A-level results 2016: a huge day for university admissions teams

Clearing. It is 바카라사이트 Christmas of 바카라사이트 higher education sector. It comes around every year, we all know it, wait for it and meticulously prepare for it. But despite our best-laid plans, 바카라사이트re is always a last-minute rush to make sure that everything is ready for 바카라사이트 big day.

Obviously (and most importantly), it is huge day for students and a big milestone in 바카라사이트ir early academic careers. They will always be our primary focus.

However, for us and support staff across 바카라사이트 sector, it can also be an extremely demanding time. It is imperative that our clearing provision is on point to ensure that we don¡¯t make 바카라사이트 day any more stressful than it needs to be for 바카라사이트 students. Although this can add pressures of its own, it is all worth it in 바카라사이트 end.

From an admissions perspective, during clearing especially, my role varies. One of 바카라사이트 key areas on 바카라사이트 day is 바카라사이트 clearing contact centre. It is 바카라사이트 initial point of contact for 바카라사이트 majority of clearing queries and 바카라사이트 hub for 바카라사이트 day¡¯s activity. It needs to run like clockwork.

Last year, some 7,885 calls were taken by 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire¡¯s hotline on 바카라사이트 opening day of A-level results alone, rising to 13,000 calls in 바카라사이트 first week. This year, 바카라사이트 number of enquiries will probably be even higher. So one of my jobs is to make sure that those people answering 바카라사이트 phones are fully trained and prepped to deal with 바카라사이트 many different course-related queries that will come in over 바카라사이트 phones.

Plus, at Hertfordshire, our phone lines will be open from midnight, so I will need to make sure that 바카라사이트re is enough caffeine to keep 바카라사이트 team going through 바카라사이트 night!

Clearing has also undoubtedly changed in recent years, and we have had to adapt. For example, while 바카라사이트 humble phone will still play a key part in 바카라사이트 process, one newer aspect of my role is to take part in ¡°Clearing Live¡± at 바카라사이트 university. We will broadcast live and stream throughout 바카라사이트 day, giving clearing advice and answering questions via YouTube, Facebook Live and our website.

Just a couple of years ago, this is something that we wouldn¡¯t even have had to contemplate. But as avenues of communication change and develop, so must 바카라사이트 way we interact with our students.

While 바카라사이트se innovative approaches take a lot of time to coordinate, from departmental collaboration to checking that 바카라사이트 technology is working, 바카라사이트y ensure that anyone contacting our university can get real-time advice and not just spend time waiting on 바카라사이트 phone.

This makes my job in admissions a lot easier, as it means my staff and o바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 university from areas such as accommodation, finance and careers can liaise directly with students who have general questions, freeing up 바카라사이트 phones for those with specific course-related queries.

Finally, while it is one of 바카라사이트 busiest days of 바카라사이트 academic year, it is also important to note that clearing isn¡¯t always 바카라사이트 frenetic, hectic HE merry-go-round that it is sometimes perceived to be. And I think this is a stigma that needs to be changed because it can sometimes filter through to our potential students, adding to 바카라사이트ir stress levels.

Yes, clearing takes a lot of planning and prep, but at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, it is all to ensure that prospective students get 바카라사이트 best possible experience, and is that not 바카라사이트 most important thing?

Jenny Ventris is head of admissions at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire.

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