Ask a Student who went through Clearing!

Cheese isn't a vegetable though?

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?

Hi guys!

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


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

@Michiyo also went through clearing 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 )!

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!

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.

What exactly are the steps of going through clearing?

Step 1: on results day both firm and insurance uni choices reject you.
You are in clearing and are given a clearing number.

Step 2: phone up unis you want to apply to and see if you can get a place. This involves stating your clearing number, name, phone number and grades and saying why you want to go to said uni/do said course.

Step 3: if they offer you a place, consider it and wait for an email with confirmation of a place for which you can apply to using UCAS. If successful skip to 5.

Step 4: if unsuccessful repeat step 2-3.

Step 5: consider all places offered by researching and doing a pro/con list for each. Then enter your chosen uni + course into UCAS using your clearing number after you have confirmation of a place being offered by a uni.

Step 6: time to celebrate aka pizza time, u earned it

Thank you so much. Say if you got bad target grades, can you then go into clearing on results day instead of applying to universities normally?

That's fine! Literally throw at me any questions! Great to hear from you again btw
Yes but normally you wouldn't go straight in, target grades don't matter. It's just an indication not your attainment. You could do better!
Do you know about UCAS extra/adjustment?

Thank you, you too. Say like your target grades were really bad, then I’m sure you can’t really apply to university right? Isn’t that when you get good grades and you change university because you do to want to go to your firm?

So target grades are only one part of your initial application. And depending on the university you apply to, they may be absolutely fine. (Aiming for universities with typical offer grades roughly consistent with your targets if you think they're right is a good plan.) Target grades are only on UCAS because you don't have your results. There are some students who only apply after taking a year out/gap year, and they bypass all the target grade stuff ("Results Pending") because they already have their A Levels. These students won't usually get conditional offers. Just unconditional And they therefore won't have the normal Firm& Insurance. Just a conditional firm.

So if you're worried about low target grades (are you year 12?) then just think about WHICH institutions you want to apply to, not whether to do so or not. (Although at some point you should decide whether you think university is for you, and is right for your chosen career plan/pathway.) There are just under 200 university institutions in the UK (I think ) and not all of the will have grades you're unlikely to reach.

You could wait until Clearing 2019 before doing anything if you wanted to, but a place on your chosen course isn't guaranteed to be available in clearing.

Adjustment is when you get better grades than your firm. It's for people who underestimate themselves.

Thank you very much, this was really helpful.

that's alright! take care and don't hesitate to ask anything else about uni, I take it you're in year 12?

What if you are having doubts about university? I revently made a thread. What is the process for that. My teachers only told me about clearing or changing my university choice/adjustment etc. Not many told me about the process of perhaps not going university. What do I do? How would I approach student finance issues and what do I tell universities who I told I would be going to their university for sure if I got the grades? What do I actually do as in what alternatives are there? So many questions 🙄

What if you are having doubts about university? I revently made a thread. What is the process for that. My teachers only told me about clearing or changing my university choice/adjustment etc. Not many told me about the process of perhaps not going university. What do I do? How would I approach student finance issues and what do I tell universities who I told I would be going to their university for sure if I got the grades? What do I actually do as in what alternatives are there? So many questions 🙄

Excuse you, yes it is!

definitely worth a shot but don't get your hopes up. remember you only get one clearing choice.
I recommend you look through all clearing unis that do your course, look at everything, uni, course, opportunities etc whatever matters to you and rank them. get phone numbers ready just in case and you're set !

I'm sorry for my error; cheese is a vegetable




Many thanks

Is clearing just a case of first come first serve? For example, If I phone them say at 7:05am, would they delay until the next week to see if they could receive more/better applicants?

Also, since I have withdrawn at another university, would I have to mention this to them? Or is this not necessary if I plan to start from the first year?

People should stop missing and realise they need to perform to their firm offer.

I did, why cant others.