A-level results day is a nerve-racking time for many young people. For Sarah Abe, who recently graduated from the University of Southampton with a degree in criminology, the day didn’t turn out quite as she expected. “I woke up at 6 or 7am and realised I hadn’t got into my first-choice university,” she said at a recent Guardian event. “At first I thought maybe there was a mistake in the system.” But when she got to school and received her results, she realised she’d narrowly missed out on her desired place. So she searched for courses through clearing and after six phone calls was offered a place at Southampton.
Abe is not alone in applying to university this way. Approximately 73,000 students found places through clearing in 2019 and last year was even busier, with thousands of courses available at a wide range of universities. With A-level results on 10 August, another busy day is expected.
At the Guardian Labs online event, paid for by Guardian Universities, on how to make clearing work for you, expert panelists shared their tips and tricks for making the process a success. “Choosing a university is a big decision,” Guardian host Coco Khan said. “But clearing is nothing to be afraid of. It’s not about applying all over again. It’s probably too much to say it’s stress-free, but it can be stress-minimal.”
First of all, the panel explained how clearing has changed considerably in recent years. “For me, the biggest change is the variety of courses that are available,” said Amy Smith, associate director of admissions and applicant experience at Nottingham Trent University.
Caroline Connell, deputy head of student administration at the University of Lincoln, said she has seen more students making late applications through clearing in the past five years. “We see applicants who [want to make] a last-minute change, of course,” she said.
For Courteney Sheppard, senior customer success manager at Ucas, clearing no longer has the bad reputation of old. “It has really lost that name tag of being a ‘last-chance saloon’,” he said. “It’s now a bonafide route.”
The panelists reassured students that the process is expected to be smoother than it was last year and said they were not expecting any major U-turns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
So what can you do to prepare ahead of time? It’s a good idea to do some online research and put together information and notes. “Unis have got clearing hotline numbers on their websites, so it’s worth looking now so you don’t have to scramble around for numbers on the day,” Smith said. As part of your research, you might want to look at what accommodation is available at different universities and take a closer look at the content of course modules. You could also talk to current students online.
When it comes to the big day, the first thing you should do is keep an eye on the time: remember Ucas Track only opens at 8.30am.
Once you’ve got your results, the most important thing is to get on the phone quickly. “Contact us as soon as possible, because some courses will fill up,” Connell said. You’ll need your results to hand and don’t forget to make a note of your GCSEs, too, she advised.
Once you get through to universities, you’ll likely speak to a trained member of staff or a student ambassador, who will be happy to help you. Often the process doesn’t take too long: Abe said she got in contact with people fairly quickly, for example.
When you’re talking to universities on the phone, no question is a bad question, Smith said. “We’ve had every question you can possibly think of, from ‘what are my modules’, to ‘can I bring a horse to campus [for those interested, the answer is – sometimes]’.
One way to stay calm, during what can be a stressful process, is to have confidence in yourself. “Don’t count yourself out,” Abe said. “Don’t feel like because you have to consider clearing as an option you’re a failure or anything like that. That’s completely wrong.”
Remember, clearing is an opportunity to find a university that’s right for you. You can accept more than one clearing offer and contact multiple universities. So take your time to think about whether a particular place or course is suited to you.
Sheppard reminded students about Clearing Plus, a service launched last year by Ucas, which helps match would-be students to different universities. He also advised parents to give their offspring a bit of space when they’re making phone calls, but acknowledged it can be a stressful time for family, too.
In addition, the panel pointed out that clearing can be used to “trade up” your university place if you’ve done better than expected. You can use Adjustment if you have met and exceeded the conditions of your firm place and while you use it, your firm place will be safe.
Overall, many students feel that going through clearing pays off in the end. “I haven’t once regretted my decision,” Abe said. “Those three years were some of the best of my life. I enjoyed it so much. I joined different societies, I made lots of friends. I really enjoyed my course.” While at university, Abe also met lots of other students who had gone through the clearing route. “I thought I was the only one, but it’s common,” she said.
Abe now plans to study an online master’s in cybercrime at the University of Portsmouth. Looking back, she thinks things worked out for the best. “I honestly think if I’d gone to my first-choice university my experience wouldn’t have been as amazing as it was,” she said.
For more guidance on the right course for you, please check out The Guardian’s Universities league table for 2021. The Guardian league table for 2022 will be out on 11 September in the Uni Guide and online
