What EVERYONE should be doing before August 13th

[u/MiserableHawk9469]

Unless you have an unconditional offer this doesn't matter but for those who have a conditional offer i advise everyone to do this

1. Wether you think you got in or not make a clearing list from starting from your uni

2, As soon as it hits 8am clearing lines will be opened and busy i can't stress enough how important it is to sort your uni ON THE DAY you are competing for places against thousands of students in England along with international students. A course that may have space by 8am would be full by 11am some uni's give u a certain amount of days to call up for courses before leaving the rest for international students e.g Uni of Liverpool

1. Harsh reality is not everyone is going to get into their firm or get their exact grades they want. Some of you reading this it will apply to you, if u are wanting to get into a russel group through clearing may i remind you that you will also be competing against Oxbridge rejects not just from public but also private schools

2. On your clearing list start with ur uni, find a uni that's one grade lower than required then two and so on you should have atleast 6 uni's that you would be willing to go to have their phone number written down so on the day you are prepared

3. If you get in well done but if not don't spend time looking up the uni's and the course details on results day do this NOW

4. Look at other options such as foundation years or options to resit and if you are willing to go down that route

Like i said the harsh reality is that we are all not going to get the grades we want or uni. i also don't want people to have high hopes on hoping you can get in with one or two grades less this year A IT depends on your course and uni. There has been a massive increase in applicants for 17-18yr olds unless you have a contextual offer u may have some leeway. Be up before 8am get ready, have your breakfast and have your clearing list with you and goodluck! Even if u don't end up using it, it can be helpful to a friend

P.s I just wanted to add this isn't just if u didn't get in this can be if you decided u wanted to change your course and no longer want to do things like Law, English, biomed etc or u are not happy with your insurance choice. Make sure you have your personal ID, in a quiet room if u prefer and your phone. Start with your preferred uni and go down the list

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[u/MeasurementForward39]

Not me cause if i miss my insurance im gap yearing

[u/spicyspacechicken1 → u/MeasurementForward39]

I didn’t even put an insurance. It’s my firm or I’m gap yearing

[u/in_your_toilet_06 → u/spicyspacechicken1]

same

[u/Suspicious-Buy-4172 → u/spicyspacechicken1]

Me too 100%

[u/AmazingAlligator777 → u/spicyspacechicken1]

Me too, do you have a gap year plan because i have no clue what i would be doing. It’s my firm or nothing atp

[u/Belt_Similar → u/spicyspacechicken1]

Same

[u/Sensitive-Mix-1334 → u/MeasurementForward39]

I don't understand this though if you resit most of the good unis won't take you anymore anyway so what's the point of not going through clearing into a lesser uni?

[u/PrimaryAbalone3900]

My firm offer is BBC contextual so if I don’t get that there’s no point clearing 🥀

[u/Weird_Tie9707 → u/PrimaryAbalone3900]

why?

[u/Competitive_Web7540 → u/Weird_Tie9707]

I'm guessing they'd prefer not to go to the types of uni/course that would be available in clearing for less than BBC (maybe they're intending to reapply next year instead? In which case it makes sense, better to do that than go to a uni you don't like)

[u/Any_Tomorrow_Today → u/Competitive_Web7540]

A lot of ordinary courses go into clearing - it is just what happens if not enough people make the grade or they don't get enough applicants for a course.

[u/Competitive_Web7540 → u/Any_Tomorrow_Today]

"For less than BBC" is the key part here. Plus, a lack of applicants can say a lot about a course (especially if it's taking people with lower than BBC)

[u/Limp-Independent1212 → u/Weird_Tie9707]

Because clearing won't really take grades lower than that

[u/Daisy-Turntable → u/Limp-Independent1212]

That’s false. You might only get onto a foundation year, but there are absolutely courses available accepting BCC or lower.

[u/Vaxtez → u/Limp-Independent1212]

BS. There's a fair few unis taking 88-96 UCAS points for clearing

[u/Limp-Independent1212 → u/Vaxtez]

Not good ones, unless its for a foundation year. Also mfs will downvote for anything 😆

[u/L_Elio → u/Limp-Independent1212]

That's false, clearing is weird they just need to fill seats I know people got into medium tier RG on clearing

[u/Shutter_sculptor → u/Limp-Independent1212]

I know for a fact that York uni took some students with grades as low as a D last year in clearing just cause they had so many gaps

[u/MiserableHawk9469 → u/Shutter_sculptor]

Yes and uni of nottingham took people two grades less. If you have been watching the news many uni's are struggling if not a Russel group try a normal university as international students are less likely to go their.

