Completely lost, i don’t want to go to the uni i chose through clearing

Hi loves!

During Exam season i realised that I no longer wanted to do the course I had chosen for both my firm and insurance universities and made the choice to go through clearing to find another one. I ended up choosing Goldsmiths and was initially very happy with my choice however after undertaking research etc I quickly realised that perhaps it wasn’t really my vibe or the kind of place I wanted to be in. I’ve already picked my accommodation and paid the deposit so i feel like it’s far too late to apply anywhere else. I’m not even sure where to look as the other universities I was also interested in, are no longer in clearing. I feel like I have no options left and i’ll be stuck in a university I really don’t want to go to, surrounded by people who aren’t really my kinds of people. Any advice or help would be so so so appreciated xxx

Reply 1

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by violets4rosess

Hi loves!
During Exam season i realised that I no longer wanted to do the course I had chosen for both my firm and insurance universities and made the choice to go through clearing to find another one. I ended up choosing Goldsmiths and was initially very happy with my choice however after undertaking research etc I quickly realised that perhaps it wasn’t really my vibe or the kind of place I wanted to be in. I’ve already picked my accommodation and paid the deposit so i feel like it’s far too late to apply anywhere else. I’m not even sure where to look as the other universities I was also interested in, are no longer in clearing. I feel like I have no options left and i’ll be stuck in a university I really don’t want to go to, surrounded by people who aren’t really my kinds of people. Any advice or help would be so so so appreciated xxx

So you need to do some calm, rational analysis -

Is the course good?
Is it interesting to you, are people graduating and getting the type of jobs you want to do?
Is the course one of the university's strength subjects?
Is the new information that has changed your mind, stronger and more reliable Thant he information that made you accept?

'my kind of people' is very dangerous territory to get into, you are presumably 18 or so, you really don't have a 'kind of people', you have children you went to school with. You are evolving into an adult, if your likes, dislikes, opinions, choices, interests etc don't evolve massively over the next 3-5 years, then you are a very unusual human being. So don't think your sixth-form defines 'your kind of people'. Besides, you are in London - you can find absolutely any kind of people, the whole world is there.

You have options, but the sensible ones are probably just - go to Goldsmiths with an open mind and a positive attitude about the new opportunities, or lose your deposit, take a gap year and really to unis you've done more research on.

Reply 2

mike23mike

If you dont want to go to Goldsmiths then dont. If you secured a place at uni accommodation, dont worry about the deposit, they will return it. If the accommodation is with a private company then you have to accept you have lost the deposit.

This is a huge moment in your life so go to the uni you want to go to - if that means waiting a year and not taking a place through clearing it then make that tough call. Its the next 3 to 4 years of your life.

Reply 3

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by violets4rosess

Hi loves!
During Exam season i realised that I no longer wanted to do the course I had chosen for both my firm and insurance universities and made the choice to go through clearing to find another one. I ended up choosing Goldsmiths and was initially very happy with my choice however after undertaking research etc I quickly realised that perhaps it wasn’t really my vibe or the kind of place I wanted to be in. I’ve already picked my accommodation and paid the deposit so i feel like it’s far too late to apply anywhere else. I’m not even sure where to look as the other universities I was also interested in, are no longer in clearing. I feel like I have no options left and i’ll be stuck in a university I really don’t want to go to, surrounded by people who aren’t really my kinds of people. Any advice or help would be so so so appreciated xxx

Hi @violets4rosess

First of all what a great username!

Second of all this is a really good question and a tricky situation to be in. But well done for recognising you no longer wished to study the course you had applied for, this isn’t uncommon because you apply months before you attend university, and if you’re planning to study an undergraduate degree most of these are a minimum of three years full-time. Three years is a very long time to spend studying something you aren’t passionate about. You've done the right thing to seek advice and you have clearly done your research!

Have you been to visit Goldsmiths University?

It can be difficult to work out if somewhere is a good fit for you if you haven’t been able to visit, which again isn’t uncommon when choosing a course through clearing. I am a current student at the University of Salford, and I came through clearing, it was only when I came for a campus tour a few weeks before the course began that I knew it was the university for me (I had been holding alternative clearing places elsewhere).

I know it is most likely too late to attend an Open Day for any universities you are interested in, but if you do decide not to attend university this academic year or defer for a year (if that’s an option for your course) I would highly recommend attending an Open Day. Open Days are a fantastic opportunity to:

☺️Meet academic staff and find out more about your chosen course.

☺️Chat to fellow students and get an insight into student life at that particular university
☺️Speak to other departments such as student support.
☺️Have a campus tour and view the course facilities - see if you feel at home there!
☺️Explore local accommodation options.

Alternatively, you maybe able to do what I did and organise a university tour before starting your course, but you’d have to contact Goldsmiths directly to see if this is a possibility.

If you do decide to not attend university this year, this isn’t necessarily a negative thing, although I am aware for some courses universities like you to have very recent academic experience. However, lots of courses don't require this and many people have a gap year to gain work experience, save up some money, go travelling, and figure out what they’d like to do next.

I didn’t know what to apply for at university after changing my mind doing my A-levels, consequently, I worked for several years and have finally come to university as a mature student transferring to Salford through clearing to study a slightly different degree to the one I started on, because it was more appropriate for my chosen career path. Although I came to university much later than initially planned in life I am loving it.

I hope this helps. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any further questions.

Lucy 😊
(Official Uni of Salford Student Rep)