Clearing 2015

This is a scary and stressful time for all concerned students, their parents, teachers and advisers and university staff.  Like Christmas, it only happens once a year, requires huge amounts of preparation and build up and then seems to be over in a flash.  The difficulty with Clearing is that most students aren’t prepared for it as they don’t really expect to be in that position and schools, colleges and universities find it almost impossible to predict how things will pan out as circumstances change significantly every year.

Each year has its own unique set of issues and the context for 2015 is no different:

• Removal of Student Number Controls
• Unconditional offers
• UCAS Precision Marketing Service
• Economic climate – poor employment situation

The first three of these bullet point require further explanation. 

Removal of Student Number Controls

This year, for the first time, the Government is allowing universities to take as many students they want to.  There are no restrictions on the numbers of students they are allowed to recruit.  Not all courses will be able to take an endless supply of students though.  Some have restricted intake, for example NHS courses (like Nursing, Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Medicine) and teaching courses, and some will find their numbers restricted by the resources they have available, for example equipment or lab and classroom space.

Unconditional Offers

This year some universities have offering unconditional places to those applicants with very high predicted grades in order to sway the ‘best and the brightest’ to choose them. Others have been targeting particular schools and colleges, whilst some seem to have been dishing out unconditional offers to anyone who has been predicted to meet the minimum entry requirement.

In most cases, students will have had to name the university as their firm choice on UCAS application forms to qualify for an unconditional offer.  If one of your students has accepted an unconditional offer but wants to change their mind, our advice is to shop around in Clearing and if they get a verbal offer that they are happy with, then they will need to ask to be released from their original choice university.

UCAS Precision Data Marketing Service

Some students will have signed up for this trial service and if they end up in Clearing they will be matched to up to 5 universities on a daily basis, who may choose to ring them during the Clearing period to discuss offering them a place

Despite this unique set of circumstances, the basic advice for students at this time of year remains largely the same and can be found on the UCAS website.

The Schools and Colleges Liaison Team at Huddersfield have many years’ experience of co-ordinating and staffing the Clearing helpline – so we thought it might be useful to share some practical tips with you and the students you advise.

1. Don’t panic – what seems like the end of the world today will be a distant memory this time next year.
2.  Don’t make assumptions – if you don’t get the grades you needed, check on UCAS Track to find out if you are definitely in Clearing, you may have been accepted by your first or second choice university anyway.
3.  Make sure that you look at your options carefully to make sure that you make the right decision.
4. You will have spent over a year researching your university choices – try and use this knowledge when choosing where to apply in Clearing.
5. Make sure you have your exam results before you start ringing around universities or you will be wasting your time and theirs.
6. Don’t get your mum, brother, mate or teacher to ring up for you – we need to speak to you directly if at all possible as we will try to help you to make the right choice for you.
7. You don’t need to accept the first place you are offered – keep shopping around.
8. Try to visit any universities you are seriously considering – many will have Clearing Open Days.
9. Be patient and persistent, the phones will be busy – keep trying!
10. Don’t rule out resits if it will help you achieve your ultimate goal.

The University of Huddersfield’s Clearing Helpline number is 0300 555 4444 and further details can be found here.  Good luck to your students who are waiting for results this week!