Current student Youngui Kemoko who is studying the LLB at our Birmingham campus joined us after applying through Clearing. We caught up with her to get her thoughts on the Clearing process and her advice for students looking to apply for a university placement through Clearing this year.
By Cara Fielder. Published 15 July 2020. Last updated 9 March 2021.
I went through clearing because I did not get into my university of choice. More importantly, my insurance offer was located in London, so I sought out other options. Clearing was the best option for me.
My main concern about Clearing was not getting accepted at all. This is because, I was, and still am, the type of person who really takes pride in their work. For me, when I didn't get accepted into my first choice, I was afraid that it was going to have a domino effect. Thankfully, I do not allow negative thoughts to stay in my head rent free, and I managed to overcome this.
Clearing is the time after A-level results day when you call up admissions for the university you are interested in if your first choice doesn’t work out. You make a request to find out if there are any places available on your chosen course. Once this is done, you usually get put through for a phone interview with a dean or tutor who will then decide whether or not you are the best fit, not only the course, but for their university as well.
The Clearing process worked out way better than I imagined, simply because it was something that I did not want to experience at all. Calling admissions felt like I was just applying for university, just over the phone.
I chose to study at The University of Law because I was familiar with it after speaking to a member of the University at the UCAS convention. Also, when I would go to the Birmingham City Centre with my family, I would drive past the university. Additionally, I thought it would be beneficial for me to attend a university that specialises in Law.
For some odd reason, the term Clearing has become synonymous with ‘frenzy’. I truly believe that some YouTube videos depict the complete opposite of what the Clearing process is actually like. You are not really going to be sitting with everyone in your family, each with a phone in their hand, calling multiple universities at once because you want to secure your place. While it is believable, it is not realistic.
One thing I did with a friend, who was already in her second year of university, was sit down and really think through my options. Was I going to accept the insurance offer and spend the next four years drowning in London expenses or was I going to call up another university of my choice and hope that I get accepted? If so, what universities was I going to contact and why?
It's so easy to create chaos in your head when you have not manged to get into your desired university, which is understandable. You have worked really hard for what felt like the longest two years of your life. However, being with someone who can just put you at ease will make the Clearing process that much easier.
Finally, Clearing is done over the phone, so when you have the chance to speak to a course director or even the dean, it would be beneficial to have an interesting topic of conversation surrounding the course you are applying for. This way, not only are they getting to know you but you are also showing your interest in the course.
Discover more about Clearing at The University of Law.
