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Ask a Student who went through Clearing!

If you have a question about your Firm or Insurance choices, Clearing or other UCAS-related issues then please ask your question HERE or post in the A Level Results Day FAQ or Clearing and Adjustment FAQ threads.

Hi guys! :hi:

I'm Cheese :wavey: I'm a Vegetable :h: and I went through Clearing to get my University place studying Chemistry at the University of Southampton :woo:

This thread is here to answer any of your questions about going through Clearing, what it is, any worries you have or just any questions about University in general :tongue:

@Michiyo also went through clearing :five: and is also going to be lending a hand with answering any of your questions! Please feel free to tag her, she doesn't bite ( often :mmm: )!
Also @Simbess also went through clearing and has agreed to help with answering any of your questions :awesome:!

There are loads more of these threads which you can find here. They are for different subjects and different Universities so please take a look!

If you would also like to offer a helping hand, just post in this thread here and see if you can help other prospective students with any of their queries! :ta:

What is Clearing? How does it work and what are the steps?
(edited 5 years ago)

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Reply 1
How likely am I to be accepted to a course if I missed the grade by 1?
Can I inquire about multiple courses within the same university if I get rejected after my first?
Original post by x1x1x1
How likely am I to be accepted to a course if I missed the grade by 1?
Can I inquire about multiple courses within the same university if I get rejected after my first?


1) Depends. You can only find out on results day really and it depends on how many vacancies they have. You probably have a decent chance, however.

2) The university might offer you an alternative course that's undersubscribed via UCAS rather than outright rejecting you. Nothing stopping you from enquiring about other courses either.
Reply 3
Original post by CheeseIsVeg

@Michiyo also went through clearing :five: and is also going to be lending a hand with answering any of your questions! Please feel free to tag her, she doesn't bite ( often :mmm: )!


I never bite :noway:

I am indeed more than willing to answer these questions too, though! :biggrin:

Original post by x1x1x1
How likely am I to be accepted to a course if I missed the grade by 1?
Can I inquire about multiple courses within the same university if I get rejected after my first?


That depends on the university and course. For example, a friend of mine missed his offer and got into Cardiff (his firm option) with BBC instead of BBB and I know someone who got into Birmingham with BBC instead of the BBB her offer initially asked for. On the other hand, a guy I know was rejected by Glasgow, his firm option, because he got AAB instead of AAA or something like that. I would not bet on being accepted on a course if you are one grade off if it is an extremely competitive university or course. I cannot speak for Russell Group universities (though I have seen a lot of people who got in after missing their offer by a grade and who were rejected for missing their offer by a grade). If it helps, plenty of 'average' universities will let people in if they miss the entry requirement by a grade (whether they were their firm/insurance option or in Clearing), and the same tends to go if your course is a rare or unpopular course when you apply. To exemplify, there is a guy on a course that is very similar to mine at my university (Essex) who got in with CCE for a course which has BBB as the official entry requirement. Also, some universities lower the entry requirements in Clearing, but that does not go for all of them.

Yes. I know of a TSRian who got rejected by his first choice after missing his offer and who got into the same university that was his firm option, but for a different course. At Essex, at least, the application process is online and up to two courses one wants to be considered for can be specified (and they do not have to be similar courses either). This is an isolated rather than common case, but there is nothing stopping you from inquiring about different courses at any university. :h: Just bear in mind that you might be asked to submit more references or a different personal statement if you apply for a different course, though!
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by x1x1x1
How likely am I to be accepted to a course if I missed the grade by 1?
Can I inquire about multiple courses within the same university if I get rejected after my first?

:ditto: is always worth a try, be calm and confident and give it a go and if it's a no, not to worry, you have many other options in clearing! Have a look at the list before results day to give yourself an idea :smile:
Reply 5
I'd also be happy to answer though my experience of clearing is limited to myself rather than anyone else from their stories.
Original post by Bio 7
I'd also be happy to answer though my experience of clearing is limited to myself rather than anyone else from their stories.


:hi: That's awesome!
Do you mind telling us a bit about you? Ie: What course you applied for through clearing, how did you find it and what year are you in now?
do you like spaghetti?
Original post by TheTroll73
do you like spaghetti?

ofc but tagliatelle is better imo :tongue:
Original post by CheeseIsVeg
ofc but tagliatelle is better imo :tongue:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiVr34QCF_c
Reply 10
Original post by CheeseIsVeg
:hi: That's awesome!
Do you mind telling us a bit about you? Ie: What course you applied for through clearing, how did you find it and what year are you in now?


