Clearing for IB students

Your grades, interest in course. Sometimes you'll get an interview with an academic further asking your interest in the course more or less feeling you out if your a good fit.

Though that more likely at the more competitive places...

If you call some uni's right now with decent results they will give you a place without much more then speaking to a customer service rep.

Thank you for your answer @Realitysreflexx. If the grades are not that good and you are missing a couple of points from the overall score and a point in one of the 2 relative subjects, do you think there is a chance? How can someone support their case to gain an offer?

There's no real way to support your case, either they accept you when you call and tell them your grades or they don't. Any case making or interviewing via phone will only be done post analysis of your grades. If your grades fit the course then they would be interested into how ambitious you are to make a decision. If your grades are deemed below the standard required for that course then you will be rejected before having an opportunity to make any sort of case. Admission almost always relies of the meritocracy of grades achieved. You could potentially have made your case in an application with a great personal statement if you were a grade below in your predictions or so. That boat however, has sailed.

No reason to be sad...just call and you will find a place. Wether you go to uni a few places lower or higher up the table isn't the end of the world. Your better off going to a middling place and getting a great result, then going to a highly ranked place and then struggle heftily.

Thanks for your support. I'm the sad parent of a very very sad son. I hope he can secure a place even at a lower ranked University. That is not my issue. As long as he gets in, so he can find his way in life, I will be happy.

Best of Luck, i know missed grades can be horribly disappointing. He surely will get a place, there is so much competition for students. Don't discount some of the mid level universities they are still comparatively very good. In the UK it is easy to be blinded by the big name RG's but they aren't the only hope one has in life. Even though admittedly i do attend one, but it's also a matter of luck in the end.

Yes. I believe so too. As I understand you must be in Imperial. My daughter is also there. She just finished her 1st year in Medical Biosciences.

Thanks for your support. I'm the sad parent of a very very sad son. I hope he can secure a place even at a lower ranked University. That is not my issue. As long as he gets in, so he can find his way in life, I will be happy.

Kind words, but i'm not that gifted lol. I'm a second year headed into third year at the University of Nottingham studying Management.

Aw, sorry to hear that at least he has you trying to help him.

I'm pretty sure he will be able to secure a place, what subject does he want to study?

Your son needs to phone a few unis tomorrow - make a shortlist today of possibilities. Unis don't ask many questions at Clearing time normally, they just want to fill their spaces so it's mainly about the grades. But lots of them will come down lower than their published grades so it's worth trying some good ones and not getting too disheartened if the first one or two he calls can't help.

What grades has your son got in what subjects and where is he prepared to go. What course is he interested in. There are some excellent unis in clearing.

Thanks. I'm trying to help him because his is in a bit of a shock state right now. He wants to study Physics. He will definitely call them. By the way, do you think he can do that right away? Shouldn't he wait until his application is rejected by his firm and insurance unis, so that he can have his clearing number?

He wants to study Physics. I've seen all the options and there are definitely some very good unis there, but unfortunately he got a 30 which is rather low, and 5 in Maths HL, and 4 in Physics HL. So the options are rather limited right now. We have identified a couple of unis that ask for 32/5/5, but I don't know if he has a chance.

Physics is a really unforgiving subject. Not trying to be rude, but with that mathematics score i would really be very weary of recommending someone take up a physics degree...i guess it could be a fluke, but how much effort was put into these exams. Natural math talent alone and a calculator would guarantee most people destined for a physics degree at least a B on the worst day.