The Student Room Group

University Clearing Advice

Hi so I'm an A-level student (year 13 so currently sitting my A levels atm) and I would like some advice for my situation.
Back at the end of year 12, we had mocks and I didn't do too well and as a result got predicted BBB. I applied to 5 unis and been accepted conditonally (Southamption, Lancaster, Surrey, Reading and York) with Lancaster being my firm option (grades are BBC). I have been to the uni and I do think its quite nice however I want to apply to one which is slightly closer to home. Although Lancaster is tenth according to the University guide rankings 2024, I looked at a few other courses and I thought it would be better for me to go to one of those unis. I was thinking of applying to Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester in clearing because I have a strong belief that I am capable of getting the grades (AAB +AAA). I know that it may be a little early but I would like any advice from students who have gotten into a university via this route and to explain how the process works. Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

Lancaster is an exceptionally good Uni, and you are lucky to have an offer.
Rankings are a load of concocted nonsense and no way to pick a Uni.

Stop worrying.
Once you get to Lancaster, and you get stuck into your course, you will wonder what you were so hesitant about.

Reply 2

Original post by TH3GR3ATKHAN
Hi so I'm an A-level student (year 13 so currently sitting my A levels atm) and I would like some advice for my situation.
Back at the end of year 12, we had mocks and I didn't do too well and as a result got predicted BBB. I applied to 5 unis and been accepted conditonally (Southamption, Lancaster, Surrey, Reading and York) with Lancaster being my firm option (grades are BBC). I have been to the uni and I do think its quite nice however I want to apply to one which is slightly closer to home. Although Lancaster is tenth according to the University guide rankings 2024, I looked at a few other courses and I thought it would be better for me to go to one of those unis. I was thinking of applying to Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester in clearing because I have a strong belief that I am capable of getting the grades (AAB +AAA). I know that it may be a little early but I would like any advice from students who have gotten into a university via this route and to explain how the process works. Thanks :smile:

As already said Lancaster is an exceptional university and every bit as good as the others. Just because it doesnt belong to a very good self marketing body called the Russell Group doesnt mean anything.

The likelyhood is that many courses in places like Manchester or Birmingham wont end up in clearing so you will end up choosing between Lancaster or other closer universities like Aston, Nottingham Trent or Manchester Met if you really want to stay closer to him.

Is this really about getting closer to him or thinking you can do better than Lancaster because none of your choices are better.

Reply 3

Original post by TH3GR3ATKHAN
Hi so I'm an A-level student (year 13 so currently sitting my A levels atm) and I would like some advice for my situation.
Back at the end of year 12, we had mocks and I didn't do too well and as a result got predicted BBB. I applied to 5 unis and been accepted conditonally (Southamption, Lancaster, Surrey, Reading and York) with Lancaster being my firm option (grades are BBC). I have been to the uni and I do think its quite nice however I want to apply to one which is slightly closer to home. Although Lancaster is tenth according to the University guide rankings 2024, I looked at a few other courses and I thought it would be better for me to go to one of those unis. I was thinking of applying to Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester in clearing because I have a strong belief that I am capable of getting the grades (AAB +AAA). I know that it may be a little early but I would like any advice from students who have gotten into a university via this route and to explain how the process works. Thanks :smile:

Hi! You would need to reject the offers you have to go into clearing, so this could be risky. We do not know which courses will go into clearing, so you could reject offers to find the course you want is not available. Hope this helps 🙂

Reply 4

Original post by UniofNottsEnq
Hi! You would need to reject the offers you have to go into clearing, so this could be risky. We do not know which courses will go into clearing, so you could reject offers to find the course you want is not available. Hope this helps 🙂

Would there be a way of contacting the university beforehand to see if the course would go into clearing before dropping into clearing?

Reply 5

Original post by TH3GR3ATKHAN
Hi so I'm an A-level student (year 13 so currently sitting my A levels atm) and I would like some advice for my situation.
Back at the end of year 12, we had mocks and I didn't do too well and as a result got predicted BBB. I applied to 5 unis and been accepted conditonally (Southamption, Lancaster, Surrey, Reading and York) with Lancaster being my firm option (grades are BBC). I have been to the uni and I do think its quite nice however I want to apply to one which is slightly closer to home. Although Lancaster is tenth according to the University guide rankings 2024, I looked at a few other courses and I thought it would be better for me to go to one of those unis. I was thinking of applying to Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester in clearing because I have a strong belief that I am capable of getting the grades (AAB +AAA). I know that it may be a little early but I would like any advice from students who have gotten into a university via this route and to explain how the process works. Thanks :smile:

Hi there,

It's great to hear that you are considering all options for pathways into university. Clearing is a valuable option for students who either didn't receive any offers or want to reconsider their options based on their final results. It is a great way to find a place at another university if your initial plan changes.

