14 August 2013
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What to do if your results are not what you expect |
If you are one of the thousands of students nervously waiting to receive your A-level results tomorrow, we wish you the best of luck.
If your results aren't what you expected - or you haven't applied for uni but decide that you want to attend in September after all - then it's important to remember there are still options available.
Bournemouth University will have a team of expert advisers on hand to talk you through what to do next.
Clearing
Clearing is the point in the admissions cycle where students can apply for a course which still has vacancies for September 2013.
To find out which courses still have places available at Bournemouth University, you can visit our Clearing web pages, download our toolkit or speak to an adviser on our Clearing helpdesk - 01202 966777 - which is open from 8am until 8pm on results day, 8am until 6pm on Friday 16 August and from 10am to 4pm over the weekend.
"Don't panic and make a hasty decision," advises Karen Pichlmann, Head of Admissions at BU.
"You will be studying for your degree for at least the next three years, so make sure the university and course are right for you."
This includes asking questions about important things like course content, placement opportunities and how degrees are assessed.
When you call the university, you will be asked questions about why you want to do that the course, so make a few notes before you ring.
Karen adds: "It's a really big decision, so make sure you do your research before calling a Clearing hotline.
"Check UCAS, university websites and newspaper supplements to see what courses are available, and then look into them in more detail - universities and courses you may have initially disregarded because their entry requirements were too high may be more flexible at this time of the year."
It's also important that you call for yourself, and don't get parents or teachers to do it for you, as universities can only make offers to prospective students themselves. Have your UCAS number, GCSE results and A Level/BTEC results to hand when you call as you will be asked for this information.
BU Events and Leisure Marketing student Emma Craig found her course through Clearing after missing out on her firm and conditional choices by 20 UCAS points.
Emma, who is about to enter her final year, said: "Anyone who finds themselves in Clearing should go into it with an open mind.
"Initially, I thought I wanted to do sports management, but when the person on the phone told me about this course, it was perfect. Now I want to work in events and my dream job would be running festivals in Australia.
"Clearing was a second chance really - I mucked up in my exams at college, but now I'm on course for a 2.1 in a degree I love, and getting better grades than people who did well in their A Levels."
Adjustment
If you exceed the conditions of your first choice university offer, you can choose to reconsider what and where you want to study through a UCAS process called Adjustment.
Your original uni place will be held for you (for a limited period) while you find out about other options.
If you are eligible for Adjustment, you can find out more about options available at BU by visiting the Adjustment pages on our website, downloading our Adjustment toolkit or by calling the helpdesk on 01202 966777.
BU also has an unlimited number of Academic Excellence Scholarships available for students who have achieved ABB or above at A-Level, or equivalent - worth up to £2,000.
Open Days
A lot of universities hold post-Clearing open days, so see if you can visit them and get a feel for the place.
We have Open Days on Friday 16 August and Saturday 17 August, running between 11am and 3pm, where you can tour the campus, find out more about life at BU and see some of our accommodation.
There are also Campus Tours running on Wednesday 21 August, and you are welcome to visit and do a self-guided tour during working hours any day - just pick up a guide from reception or download one from our website.
Find out more and register for upcoming Open Days
If you have any questions about your place at BU or the Clearing process, please call the helpdesk on 01202 966777
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