Clearing
A realistic Guide to life at UCLan - written by students!
OK so you either haven’t got the grade you needed, you haven’t applied or you have changed your mind. You are thinking AAAGGGGHHHHHH!
Chillax…You don’t necessarily need to panic! The first thing to do is ring your first choice and insurance choice and check they definitely can’t offer you a place. Once you know the situation there you can start to look at clearing.
Clearing is where the universities try to fill their available places. So the chances are you may still get a place but remember it might not necessarily be the exact course you wanted. In some cases it might be suggested that you do a slightly different course similar to your original choice.
Now before you start on your mission there are one or two myths around clearing as that need clearing up!
1) anyone can get a place at clearing no matter what the grades
2) you just ring up and get a place.
These are not necessarily true. Entry requirements may be lowered for clearing but the academic who are filling the places still need to make sure they feel the people they accept on the course will be capable of undertaking the course. Don't forget in the current ecnomic climate there is a lot of competition for places.
In some cases you could be offered a place over the phone after a chat with an academic but many courses here at UCLan still hold interviews with potential students during clearing.
Don’t panic and don’t rush, there is no point signing up to the first course that accepts you if it’s not the right course for you. Take your time and think about your options! Lots of universities have open days over clearing weekend so go along take a look and the chances are you could find a course that is right for you and be interviewed that day!