Student Blog Squad

My Experience of going through Clearing

Hi, I’m Ryan and I have just completed my second year in English Literature at Leeds Beckett University! I am going to be talking about my experiences of going through Clearing, and how I found myself to be studying at Leeds Beckett.

Students working in a seminar

Results day

Before I entered Clearing I had not even applied to Leeds Beckett. My Firm choice was the University of Liverpool and my Insurance was York St. John University. I needed ABB in my A-Levels to be able to qualify for the Liverpool course and on results day I found out I had gotten BBC. I woke up to find I’d been accepted into York St. John, but I had previously decided that I did not want to go there. Feeling unconfident I went into my Sixth Form to speak to my head of year and he explained that the best option would be for me to ring UCAS and put myself into Clearing. I had no real idea what the process would be, but after it was explained, I decided it was the best option for me. After putting myself into Clearing I began researching other universities that offered the course I wanted to do, and that is when I found Leeds Beckett University and Bangor University. I rang both universities and I was invited to a Clearing Open Day immediately and I decided to book onto them. I went to both open days on my own and I was feeling very apprehensive about the whole situation. I later realised I did not need to feel like this.

Leeds Beckett Open Day

I went to the Leeds Beckett Open Day first and when I arrived I was taken on my own tour of the University and the girl who gave the tour explained that she had also come through Clearing the year earlier and I felt much more assured. I then sat down with one of the course tutors and she explained everything I needed to know about the course; I realised that here the course offered far more varied modules. I felt much more confident about my situation by the end of day than I did when I arrived, and I also felt like the University offered me a much more individual experience than that of the course at the University of Liverpool. I decided that after the Open Day had ended that I wanted to explore Leeds itself, so I took some time to walk around the city as I had never been there before. It was an exciting place to discover and I quickly realised what the city had to offer.

After the Leeds Beckett Open Day, I went to Bangor as I did not want to put all my eggs in one basket, and I would recommend looking at least 2 different places before you make any decisions. I decided quickly that it was not the place for me. The course did not seem as engaging as what Leeds Beckett offered, and I wanted to live a more city orientated lifestyle rather than in a small town. It is good to get an idea of a few places before you decide which university you want to go to as it is a huge decision to make.

Beckett was the best option for me

I received an offer from both universities and took a day to take in everything I had learnt from my experience. I decided that Leeds Beckett was the best option for me, and I have never looked back. I have more than enjoyed my time at Leeds Beckett and I could not be happier with the course and the friends I have made since coming here. Not getting into the University you want to go to can really knock your confidence, especially if you have worked hard over the 2 years you might spend at Sixth Form or College. I felt like the whole experience boosted my confidence by the time I moved into my accommodation and started my course, because a lot of independent thinking and decision making is required to find the best place for you.

It is easy for me to sit and write this having gone through the whole experience and have it work out in my favour, but I do remember how scared and worried I was when I first started the process. My biggest piece of advice is to remain confident. You are in complete control of the situation and the final decision is up to you. Some people like to take more caution when it comes to decision making while others are quicker to decide. Do not worry about where you may be in your Clearing journey, take the time that you need to make the right decision for you.

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