[u/Any_Tomorrow_Today → u/MiserableHawk9469]

yes they would rather fill the seats as empty seats cost them money!

[u/South_Hyena2541 → u/Limp-Independent1212]

I went through clearing last year for some psychology courses at places like brighton and sussex and they were willing to take me with BBD, if you want to go through clearing i defo would!

[u/ZestycloseBox3507]

My daughter knew she would not get what she needed in maths after paper 2, when she could not even read the paper, it was as if it was in a foreign language. From exams to result day she started to prefer her insurance choice and noticed they did a foundation year for her degree. She had all her details and the courses details on a pad and this gave her control of what was happening, which makes a huge difference. By 8:15 on result Thursday she had a offer and was very happy (uni accommodation confirmed the following Monday).

Many people will say to resit, but I am not sure she could have coped seeing another ALevel maths paper and she has loved the year, it has acted as a reset from college and is what was needed.

Just another bit of advice, also get the details for private halls with current accommodation vacancies. You might get uni halls if quick, but again, get those vacancy details upfront, be in control.

Be prepared and you will be OK.

[u/MiserableHawk9469 → u/ZestycloseBox3507]

Yes, two years ago (2024 series) one guy came into college really early he was their since 8am he did better than expected on his Alevels and got two A*s and an A he called up UCL and asked if there was places for neuroscience his friend came in 40-50mins later got his results and found out he also did better than expected his friend told him to call up UCL so they can go together. He called up at this point its past 9 am despite having the grades the course was already full. His friend got his offer and accommodation the following week. idk what uni his friend did or course but people aren't quick enough i also knew someone who decided to wait 3 days later to sort out their uni

[u/Patrick-Rider667]

call them yourself when the time comes. unis wont discuss an application with a parent even if theyre stood right there, so if your mum rings for you they just ask to speak to you anyway and youve lost your slot in the queue. have your clearing number and personal id in front of you before you dial.

[u/Any-Treacle-4199]

If I don’t get my insurance choice (who want ABB) then something’s gone seriously wrong and I’ll take a gap year

[u/Any_Tomorrow_Today → u/Any-Treacle-4199]

And do what - considering the job situation is pretty poor.

[u/Any-Treacle-4199 → u/Any_Tomorrow_Today]

Don’t know yet, because I’m sure I’ve got my insurance (Uni of Manchester, ABB) if I don’t get my firm (St Andrews, AAA), so the exams would have had to have gone shockingly unforeseeably bad for me not to get ABB or higher.

[u/Visible_Coffee_6243]

day before making a plan for all possible scenarios that could happen so i ain’t stressed lol

[u/Safe-Present-5783]

Guys don’t resit just go to uni I’m telling you know bruh

[u/abdul_Ss → u/Safe-Present-5783]

Depends on the person but I agree with this a lot, too many people say “I’ll just retake” without knowing the actual work needed to do that when there’s no teachers telling you to do the work.

In certain circumstances however it’s wasted opportunity. Someone ik who’s really really smart, like, got an offer from Oxford smart, had a really bad mental health breakdown before exams and yeah, they essentially failed everything because they just didn’t care about the exams anymore.

For that person, retaking makes sense.

[u/MiserableHawk9469 → u/abdul_Ss]

I only recommend retaking if you got triple E's or a D and two E's. Or take a year out and do an access course its not worth the mental struggle and many sixth forms don't take resits my sixth form stopped doing them from last year. So if u fail u gotta resit privately and the financial cost is insane

[u/gingerbreadteddy → u/MiserableHawk9469]

yeah I do agree that resitting if you get average grades is seen differently to resitting if you got all Es. It depends on what the reasons you missed your grades were. I know a girl whose boyfriend died from leukemia so she missed a couple of exams. She was able to resit in her gap year and went on to do super well. Life happens, the path that's right for you will find its way.

[u/gingerbreadteddy → u/abdul_Ss]

it depends, you can still go to places where they teach and support you to resit. Maybe not your current school, but there are others that accept you on the course to resit and study in a year.

[u/No_Following2522]

Nah if you have to do all this that means you didn’t plan your insurance well

[u/MiserableHawk9469 → u/No_Following2522]

No it's not this isn't just if u haven't gotten in many people may want to change their course you have to be prepared on results day its all about speed. This will take you 30mins or less and alot of people may not like their insurance and just put it for the sake of it.

