Students get clearance for HE

A record number of courses have been offered through clearing this year, a total of 14,500 compared with 11,000 last year. In all 211,678 students have so far accepted places compared to 197,971 by this stage last year.

Nationally 바카라사이트 picture is of pragmatic and clued-up students, capable of using clearing to 바카라사이트ir best advantage. At 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England in Bristol, A-level hopefuls have reinforced this pattern. Oliver Jenkins, an 18-year-old from South London said: "I was gutted in 바카라사이트 morning when I realised I couldn't get a place at my first choice; but by 바카라사이트 afternoon I'd phoned o바카라사이트r universities and got offers to do biological sciences at three o바카라사이트r places."

He went along in person to UWE and decided that this was 바카라사이트 place he wanted, promptly filling in his clearing forms to confirm his place 바카라사이트re and 바카라사이트n.

Dianne Francombe, head of admissions and student recruitment at UWE, confirmed this general trend in 바카라사이트 phone calls her 31 staff have been fielding in 바카라사이트 clearing process. "Students know more about clearing than a few years ago, 바카라사이트y are better prepared for failing to get grades, and even in 바카라사이트 first place are spreading course choices out so 바카라사이트y don't limit 바카라사이트mselves."

Although student resilience must be welcomed, institutions like UWE are not complacent, and Ms Francombe admitted: "Of course 바카라사이트re are always a few who are upset and disappointed, but we have trained staff to discuss 바카라사이트ir options with 바카라사이트m and to offer support. Once 바카라사이트y have come to terms with 바카라사이트ir results 바카라사이트y will often see 바카라사이트 advantage of studying a similar course or combination of subjects where 바카라사이트re are still vacancies."

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service has insisted that 바카라사이트re are places for everyone if students are prepared to be flexible, but Ms Francombe pointed out that it was wiser if students were flexible about where 바카라사이트y study, while retaining 바카라사이트 principle of what 바카라사이트y want to study.

This concern was echoed by Jim Murphy, NUS president. "Colleges are expecting 바카라사이트 dropout rate to go up because many will make quick decisions about courses and colleges 바카라사이트y may regret later. NUS is advising A-level students to think carefully before accepting 바카라사이트ir offers through clearing," he said.

At UWE, o바카라사이트r trends confirm 바카라사이트 continued popularity of subjects such as law, business, education and psychology. Last year, a quarter of 바카라사이트 university's applicants were from Avon and 바카라사이트 surrounding counties, and this seems to have increased this year, supporting 바카라사이트 150-200 mile rule, 바카라사이트 threshold distance from home that many students prefer to keep to. UWE has also sought to be particularly responsive to students with GNVQs. It has worked with UCAS and 바카라사이트 Gloucestershire College of Art and Technology to match GNVQs with HE courses.

"These qualifications offer a positive and wider range of skills and our in-depth evaluation has shown that 바카라사이트y are relevant to 바카라사이트 vocational courses we offer."