inconvenience to the university. A "no show" from a British student is a the loss of an opportunity for another Brit to go one of the world's finest universities. That a foreign student might fill a spare place previously given to a Brit or vice versa will not figure in any political dialogue.

Reply 7

nexttime

22

Original post by Wilder Airs

I find that really silly... but what can you do.
Thanks a bunch for getting back to me Rowan, I really appreciate it.
Wilder. :smile:

It wouldn't really make all that much sense to put all of those resources into an exhaustive selection process only to pick up a few AAA rejectees later on.

Plenty of other unis refuse to enter clearing, and they haven't put half the effort into finding the good candidates.

Reply 8

Wilder Airs

OP

11

Original post by nexttime

It wouldn't really make all that much sense to put all of those resources into an exhaustive selection process only to pick up a few AAA rejectees later on.

Plenty of other unis refuse to enter clearing, and they haven't put half the effort into finding the good candidates.

Ah that is true - I'm just horribly biased, sat here staring at all those empty spaces with a thin line of drool rolling down my chin! :P
It's good to get another perspective on it :3

Reply 9

x__justmyluck

12

If there are spaces after open offers holders are placed then some people who missed their offers may be accepted anyway, otherwise they run the courses less than full.

Reply 10

parentlurker

15

Original post by nexttime

It wouldn't really make all that much sense to put all of those resources into an exhaustive selection process only to pick up a few AAA rejectees later on.

Plenty of other unis refuse to enter clearing, and they haven't put half the effort into finding the good candidates.

They could always use adjustment and pick up candidates with better than AAA. The number of universities refusing to take any applicants in August either through adjustment or clearing is now quite small.

Both Oxford and Cambridge take applicants who don't make their offers, although the extent to which they do that will vary between courses and years.

Clearing into Empty Spaces?

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