It is important to be prepared prior to results day so that you know what the steps are to securing a place via clearing. Make sure to research early and look into the other universities so you know what courses you are interested in and the requirements for the course. I would also suggest that on results day you prepare everything you need to apply via clearing, such as, UCAS ID, results and your list of universities with their clearing numbers. On results day, you can contact the universities directly. Be ready to explain your situation, why you're interested in the course and have all of your required documentation ready. You can then be ready to hopefully receive and confirm offers!

Many students successfully navigate the clearing process here at the University of Reading and end up thriving in their chosen courses. Whilst I did not go through clearing myself, I know many people who did, and they found the process to be straightforward and a positive experience with the right preparation.

One key piece of advice would be to remain calm on results day and stay positive! Feel free to also reach out to admissions teams at your chosen universities too if you're interested in some more specific guidance as each university may have a different clearing process. The admissions team are there to help you through the process.

Some useful links may be the UCAS clearing process which can be found here, which has some great guides and information on clearing. Additionally, if you are interested in the University of Reading clearing process then information on how to receive information on this can be found here.

Good luck with your a-levels and clearing process if that is the route you choose to take. If you have any more questions or questions about the University of Reading specifically, then feel free to reach out and ask!

Millie 🙂
BSc International Development

Reply 6

Original post by TH3GR3ATKHAN
Would there be a way of contacting the university beforehand to see if the course would go into clearing before dropping into clearing?

Some universities wont know. It is dependent on other students not reaching their grades and that isnt known until a week or so before results day and there is an embargo at that time.
Original post by TH3GR3ATKHAN
Hi so I'm an A-level student (year 13 so currently sitting my A levels atm) and I would like some advice for my situation.
Back at the end of year 12, we had mocks and I didn't do too well and as a result got predicted BBB. I applied to 5 unis and been accepted conditonally (Southamption, Lancaster, Surrey, Reading and York) with Lancaster being my firm option (grades are BBC). I have been to the uni and I do think its quite nice however I want to apply to one which is slightly closer to home. Although Lancaster is tenth according to the University guide rankings 2024, I looked at a few other courses and I thought it would be better for me to go to one of those unis. I was thinking of applying to Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester in clearing because I have a strong belief that I am capable of getting the grades (AAB +AAA). I know that it may be a little early but I would like any advice from students who have gotten into a university via this route and to explain how the process works. Thanks :smile:

Hi
Well done on getting a conditional offer to study at Lancaster! If you are unsure of where you want to study, because rankings alone are making you question your decision, this might not be the best decision. If you enjoyed the university, then this definitely holds more weight, than where the University is placed on a ranking list. You will be studying and living there for 3 years so definitely choose somewhere that you can see yourself living based on the university course and environment.
The clearing process will start following your results, when you would then have to decline your place at your firm (if you got in) to then start the clearing process. Most universities publish whether they have places on specific courses prior to this date, so you can hopefully already check as to whether you could possibly go through clearing at these universities. Therefore, I would advise that you check that there are places before having to start the clearing process. It is a very confusing time, and I wish you luck in your results!
My biggest piece of advise is to make the decision that would be best for you; if moving to a closer university is important to you; which it was to me, then possibly look through clearing. Although, depending on where you live, Lancaster is extremely well-connected and easy to get to!
Hope this all makes sense, and feel free to ask any more questions regarding Lancaster
Katie (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

Reply 8

Original post by Lancaster Student Ambassador
Hi
Well done on getting a conditional offer to study at Lancaster! If you are unsure of where you want to study, because rankings alone are making you question your decision, this might not be the best decision. If you enjoyed the university, then this definitely holds more weight, than where the University is placed on a ranking list. You will be studying and living there for 3 years so definitely choose somewhere that you can see yourself living based on the university course and environment.
The clearing process will start following your results, when you would then have to decline your place at your firm (if you got in) to then start the clearing process. Most universities publish whether they have places on specific courses prior to this date, so you can hopefully already check as to whether you could possibly go through clearing at these universities. Therefore, I would advise that you check that there are places before having to start the clearing process. It is a very confusing time, and I wish you luck in your results!
My biggest piece of advise is to make the decision that would be best for you; if moving to a closer university is important to you; which it was to me, then possibly look through clearing. Although, depending on where you live, Lancaster is extremely well-connected and easy to get to!
Hope this all makes sense, and feel free to ask any more questions regarding Lancaster
Katie (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

Thanks, I got into Lancaster and will be sticking with that.
Original post by TH3GR3ATKHAN
Thanks, I got into Lancaster and will be sticking with that.

NO WORRIES!😀That's fantastic news—congratulations! If you need any tips or info about the university or the area, just let me know.

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