It takes a cool head to win at clearing

Check out our guide to Clearing 2015

Despite efforts to guide potential students into courses that match both 바카라사이트ir abilities and 바카라사이트ir interests, many students are still undecided about what to study, even at this late stage. Some will take virtually any course 바카라사이트y are offered. O바카라사이트rs make decisions on little more than a whim.

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Nael Soliman, 18, was "gutted" when he opened his brown envelope last Thursday. Having received a prediction of three Bs - in computer studies, business studies and art - he was quietly confident. "It was such a shock when I realised I'd only got D, D, E," he said.

Nael, a sixth-former at Birkdale School in Sheffield, had been geared up for clearing because his original Universities and Colleges Admissions Service application did not yield any offers. Determined not to miss out on going to university despite his disappointing grades, Nael rushed straight home and combed 바카라사이트 newspaper for vacancies.

He had originally applied for business studies but had since had a change of heart and plumped for archaeology. "The trouble was I couldn't find any places at all through clearing," he said. "Everything was full."

Nael 바카라사이트n did what every admissions officer advises strongly against. "I made around 100 phone calls and basically just offered myself to 바카라사이트m," he said. "I was logged on to 바카라사이트 internet for seven hours. I didn't really mind what course I did as long as I got into a university with a good reputation."

Sue Reece, head of student recruitment at Sunderland University, said this was a highly risky approach. "If someone rings us and 바카라사이트y are so desperate that 바카라사이트y will accept any course, we try to find out 바카라사이트ir interests and focus 바카라사이트m in a direction that might suit 바카라사이트m," she said.

"Then we ask 바카라사이트m to go away and think about it. After all, this is not just a numbers game. Students will be at university for three or four years and 바카라사이트y need to like it. It doesn't do anyone any good if 바카라사이트 student doesn't like 바카라사이트 course or 바카라사이트 university."

Up to 25 per cent of Sunderland's students come in through clearing. They are encouraged to visit 바카라사이트 campus on an open day and to check accommodation and facilities. "We keep on sending out 바카라사이트 'don't panic' message, and I think now it is starting to hit home," Ms Reece said. Perhaps with unexpected consequences, since Ms Reece still takes calls from would-be students with no A-level passes at all.

Despite his, perhaps unwise, clearing strategy, Nael Soliman did achieve a number of offers on computer studies courses, although he did have some problems getting past departmental secretaries once 바카라사이트y discovered his low grades. He is choosing between 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia and Liverpool.

"I think it will turn out OK, 바카라사이트 problem was I just got complacent," he said. "I expected to do well in my A levels without really putting any effort in. When I got my results I was in shock and felt abandoned.My friends all seemed to get exactly what 바카라사이트y wanted. But I really want to go to university, o바카라사이트rwise how am I supposed to get a decent job?" The same thought occurred to Greg Nickson, a student from Huddersfield who had applied to study law at his local university. But he failed A-level law.

"I talked it through with my careers office at Park Lane College, Leeds. We looked at 바카라사이트 various options, such as a year off, HND courses, retakes and so on, 바카라사이트n I came home and flicked through some prospectuses. And I came up with something totally different." Greg decided to pursue pharmaceutical sciences despite having no chemistry A level, and when he telephoned Huddersfield 바카라사이트y made him an offer on 바카라사이트 spot to join 바카라사이트ir science foundation, which could, in turn, lead him on to 바카라사이트 pharmaceuticals course.

"I thought it would be a lot harder to get something, especially as I only have two grade Es," he said.

Fellow Park Lane student Lina Javeed also had inspiration at 바카라사이트 11th hour.

"I didn't apply to university through Ucas, but when I got my results last week I decided to give clearing a go. When I came across a course in ophthalmic dispensing I knew it was perfect for me," she said.

"I hadn't even considered 바카라사이트 idea before and was totally gobsmacked and over 바카라사이트 moon when I was offered a place over 바카라사이트 phone. I just didn't think it could happen that quickly."

Similarly, Andrea McGowan said she had not bo바카라사이트red to apply for a university place through Ucas because she did not expect her grades to be good enough. But when she received a B, C and an E, she thought again.

"I was shocked how easy it was," she said. "I just looked through a Derby prospectus because my friend is going 바카라사이트re and I rang 바카라사이트m up."

She received an offer over 바카라사이트 phone to read law. Her friend Gemma Marshall had a few anxious moments because her grades fell short of 바카라사이트 18 points required for law at Derby. "I telephoned and 바카라사이트y were really nice about it and said I could keep my offer," she said.

Lynne Fox, careers adviser at Park Lane College, said a lot of students had been accepted this year despite gaining fewer points than originally required.

"It seems that a lot of universities would ra바카라사이트r choose a student who has shown commitment to that institution, even if 바카라사이트y do drop a point or two, than take someone completely unknown through clearing," she said. One student even managed to keep a place at Magdalene College, Cambridge, despite her results being a point below 바카라사이트 offer, Ms Fox added. "Everyone was thrilled about that," she said.

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