Top Tips for Clearing 2006

Clearing is not only for students who miss out on offers as their results are not as good as expected, but also for students whose results exceed their previous expectations and who may now wish to consider applying to university after all, or for those students who already have a place but may wish to see what else they may now consider. Remember though, if you are holding an offer, it is a binding contract, and officially, you may have to wait a year and re-apply, unless your original university of choice will release you.

Before Results day

 

·Whether you expect to miss out on your University offers or will be dumbstruck if you don’t make it first time through, it is always a good idea to have a plan B, especially if results prove far worse than expected.

·If you do not get your place confirmed by your CF- or CI- choice university, then where else will you consider studying? What course there would interest you? What are the normal requirements and would you normally have met them or even have expected to do better than them? Will you need to provide any extra information for these courses?

oDo consider where else you would study for your degree

oDo consider what other course you would take if necessary

oWrite down the contact details before the day. You may wish to check your mobile phone is fully charged (and pre-paid)J.

On Results Day

 

First things first

·Remember to check UCAS Track (https://track.ucas.com/ucastrack/Login.jsp) on the morning of Thursday 17^th August to see if your preferred university has already confirmed your place. This won’t tell you your exam results, as you have to wait for those until your school/college releases them. But if your place is confirmed, there’s every likelihood you have done at least as well as you needed to.

·Be available. If you have a part time or full time job, remember that you need to collect your results and you may need to act upon them and contact universities. I suggest not leaving it until your lunch break.

Buy The Independent

·Official UCAS Clearing vacancies are published on the UCAS website (www.ucas.com) and in The Independent newspaper (http://education.independent.co.uk/clearing/). Other newspapers like the Times and the Guardian have their own listings. Individual universities will probably carry a list of their courses available through Clearing on their website. For example, Coventry University may be checked on www.coventry.ac.uk/clearing .

·The places available through Clearing will be shown by code and keyword so you might want to be further prepared by knowing course codes for your preferred degree choice (e.g. Psychology/C800).

Ready…

·When you start making your calls, have your UCAS application number with you, and also your exam results – you might be asked about your GCSE results so have those to hand as well.

·Be patient with your calls. Universities are ready and waiting for your call, but they will be receiving several hundred calls an hour on Results Day so be prepared to wait a reasonable time to get through.

·The first person you speak to is likely to be a person who will receive your call, ask you some basic questions about what you want to study and what qualifications you have, as well as ask you for your UCAS application number (it probably starts 06- ******-*). They will as quickly and efficiently as possible transfer you to an admissions tutor who will be able to talk to you about any vacancies available, qualifications required, course details. If you are just exploring your options, and already hold an offer from a university, be open about that. After all, the information will be available to the university through the UCAS database.

·Be ready to talk about yourself – have to hand that personal statement you slaved over for hours to remind you just how good you are and why the university and admissions tutor will want to make you the offer you want.

·Some universities, like Coventry, use specially selected and trained students as Clearing Hotline agents, receiving that first phone call you make to a university. Ask them about the university, the social life, even the course they have studied. You want information to make an informed choice, so use them!

·If you have become eligible for Clearing, then UCAS will be sending out a Clearing Passport to you. You do not need to request it as it will happen automatically when any offers you may have are not confirmed. You will need to send or take your Clearing Passport to any university you choose through Clearing to secure your place, accommodation etc.

·If the admissions tutor makes you an offer, you do not have to accept it right away but remember your place may be offered to someone else if you do not express interest. If you decide it is for you, ensure you send/take your Clearing Passport to the university, probably the admissions office, as soon as you can. Make sure you know where to send or take it.

·If you do not get an offer, or if you are asked to ring back later for a decision, be positive – the right course for you may well still be out there for you. Perseverance pays off. Clearing lasts until university terms begin, although the most popular courses will fill up very rapidly on the first two days of Clearing.

·If you are an Art and Design student, you may well be asked to bring along a portfolio of your work for review at an interview. Have it ready before the day! It will be worth the mental and physical effort.

Steady…

·Remember this is the year that many more scholarships and bursaries become available so be prepared to ask questions about those. Depending on your household income, you may be eligible for a bursary. For example, at Coventry University, bursaries of £500 or £750 may be available to you. If you have very good results, there may be possibilities of a scholarship being available, e.g. at Coventry University first time applicants through Clearing may be eligible for a £2000 scholarship. If these are not mentioned to you when you phone, be prepared to ask.

 

…GO!

·Visit any university you are considering accepting a place at though Clearing, especially if you have not visited before. Many universities will have Open Days during the Clearing period so make use of these and go and have a look at the place at which you might well be spending the next three or four years. You know it make sense! For example, Coventry University’s Clearing Open Day is on Saturday 19^th August between 10am and 4pm.

·Good luck! Higher Education is well worth the investment of your time and money. The best years of your life could be awaiting you!

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You can talk to the Clearing Hotline team at Coventry University on 02476 791 791 from 8am on Thursday 17^th August. You can visit Coventry University’s Clearing Open Day on Saturday 19^th August from 10 a.m.

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For more top tips on University Clearing 2006, check out the online Get Smaart Clearing  magazine, packed with essential information and advice to help you through the clearing process. Just click here:

http://www.flippymag.com/getsmaart-clearing-2006/clearing2006.html