Students often feel under pressure to make a snap decision on a clearing place, but how do you choose the right one? It’s not all about the course – the university and its location will also have a bearing on how much you enjoy the coming years. An open day is your opportunity to get to know your potential new homes, and make an educated choice between them.
Many universities run open days specifically for clearing students – typically in August, after a frantic A-level results day. Southampton Solent University’s is on 18 August, for example, but you can drop by informally throughout this week. “You can meet current students, tour campus, find accommodation and learn more about your course and financial aid,” says recruitment events and prospects manager Rebecca Hollington. “Choosing a university is a big life decision, so make sure it’s the right fit.”
You should check out the university’s website to book an open day place online, or call their clearing hotline.
Hannah Guy, 20, visited the University of Portsmouth on the day she found out she hadn’t got the required grades for her first-choice university. “A lecturer talked me through the layout of the course, I found out about student societies and got to know the city,” she says. She accepted a place on Portsmouth’s law degree on her journey home to Bristol. “Clearing was stressful, so the open day took the edge off.”
Clearing is part of the Ucas admissions process matching students with unfilled places at universities and colleges.
John O’Reilly attended open days at eight different universities before he enrolled in Solent’s computer games art degree in 2016. He worked as a student ambassador for Solent on clearing open days.
The 21-year-old says planning is vital to a positive experience. “Open days can be crazy busy, so it’s best to know exactly how you’re going to get to the university and what you want to do on the day. Prepare questions for course instructors beforehand to make the most of the opportunity to grill them in person.”
Open days are a taste of all that university offers
Amatey Doku, NUS vice-president for higher education, explains why open days are essential to picking the correct course and university
Today, more people than ever before are securing university places via clearing and, despite the trebling of tuition fees since 2006, to £9,250, the number of students obtaining higher education first degrees, such as a bachelor’s, has risen by nearly one-quarter over the past decade or so.
But young people face many challenges, which can make attending university difficult. It is, for instance, widely believed millennials will be worse off financially than their parents, and less likely to own their own homes. That places pressure on students to go to university to get a qualification that will make them eligible for a good job.
Certainly, there are advantages to going to university, especially for those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and may be the first in their family to enter higher education. Although many UK universities are research-intensive, higher education today is a hugely diverse sector, full of vocational courses that set people up for the workforce. Some are at the cutting edge of digital learning, and teach students valuable technology skills, for example.
But the university experience is much broader than what goes on in the classroom - for some, university is an opportunity to leave home for the first time and build new friendships and relationships. It’s vital that you take advantage of the many extracurricular experiences on offer during the course of your studies. As well as being enjoyable, these activities can make you more attractive to employers.
In my role as vice-president for higher education at the National Union of Students, I travel around the country, seeing what students get up to. The experiences are endless – huge numbers are taking part in sports teams and student-run societies, which are absolutely key to the university experience. Lots of students also benefit from travelling abroad and taking advantage of the Erasmus exchange scheme. Others are doing placement years, sometimes as officers in their students’ union.
The best way to get a taste of all that university offers is to attend an open day. Financial constraints can limit people from visiting campuses, but where possible you should – to get a sense of whether the institution, the course and the environment is right for you. One thing most students want from university is a sense of belonging, but some people don’t feel like they fit in – and this could be one reason for the attainment (grade) gap between some BME and disadvantaged students, and their white or more privileged peers. An open day will help to ensure you feel at home.
To make the most of an open day, you should speak to students and representatives from the local students’ union, which is often involved in the running of open days. They should tell you what it’s really like to study there – something you cannot always get from flashy course brochures. They will be honest and could tell you why a course is – or, more importantly, is not – right for you. Ask about the teaching methods used on the degree to ensure a fit with your learning style.
Checking that the course, campus and wider city or town match your expectations can make the crucial decision of where to study much easier.
Snoop around, enjoy the vibe – how to make the most of your open days
• Explore the city or town. It will give you a feel for your potential new home. “You won’t just be studying at university, so make sure you’re happy with the local amenities,” says Sophie Dear, head of marketing and campaigns at the University of Portsmouth.
• Sell yourself. An open day is not just an opportunity to assess the university – it could also be the first time you meet potential tutors. “It’s a two-way conversation,” Dear says.
• Bring a parent, sibling or friend. Don’t pick a place based on gut instinct – get a second opinion. “Having another viewpoint is extremely helpful. You have extra moral support and they might think of questions you didn’t think to ask,” says Guy, who brought her parents on her open day to Bristol.
• Enquire about financial aid. Many clearing students are unaware of the generous scholarships and bursaries that may be on offer, as they will have had little communication with the university. “Coming from a slightly disadvantaged background, it was important for me to know that I could afford to come to Solent before I accepted the offer,” says O’Reilly.
• Snoop around halls. As a clearing student, you don’t have much time to find and secure accommodation before your course starts, so use the open day to decide where you want to live. “It can be daunting to move away from home, especially for the first time,” says Rebecca Hollington, recruitment events and prospects manager at Southampton Solent University. “Our residence team will help you start your search for accommodation on the open day.”