Well I missed my original offers because I made a mess of AH Chemistry, Scottish experience btw, so had to go searching. I hadn't thought much on clearing before that as I was sure I would meet my requirements. After talking to someone though they did direct my to look to another nearby uni and check their clearing page since the UCAS clearing list had nothing suitable.

I looked online to find out about the process and finally managed to pluck up the courage to phone up the uni and ask them about it, as what I had found made it sound like a bigger ordeal than it truly was with some people saying they got mini interviews. That didn't happen and after telling them my grades they said to apply and I would get a place there.

That was last year for Biomedical Science and I will be starting my second year in September.

Hopefully some of this can help someone.


Also worth noting that I applied for accommodation but as I didn't go to my first uni I went somewhere else which was actually far better so that wasn't too bad.
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Bio 7
Well I missed my original offers because I made a mess of AH Chemistry, Scottish experience btw, so had to go searching. I hadn't thought much on clearing before that as I was sure I would meet my requirements. After talking to someone though they did direct my to look to another nearby uni and check their clearing page since the UCAS clearing list had nothing suitable.

I looked online to find out about the process and finally managed to pluck up the courage to phone up the uni and ask them about it, as what I had found made it sound like a bigger ordeal than it truly was with some people saying they got mini interviews. That didn't happen and after telling them my grades they said to apply and I would get a place there.

That was last year for Biomedical Science and I will be starting my second year in September.

Hopefully some of this can help someone.


Also worth noting that I applied for accommodation but as I didn't go to my first uni I went somewhere else which was actually far better so that wasn't too bad.


hey this is so helpful, thanks so much! if you're about then do pop back into this thread in case someone has a question for you :smile:

it's so great to hear that you are really enjoying your time there, I think a common misconception about clearing is that your time at your clearing uni sucks but if you choose one you like and not just choose one on grades then it'll work out just fine! :yep:
Reply 13
Original post by CheeseIsVeg
hey this is so helpful, thanks so much! if you're about then do pop back into this thread in case someone has a question for you :smile:

it's so great to hear that you are really enjoying your time there, I think a common misconception about clearing is that your time at your clearing uni sucks but if you choose one you like and not just choose one on grades then it'll work out just fine! :yep:


Agreed. I ended up with better accommodation, a better course and accidentally ended up being in the same course as someone I've known and got on with since I was 4/5. Going into clearing was the best thing that happened.
Original post by Bio 7
Agreed. I ended up with better accommodation, a better course and accidentally ended up being in the same course as someone I've known and got on with since I was 4/5. Going into clearing was the best thing that happened.

yasss I loved my accommodation and am enjoying my course, it's why I picked mine because I had more choice of modules that I liked
aw that's lovely! :hugs: thanks so much for sharing this!
Reply 15
Thank you all for your replies to my questions.

@Michiyo mentioned something about personal statements. Are they still relevant during the clearing process?
Original post by x1x1x1
Thank you all for your replies to my questions.

@Michiyo mentioned something about personal statements. Are they still relevant during the clearing process?


not really
If you want to though u can mention parts from it to convince them to take you over the phone. sell yohrself basically.
I did this a few times when talking about my nuffield placement and epq! :smile:
would recommend mentioning an epq if u did one as it can lower the grades required!
Cheese isn't a vegetable though? :confused:

Anyway.

With the clearing process, What are the main things you'd recommend students prepare for?
If your Firm uni rejects you, but the course is in clearing, Is it worth re-applying?
Reply 18
Original post by x1x1x1
Thank you all for your replies to my questions.

@Michiyo mentioned something about personal statements. Are they still relevant during the clearing process?


It might be for some unis but it is mostly unimportant at that point as they want to fill up all the spaces they can.
Reply 19
Original post by Bulletzone
Cheese isn't a vegetable though? :confused:

Anyway.

With the clearing process, What are the main things you'd recommend students prepare for?
If your Firm uni rejects you, but the course is in clearing, Is it worth re-applying?


It is worth a go at applying again, clearing is a very loose time and you will be in with another chance hopefully.

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