Top tips to get the most out of Clearing

If you missed out on your uni offer, you might feel like crying, hiding in bed, or fleeing the country – but put those plans on hold for a few days. You still have a strong chance of securing a place on a course you love at a brilliant university if you follow these steps.

First up, find out if you really have missed your offer. Sometimes if you miss out by only a grade or there are spare places on the course, admissions tutors will still let you enrol. So phone to check.

If not, there's still another big opportunity to get into uni: Clearing. Think of it as speed-dating for unis: it unites students who missed their Ucas offers with institutions that have spare places available after A-level results have been issued.

It can also be used for those who didn't get any offers, or have changed their mind about their course choice. Last year, over 100,000 students entered Clearing, so you're definitely not alone.

Act quickly

But that does mean you need to act quickly to snap up a place. Visit Ucas's track website and Clearing listing sites to search for options.

It's best to use a landline – or make sure that you have a good signal on your mobile – as admissions tutors are usually sitting in noisy, busy Clearing call-centres and you want to make yourself heard.

Jot down your key details, like your Clearing entry number, Ucas personal ID, and exam results, and have your personal statement – plus a pen and paper for any notes – nearby.

Balance up the need for speed with the importance of appearing clued-up. "Show that you know what you are applying for and have looked at the course information published on the university's website," says Gwyn Chivers, admissions tutor at Anglia Ruskin. And don't outsource your Clearing day preparations. "No one else can call on your behalf. Your brother or sister may want to be helpful and supportive, but we must speak to you."

If you find a perfect course that you almost have the entry points for, think about any relevant work experience or other skills that might impress an admissions tutor. Consider branching out beyond the subject of your original application – medicine students, for example, might find related science courses that could enable a switch later on.

Hannah Moir went through Clearing in 2002 to secure her place studying science in health, exercise & sport at the uni now known as Cardiff Metropolitan. Now, 12 years later, Moir is admissions tutor in sport at Kingston University.

She says: "The Clearing process was very upsetting for me at the time, especially as my A-level results were delayed due to some error with the exam board." Moir had to wait for her results to come through before she could apply for Clearing. "And each day I watched the list of possible options became smaller," she says.

"If it had not been for the emotions and issues I had to deal with during Clearing, I would not necessarily be in the job I'm in now. The main thing I would advise students is to research their options and course choices before calling around – check that it is the right course for you and look at the other options the university may offer."

Don't forget to think about the actual uni and its campus as well as potential courses. Is it in a good location? Is accommodation guaranteed? Is there an open day for Clearing students?

Uni alternatives

If you don't find a place on a course that fits your demands, there's still no reason to crawl back under that duvet. Perhaps you could take a gap year, or take some resits and apply to uni again (many allow applications in January, so you don't have to wait a whole year). "You can check your options with the admissions tutors through the year," says Moir. "We can advise if you're likely to get an offer or what you can do to improve your chances next year."

(Source: TheGuardian)