All clear: the students who started university life through Clearing
By: Communications
L-R: Rosina Poller, Mudatheer Mandan, Georgina Oakley
Thousands of students across the UK will find out what the future holds for them later this week when they receive their A-Level results on Thursday (17 August).
For many, this will be a case of accepting, and being accepted onto, their university of choice. However, for those who don't get the grades they need, or choose not to accept their first-choice offer, it will mean going through Clearing, the system employed by UK universities to fill course places that haven't yet been taken.
This decision-making process can be a stressful one, but one thing's for certain: there are plenty of students who have been through it before.
UEA is home to a great many of these and six students who embarked on their university journeys via Clearing have offered their insights, to shed light on their application experiences, motivations for selecting UEA, and advice for prospective students about to embark on a similar path.
How did you end up going through Clearing, and what are your memories of going through the Clearing process?
Rosina Poller, recent graduate from BSc Physics with a Foundation Year: "I went through Clearing as I didn't quite make the grades for my firm choice, and I’d changed my mind about my insurance choice, so wanted another option. When I first started considering Clearing, I found it quite an intimidating prospect as everything I had seen around it made it out to be stressful, but it was actually way easier and less stressful than I thought."
Hannah Foley, BA Drama student: "I didn't get the required grades for my firm university choice, and I had decided my insurance choice wasn't quite where I wanted to go, so I rejected my place and went into Clearing. Initially I felt disappointed and uncertain, the main hurdle to get over was the change of plans, but once I got over that I found the process to be more straightforward than I'd expected. Ultimately, I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else, and UEA turned out to be better than I'd imagined."
Was there any particular action you took that helped make Clearing a success for you?
Mudatheer Mandan, BSc Psychology student: "I fully prepared myself beforehand. This included creating a list of the potential universities I wanted to go to, watching the mock Clearing calls available on TikTok, having a copy of my personal statement, and noting down my UCAS ID, A-Level and GCSE results. It can be hard to remember what to say in these types of circumstances, so having these made sure I was fully prepared when the day eventually came around."
Hannah Foley: "Phoning up definitely proved the most useful, since everyone I spoke to was incredibly helpful, friendly, and clear in helping me with information I needed. Over the phone, they were able to explain the main differences between the courses I was interested in, and help me with what my next steps would be."
What were the most important factors for you when it came to choosing UEA?
Rosina Poller: "When I came to the open day, I really loved the campus, the architecture and the big open green spaces around the lake. I could really see myself living here and I'd never felt like that with any of the other universities I visited. For me, it was the perfect distance from home - not so close that I'd easily be visiting home when I got homesick, but not too far away that I couldn't come home easily when I wanted to. I also really liked the wide range of extracurricular activities there were to get involved with here. It just seemed like somewhere I could be happy."
Mudatheer Mandan: "My course is very research intensive. I wanted to go to a university that had a good research score and UEA offered this, as well as being ranked top 25 in the UK at the time. I also made sure that each university I might apply to through Clearing had easy transport links, and Norwich had one train straight from London. Finally, I ideally wanted a university course that assessed you through coursework rather than examinations and UEA's course offered this."
Georgina Oakley, BSc Biological Sciences with a Year Abroad: "The degree was the most important aspect for me, and I chose to study Biology at UEA because I was able to choose most of my modules in second and third year and the option of Study Abroad. I also liked the campus and the city during the open day."
What advice would you give to students going through Clearing this year?
Tiffany Bliss, BA Film and Television student: "My advice would be to trust the decision you make and have a support network to talk to and help advise you in your decision. What's more, I would like to tell future students that Clearing does not need to be a horrible, stressful experience and that it can be a great opportunity. There can be some negativity around the subject of Clearing and ultimately there is no shame in entering the Clearing process. No matter your results or the path you take, you should be proud of yourself for getting this far."
Aleksandra Bator, recent graduate from MSci Biochemistry with a Year Abroad: "Things may not go to plan but that does not mean they will not work out. It may be hard but try speaking to a trusted teacher who knows you and could guide you through making the right decision on a day full of emotion. Visit the university, see whether you could see yourself there, don't just go for one because it is your only offer if you do not like it."
Is there anything else you can share with us that you've done during your university experience?
Aleksandra Bator: "I worked as a student ambassador from the first month of my university life and I think it was a great decision because it means you can work flexibly around your studies, but also get to know other professors and members of the university. I also joined Korfball and if I have one piece of advice, it is to join and try as many clubs and societies as possible - that is how you make friends, get out of your comfort zone and make memories. I also had a year abroad as part of my course, which was one of the best experiences I could have been part of and would recommend to everyone!"
Mudatheer Mandan: "I am a student ambassador and have worked various jobs such as doing tours, working with Year 10 students from other schools and more recently presenting in a Clearing webinar and Clearing Instagram takeover. This work has given me extra money on the side but also been such an enjoyable experience - I've made friendships for life, helped out some students and put a smile on many faces!"
If you are looking to start university in September 2023 and still considering your options, then consider joining a top 25 university this September through Clearing.
Find out more about Clearing and view available courses
L-R: Tiffany Bliss, Hannah Foley, Aleksandra Bator
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