Next Gen News

08/17/2010 Clearing 2010: a step-by-step guide

Clearing can still get you the perfect place at university, even if you miss your first choice

If your exam results come as a horrible surprise on Thursday morning and cause you to miss your university place, you might feel like running away to a distant land where the word Ucas is never spoken. That is an option â€" slip in a few exam re-takes, call it a gap year and you could successfully re-apply to uni next year. But, before you sprint to Heathrow, listen up: there are still steps you can take to get in this autumn.

The first thing to do is phone the admissions tutor at your first-choice university. If there are places available and you only just missed your grades (or have special circumstances, such as ill health confirmed by a doctor), they might still let you in. Unfortunately, that's less likely this year: a combination of fewer places and soaring demand means there is probably going to be a queue of students scrambling for every available place.

The bad news is that cleaning the pool is likely to be more crowded than the beach in the summer 's Day this year. Demand was already very high in 2009, when 158,000 applicants did not get a place at university at all, compared with 120,000 in 2008. This year UCAS estimated at least 170,000 claimants will be left without a place.

But you don't have to be one of them. Clearing might seem a bit complicated, especially if you're feeling stressed, but play it right and it could be your golden ticket to a brilliant university experience. Here's how to do it, with admissions experts' tips to improve your chances.

Before making the call: be prepared

Speak to a teacher. They will be able to offer advice on your situation. For example, if you missed your offer by several grades or desperately want a particular course, consider taking a gap year, doing re-takes or gaining extra experience, then re-applying next year. Some courses now offer January entry points, so you may not have to wait that long.

If you still want a place for this autumn, check the Ucas Track website to see if you're eligible for clearing. You'll qualify if you missed the conditions of either your first or insurance choice or if you didn't receive any offers. Equally, if you haven't yet applied but now want to, you can fill in a Ucas form and use clearing. The deadline is 20 September, but places are likely to be snapped up long before then, so act quickly.

Make a note of your clearing number on the "welcome" page on Ucas Track. You'll need it when you call admissions tutors.

Now you need to hunt for courses. In clearing, you can call any HE institution in the UK to ask if it will accept you onto a particular course. But do your research. Check out course vacancies in the Guardian and online. If you find a course that interests you, and you have the required grades or Ucas points, call them.

"Think laterally to boost your chances," advises Keele University's head of undergraduate recruitment, Mandy Firth. "If you were originally interested in medicine, look at which related science courses might be of interest."

Once you've made a list of possible courses, make some notes. A few lines on why you're interested, and why you'd do well, plus any questions you have about the course, faculty or university.

During the call: be specific

Sit-it notes with quiet, clean, and the number of classes in hand. Using stationary or provide you with a good mobile signal. Your call will be answered administrator purge.

Tell them your details and the course you're interested in, but be specific. "Too often candidates phone asking for "anything in sports?" or "what A-levels do you need to do subject X?," says Simon Jones, senior admissions tutor at the University of Glamorgan. "That's never likely to persuade a university that you're committed to a course. Be clear about the course you're considering to increase your chances of finding a place."

If S is the space ", you LL 'be transferred to receive a tutor for a mini-interview. This chat will be the basis tutor' s decision, so be polite and articulate. Questions typically cover why you re 'interested in the subject, what attracted you to the course, and your past experience.

At the end, tutors may ask if you have any questions. "Use clearing calls to find out as much as you can about the courses you are interested in and the universities," says Brian Miller, director of student recruitment at the University of Gloucestershire.

The whole process will take 15 to 30 minutes, and most tutors will tell you if you've been successful right away. If they do, ask for written confirmation, and don't agree to an offer unless you're happy with it, as you can only accept one. Otherwise, go back to stage one and call other universities until you have an offer you're pleased with.

After the call: stay focused

Once you have some new offers, go to see the universities. "You wouldn't buy a car without test-driving it first, so get visiting," says the admissions tutor at the University of Greenwich, Bev Woodhams. "Most unis will host open days on 21 or 22 August â€" try to attend one or more."

When you've made your decision, don't forget to confirm it. Click the Track button online to tell Ucas. It's a good idea to confirm your acceptance directly with the university, too.

If you haven't received any offers through clearing or you don't like the courses you have been offered, there are still lots of other options. Take a gap year, consider alternative higher education courses or jobs, or re-apply in January or later. Whatever you do, good luck.

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