Current student Ella White joined ULaw through Clearing after deciding to change her course. Now she’s studying the Accelerated LLB Law at our Nottingham campus. We caught up with her to discuss her Clearing experience and get her top tips for future ULaw students.
By Cara Fielder. Published 2 July 2021. Last updated 24 March 2023.
I used Clearing as I had originally applied for the three year LLB course at The University of Law in Manchester, as I didn’t think I would be accepted onto the accelerated course. I was instantly accepted onto the 3 year LLB but thought I would call the Clearing team to see what my chances were of being accepted onto the accelerated course. To my delight, I was accepted.
I didn’t know much about the ULaw Clearing process, but I Googled ‘ULaw Clearing’ and followed the website, which was very simple and easy to follow.
I didn’t have too many concerns entering the Clearing process as I understood that many people go through it. I was confident that ULaw would know what to do. The lady I spoke to was very clear and broke things down very well, which eased my worries of not being accepted.
I found the ULaw Clearing process very quick and simple. I called the Clearing line and spoke to a lady who was very clear in what information she required from me. She took all my details and told me she would call me back with the outcome. I didn’t expect to hear back for a long time; however, she returned my call within an hour with the good news and told me all amendments would be changed and sent to me. All I had to do was accept my place through the Clearing application, which she explained very clearly.
To prepare for Clearing, I made sure I had my A-level and GCSE grades in front of me and my UCAS application to hand, with a copy of my personal statement. I also made sure I knew what course I was applying for through Clearing, such as the name and code, to make sure I was definitely applying for the right course.
I chose ULaw as I want to work within the legal world in the future, and I thought where better to study than a university centred around that. I knew that ULaw would have great opportunities and offer the best employability advice as it focuses on this topic and employs people with experience in the legal sector.
I originally decided on the course based on the campus location. However, I chose to go through Clearing to apply for a different course based on the duration. The opportunity to complete the degree in two years was the biggest positive factor in choosing to go to ULaw.
The Clearing process definitely worked out better than I expected as I did not think I would be accepted onto the course at all, let alone have the process be so quick and easy.
Don’t be scared or ashamed of going through Clearing as you will end up where you’re supposed to be. When you get you university, there is no difference between Clearing and non-Clearing students, as no one knows how you got there; you’re all equal. I have not been treated any differently as no one knows I came through Clearing unless I have told them myself. If you aren’t successful in Clearing, then that is ok, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know. Also, be prepared with the details of your grades as they will ask for GCSE grades, A-level grades and other information. If you have that to hand, then the process is a lot quicker.
My advice to parents of a student going through Clearing is to support them if that is what they choose to do. It is very stressful, so help them get organised with the information needed. Don’t ask them too many questions, as they may not know the answers and that can cause extras stress. Keep calm as it can take a while for universities to make their decision and contact the student, and that time can be very unnerving.
Before joining ULaw, it was my ambition to become a family law solicitor. However, with the guidance of my tutors, I think I may pursue the bar to become a barrister. I am yet to decide completely, but my tutors have been incredibly helpful in aiding my decision by providing me with useful contacts and informative sites.
Want to know more about Clearing? Check out our dedicated Clearing webpage.