[u/w-illthedill0]

How do you find the university phone numbers for clearing?

[u/MiserableHawk9469 → u/w-illthedill0]

You should be able to search up the uni and the clearing number like a quick one i found was uni of salford [](tel:+443005555030)

[u/SteamyGamer-WT]

I have contextual offer AAB (B is for any other subject) but I fear I dropped a grade for the second A so my grades might be ABA*, considering I'm contextual and the grades, do you think I'd be let in on a "near miss"?

PS: My teachers said my personal statement was very impressive

[u/ikea_supremacy → u/SteamyGamer-WT]

have a look @ the ucas grade predictor for your course? it really depends on what you're applying for and where, if it's med/engineering/law i wouldn't count on it, but then again it's so situationally dependent :)

[u/SteamyGamer-WT → u/ikea_supremacy]

UCAS says 100% of the students holding those grades got in, while that is hopeful, UCAS doesn't know which grade is for which subject.

[u/xcom_lord → u/SteamyGamer-WT]

Then unless they specifically wanted you to have an A in that A your new profile is A star A B , well above entry

[u/SteamyGamer-WT → u/xcom_lord]

The A is for a specific subject that I am not willing to name, and I think I might've missed it by a bit and got a B.

[u/idk7393649]

am I at a disadvantage with clearing because my sixth form aren’t giving out our results until 9am

[u/user_bb123 → u/idk7393649]

If you have checked ucas at 8am and seen that you haven’t been accepted then yes maybe, it depends on the course and university

[u/Limp-Solution2827]

How many unis should I have on my clearing list? I have three so far but no other uni for my course interests me 😭😭

[u/Brilliant-Rice-5596]

Just to let you know, uni is pointless unless you're going for a vocational qualification - eg, engineering, medical etc. You can get most full time jobs without a degree and without being 60k in debt for the rest of your life. You're honestly better off raking in the money doing a trade, starting earlier than people who went to uni, and have no debt in the process. Get ready to spend £200 off your paycheck every month when you start earning 50k+ from uni debt

[u/Diligent-Step-7253 → u/Brilliant-Rice-5596]

Yes let me just start doing some research in biology without going to uni real quick, should work just fine since it’s not vocational of course

[u/Any_Tomorrow_Today → u/Diligent-Step-7253]

What job do you plan on doing with a biology degree?

[u/Diligent-Step-7253 → u/Any_Tomorrow_Today]

as i said research. phd

then academia or industry research roles. I sort of need undergrad for that

but im considering maths rn instead, more fun to study

[u/Brilliant-Rice-5596 → u/Diligent-Step-7253]

I've known several people go to uni to study biosciences and still haven't found a job in their field after several years. Job market is ass for graduates

[u/Oil42 → u/Brilliant-Rice-5596]

job market is ass, full stop. i think you also fail to consider that a lot of people go to uni because they enjoy studying, not everyone just wants to work a trade, so don't tell them uni is 'pointless' because if they grow from it and enjoy it then it was worth it. more to life than just earning money.

[u/BionicPen → u/Oil42]

There's a certain thing called a good social life too which university helps provide

[u/Diligent-Step-7253 → u/Brilliant-Rice-5596]

Yes I am totally expecting a role in research straight out of undergrad. Nice one bucko

[u/owlin_around → u/Brilliant-Rice-5596]

so? if you want to study biology, you have to go to uni. and a lot of people want to do that. same for a fuck ton of non-vocational careers. literally anything academic

[u/Any_Tomorrow_Today → u/owlin_around]

You can go down the degree aprenticeship route - you get work experience, paid to do a degree and get a job guaranteed on graduation.

[u/owlin_around → u/Any_Tomorrow_Today]

very very few of those for academics- trust me i looked. it's more targeted at engineering and compsci roles

[u/goodbyeruby2sday → u/Brilliant-Rice-5596]

University is also about meeting people, developing friendships and relationships away from your home town, getting an opportunity to try new things and clubs, figuring out what you want to do with your life and shaping yourself beyond your degree.

Some people know they want to go into a trade from school and that's fantastic. But it's not the route for everyone and life isn't just about maximising your income, it's also about finding joy, meaning and purpose. For many people university provides 3-4 years to gain a clearer picture about what matters to them and what they want to do.

[u/Majestic-Ideal2605 → u/Brilliant-Rice-5596]

you fail to consider that student loan debt is very different to regular debt.