As demand for university places still remains high, students who either didn’t get the grades they were hoping for, or who have done better than expected, have plenty of options open to them.
Within hours of phone lines opening at 7am, the University had received thousands of calls from prospective students. A team of more than 120 experts from Northumbria, a university with a global reputation for academic excellence which offers students the practical skills they need to get a great head start to their careers, are on hand to answer any queries and guide students through the clearing and adjustment process.
An independent survey conducted on behalf of Northumbria University recently revealed more than half (58%) of current A Level and BTEC students in the region weren’t fully aware of the options available to them since recent changes to the clearing process came into effect.
While the concept of applying for a place through clearing was understood by 42% of students in the North East, a surprising 58% of those surveyed hadn’t heard of the adjustment process – the option to ‘trade up their place’ – which has now been available for two years. A further 21% said they were aware of it but didn’t understand what it meant.
Northumbria University is keen to guide students through the options available to them and encourage them to stay calm during what can be can be a stressful day.
Helen Bower, Assistant Director for Undergraduate Recruitment at Northumbria University, said: “It’s been a really busy day so far at Northumbria and we’ve got more than 120 people manning the phones to help students picking up their results today.
“As competition for university places is more demanding than ever before and a fall in top grades, more people are choosing clearing than before. The clearing process has changed significantly in recent years and the option to ‘trade up’ now gives students the opportunity to reconsider their original choice if they have done better than expected in their exams.
“At Northumbria, we understand that a lot of students have deliberated long and hard about which university they feel is the right one for them. They have already “mentally moved” to their chosen university, regardless of the results they receive.
“At the same time, it’s understandable that students can feel confused or overwhelmed by the options available to them on what can be a very stressful day, and the way the clearing process is set-up gives young people more flexibility and potentially opens new doors.
“It’s important that students have all the options in front of them. The key today is not to panic; to think about what they want carefully and not to be afraid to ask questions. Going to university is a big decision and it’s important that whatever they decide, it’s the right option for them.”
Northumbria has a global reputation for academic excellence and places great emphasis on overall student experience, which is demonstrated in its top 20 ranking in the UK according to the 2016 Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey.
Helen added: “Students want to know the university they are choosing has the quality, career opportunities, study abroad and placement opportunities they are looking for in terms of their experience at university. But what is often just as important is the life experience of being at university; making friends, new social circles, new experiences, new opportunities to travel and that independence of moving away from home for students.
“We’re finding that more and more high achieving students are choosing Northumbria as their preferred option, and our reputation for academic excellence coupled with the all-round experience we can offer, really appeals to students making their decision. We welcome any students who want to talk to us to get in touch and one of our dedicated team of experts will be able to guide them through the options available to them based on their individual situation.”
Law student Dominika Cudak, from Newcastle, secured her place at Northumbria University using adjustment after exceeding expectations with her A Level results.
The 20-year-old said: “I originally wanted to do a philosophy course and do a law conversion but because my grades were so good I decided to do law straight away.
“I first found out about adjustment just before results day. When I got my results I rang a few universities asking if I could get in. Northumbria said they were really happy to have me with the grades I had and I secured a place really quickly that day.
“For students receiving results this year I would say relax whatever they are. If they are really good or not what you expected, it’s fine. Just get in touch with some universities and see what your options are.”
Northumbria University has a limited number of places available for high quality students through Clearing this summer. For more information, visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/clearing or call the Clearing Hotline on 0800 085 1085.