Clearing: how to make sure you get an offer you can’t refuse

You probably spent months picking your ideal uni course at the start of sixth form – visiting open days, comparing league tables, talking to current students. Now you’ve been plunged into clearing and have to sift through thousands of courses in what feels like a matter of seconds. So how do you tackle it?

Clearing is part of the Ucas admissions process matching students with unfilled places at universities and colleges.

Think about six key factors:

• What you enjoy studying You’re going to be reading, writing and learning about the topic for three years – make sure it’s something you’re passionate about.
  

• What’s the ranking How does the uni and course compare with others? Are they well-regarded, and will they put you on the path to a great career?
  

• Location Do you want to be hours away from the place where you grew up, or do you want to keep studying from your childhood bedroom?
  

• The course What are the modules? How are students tested (coursework, all-encompassing exams etc)? What’s the student-tutor ratio? What are the graduate employment prospects?
  

• Special features Is there a structure that you’re particularly keen on? Now could be a good time to investigate two-year degree courses – where fewer holidays and more intense classes can help save money and time for very driven candidates. There’s a financial incentive too: although fees per term tend to be higher, accommodation and living costs will be lower overall. Or how about a course that includes a year working in industry, or studying abroad, to make your CV stand out?

• Joint honours If you’re stuck between two academic passions, can you find a clearing course that combines them? These joint honours degrees can be a foot in the door of departments that are otherwise full up.
  

Hannah Moir, admissions tutor at Kingston University, who secured her own uni place through clearing, says that accepting a place on a joint honours course can be a route to landing your dream, via a strategic switching of your course. “Some courses offer transfer options after a year, so check what can and cannot be done,” she says.

Be wary, though: not all joint honours courses are 50-50 splits, so make sure enough attention is devoted to your favourite topic.

Many students – who may be feeling a bit down – fail to ask enough questions. Remember: it’s as much about the university being right for you as you being right for it.

Grill admissions tutors about the topics you’ll be studying, the teaching style, the size of the classes, and the latest graduate employment statistics. Think of clearing as a two-way matchmaking process to securing your ideal uni course.

Horses for courses: how to talk your way into your ideal degree

The clearing hotline is a good chance to find out more about a course you could be spending three or more years on

Take a second to relax before you pick up the phone, and have your key details – Ucas clearing number, confirmed exam results, exam board, clearing course(s) you’re interested in, and personal statement – to hand.

Any offers will be sent through on email initially so make sure you can provide an email address that can be easily spelled out and is to the point.

Be polite, enthusiastic and prepared to sell yourself – talk about your qualifications, your academic interests, and any relevant work experience or extra-curricular activities. Don’t read out your personal statement – it won’t sound natural, however hard you try – but some of what you’ve written there can serve as a prompt to explain why you deserve a seat in their lecture theatre.

The clearing hotline is also a good chance to find out more about a course you could be spending three or more years on. Ask as many relevant questions as you can. How are students examined? How is your main academic interest covered? Is there a work placement or an opportunity to study abroad? What accommodation options are still available? Are there any open days for clearing applicants? If you’re offered a place, what is the deadline for acceptance?

If you don’t get an offer, you may want to ask if there are any other courses you could be considered for. And if you do get an offer, congratulations – but remember this decision will affect the rest of your life; and you don’t have to respond during the call. Unless you’re certain the course is an ideal fit, it’s worth contacting other universities, to see if better opportunities present themselves.