The morning after I had sat my last A-level exam I felt such a sense of relief that all of the hours I put into studying had finally paid off and I could now relax and enjoy my summer. What I didn’t know however is that only a few weeks later I’d be staring at my grades which were not what I needed and facing a path which I was very underprepared for: Clearing. Having a holiday booked for early the next day also increased my fear of not getting a university place in time.
If you find yourself in the same position as me, I want you to relax and understand that everything works out how it should. Here’s what I wish I knew before Clearing.
Allow yourself to feel upset
Firstly, allowing yourself to be upset is completely okay as the emotions that you feel when you open your results and realise that you did not make your top choice is something that you can never truly prepare for. I had revised and prepared for my exams and this still wasn’t enough and many students find themselves in this position each year.
However, it is important to remember that Clearing moves fast and so should you.
The Clearing team:
The most important and valuable information to know is how helpful the Clearing team really are, they truly want to help individuals make the right choice for themselves.
It was not just a case of being transferred and left on hold when I called them up, the member of the admissions team took the time to answer every question I had, even throughout the day when I would remember something else and email to ask, these would all be met with quick and supportive answers. This personalised support quite honestly surprised me and helped to make a very stressful and overwhelming day more relaxing.
Universities want to fill their places with students who are enthusiastic and right for the course. If that’s you, they will work with you.
Declining your insurance choice:
But here is what I know now and what is important for you to remember: if the university has made you a verbal offer in clearing then they mean it.
The scariest part of the whole process (for me) which i want to prepare you for was declining my insurance choice whilst waiting for the university you are applying for through clearing to accept and offer you a place.
This on paper sounds very straightforward but in practice it feels like a huge risk.
Because you may have been relying on that insurance offer as a safety net all summer, letting it go before your clearing place is fully confirmed goes against every instinct you have. It may feel like stepping off a ledge.
But here is what I know now and what is important for you to remember: if the university has made you a verbal offer in clearing then they mean it. Make sure to get the details in writing and note the name of the person that you spoke to in order to give you some extra security and piece of mind and then trust the process. Unfortunately you can not hold both offers and at some point have to jump into the deep end and commit to one. I was especially worried about only having that day to get accepted before flying out early, however the process was quick and stress-free.
What I wish I could go back and tell myself on results day:
This redirection may just be the best thing that ever happens to you.
- Call early: you will leave yourself with more options if you call as soon as you can because clearing lines can get exceptionally busy on results day.
- Have your grades, UCAS ID number and personal statement ready: this can speed up the process to get your answer of whether you will get accepted and allow you the time to call other universities if you do not get in.
- You are allowed to ask anything: feel free to ask anything in order to get a feel whether this university is the right one for you. This includes the course, the campus, support services etc.
- Rejecting your insurance offer is scary, but it is also a part of the process: if you have received a verbal offer, rejecting your insurance choice is the last hurdle.
- This is not the end of your story as though it may feel: this redirection may just be the best thing that ever happens to you.
The holiday I took after my results day felt very different in comparison to what I expected — doing last minute booking of accommodation minutes before I entered the airport gates was an unnerving process. But I came out the other side with a university place, a course I love, and a story worth telling.
Clearing worked for me. It can work for you too.
Find out more about Clearing at York.
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