20+ Higher Education Parenting Teenagers

4 Key Steps You Must Take If Thinking About Clearing

The new academic year is fast approaching, but it’s not too late to start your degree. Plenty of universities up and down the country will accept late submissions via clearing. So, if you’ve had a change of heart, you still have time to act.

Before you do, though, it’s imperative that the best results are found. After all, the decision made here could directly dictate the next three years of life. The indirect influence could last for the rest of your working life. Take the following four steps and you won’t go far wrong.

1. Confirm It’s Right For You

The fact you are applying for clearing means it’s likely that you’ve had some doubts about uni altogether. The current economic situation following the pandemic may encourage you to focus on study rather than work. That’s fine. But you don’t want to sign away three years of your life unless it is the right choice. If you’re not 100% sure, you can always go to uni as a mature student later on. Conversely, if this academic year is right for you, conducting this research in advance will have reassured you. In turn, it can give you the incentive to be a better student.

2. Find The Right Course & Institute 

Knowing that university is right for you is one thing, but you must also find the right place and course to study. Some people prefer to study from home, especially if they have other commitments. However, most will move away. The list of available courses will be smaller at this time but you may find that it’s easier to gain entry onto those that are still around. Checking out the UCAS site is highly advised at this stage. It may be necessary to study at a university outside of your first choice but that shouldn’t stop you from gaining great results.

3. Organise Personal Matters

Once you’ve found the right course and gained acceptance, you need to sort out personal matters. Leaving it until you arrive at uni will make it very difficult to succeed in the early term. Falling behind at this time could have consequences for your entire degree. As such, it’s important to get your student accommodation under control ASAP. Likewise, you need to consider whether a job is needed while also finding the right supplies and reading material for your degree. Sadly, if your life is a bit haphazard, you will struggle to get the most out of your studies. Limiting your success in this way could spell trouble.

4. Sell Yourself

In truth, the concept of selling yourself will be necessary during the application process. After all, you have to prove to universities that this isn’t a rash decision and that you won’t drop out after a few weeks. Dressing to impress is important, even if you have a video consultation. Having a copy of your personal statement to hand can be beneficial too while a few notes to ensure you don’t miss anything vital is advised. Working on your confidence over the coming weeks will also enable you to adjust to the social side of uni far quicker. After the past 18 months, most students should take note.

I actually decided on the day of A-Level results to apply for uni. Sixth form wasn’t the right environment for me and didn’t really enjoy my time there; I rebelled a bit. So, receiving less than pleasing grades, I rang and was offered places at two universities… and went to look around one. Needless to say, it was the best decision for me at the time. No regrets. Clearing worked for me.

You Might Also Like