It’s easy to feel like you have lost all chances of pursing your dreams when you’re rejected from all of your chosen universities on results day. There will be plenty of thoughts running through your mind, ‘I’m sure I aced that exam,’ ‘Surely they marked it wrong,’ ‘No university will accept these grades’. But you are wrong. I mean, sure, your vision of what was meant to happen will be a thousand times more different from the one you are given, but trust me, these things have a way of working themselves out.
The most important thing is that when you find yourself in a position where your last option is Clearing, do not lose hope. You must still believe in yourself and stay strong just for a couple more days. And then, after these days you can address what went wrong in your exams. For me, I was unaware that I was dyslexic and needed additional support and so, after applying to BU through Clearing, I managed to seek the correct support. I now access my potential and am achieving firsts in all my assignments.
You may read plenty of articles or hear about how traumatic the Clearing process was for other students but it isn’t always like this. Unfortunately, for some it is. Especially those who are competing for a place at a highly ranked university or for a place on a popular course. In times like these it is most important that you remain calm, do not panic or procrastinate about your future. You have one last day to grasp your future, it is still possible to fulfil your dreams. I did it after all.
When you call the university, you are transferred to the Clearing hotline. Since there are thousands of calls to each university that need answering, they might use current students as a call centre. So, don’t panic when calling as your potential professor is unlikely to be on the other end of the call. They are likely to ask for your name, desired course and your achieved grades. Once they have this information they will either offer you a place/reject you on the spot, offer you a place on an alternative course, tell you they will be in touch or will put you on hold while they seek advice. It is important to note that some universities are quite blunt but others, like BU, are really helpful and clear about the whole process. Also, feel free to apply to as many universities as you wish, the more open your options are the better!
Another thing to consider is what else you would like to study. For example, when I originally applied to university I applied to study history. Once I reached the end of my A-level studies I was more than certain that what I really wanted to study was economics. So, when I didn’t get into my chosen university, sure I was terrified, but it was the perfect opportunity for me to alter my career path. I am now proudly studying BA (Hons) Economics at Bournemouth University. In addition, when I was searching for courses in Clearing I was looking at accounting courses in Kent and access courses in Sussex (an extra year of studying to bring your standard of work up to degree level).
So you didn’t get the grades. It’s not the end.
By Katrina Eastwood
