How to ace clearing with these ten tips

With results day just around the corner, you might be anxiously waiting to find out if you've achieved the grades you need to secure your place at your favourite university studying your dream course. You might also be wondering what happens if you open your results and they're not quite what you were expecting. But fear not, with our guidance, you’ll be sure to have a smooth and positive experience. 

Here are our top tips on how to ace Clearing: 

1. Keep breathing and try not to panic (note: this is crucial)

2. Let yourself react. It's fine to cry, or laugh, or scream, jump up and down

3. Call the university that you wanted to go to. Real people work at universities who are understanding, flexible and might still consider your application. They will be able to walk you through your options 

4. Research some of the other universities you thought about at the time of your application and even have a look at some new ones! It's important not to make any rash decisions at this stage and panic pick a university without having thoroughly considered where you could be spending the next three or four years of your life 

5. Think about the course, the campus, the city where you might like to be – lots of things go into your university experience. Think about what you liked about your top choice universities and keep this in mind when looking for a place through Clearing

6. Remember, you are not alone. There's a reason why a whole room full of friendly people are there to answer the university phones – students are calling!

7. Sometimes it helps to be a little flexible. Maybe you didn't quite make the place on the Law course, but perhaps your university can offer you a place on the Criminology with Law course. Maybe you didn't even know you could do Criminology with Law, but hey, Clearing could open up a whole new opportunity for you to really pick a course that is right for you

8. Once you've narrowed down some universities you might like to study at, it's time to call them up! You can find out what you'll need to have ready before you call on our Clearing page. Remember, there is no such thing as a silly question 

9. Try to make notes when you're on the phone and write down any important information about the university or course so you don't get places muddled up later. Having this information on hand will help you to make a clear decision when you are ready to secure your place

10. Go along to a Clearing Advice Day if you can, to learn more about the course, the university and the vibe of the town. It can be stressful looking for a university during Clearing, but it can also be a great opportunity to consider new courses or places

Whatever your path, you'll hopefully be off to university soon!

Before long it will be time to make sure your accommodation, finances and pictures of your dog to bring with you are all sorted out before you start. Get ready for the best time of your life as a university student! 

Once you have your results you can get in touch with someone on our friendly Clearing hotline on (+44) 0 1962 827234 until 18 October. On Thursday 18 August our hotline will be open from 8am - 10pm, Friday 19 August - 8am-6pm and Saturday 20 August and Sunday 21 August - 10am-4pm. You can also get in touch via the Live Chat on our website.  

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