Considering university but too late for Clearing 2020? Here Arden University’s Student Support Manager shares some useful advice on getting your university journey on track.
Clearing 2020 is now almost closed - the final date for submitting applications is 20th October.
Many students have finalised a university place this year, more than ever before, but what can you do if you haven’t secured a place yet?
Sian Duffin, Arden University’s Student Support Manager, shares her advice for would be students….
Start at a different time: not getting a place this Autumn doesn’t mean that you have to wait until Autumn 2021 to start, many universities offer mid-year intakes and you’ll often find courses starting in the Spring. Have a look at your options, particularly if you are now thinking you want to learn closer to home. Alternatively, if you do want to go next year, start working on your UCAS form or other applications, it is open now!
Look at alternatives: Many local colleges offer Higher Education provision at HNC or HND level that you can then use to apply to University to “top-up” into a full degree at a later date. These can be cost effective as well as it can be cheaper to study that way. If there isn’t a suitable course locally, consider online learning, which has grown rapidly in popularity during the last year. These also often have flexible start dates and will provide the potential to work alongside it, or possibly gain some practical experience. Degree Apprenticeships are another way to get a higher education qualification and doing this alongside working can help make you an attractive candidate in the future job market.
Maximise a gap year: Taking a gap year used to mean travelling the world, but in the current pandemic, this is much more difficult, though still possible. There are other ways to spend a gap year though, work shadowing, completing additional qualifications or maybe volunteering, there are still lots of possibilities to do this and will add colour to your future personal statements when applying for university. Think outside the box and consider new fields or something you have an interest in, but haven’t had any experience in, it might give you a new perspective on what you want to do after your gap year is over.
Don’t despair!
It might seem like the end of the world that you haven’t managed to get a place on a course this year, but with some renewed spirit and courage, you can still make this academic year work for you.
Take some time to think about what you want and then go for it, in 12 months-time you could have changed your world in so many ways.
This article was first shared with Student Pocket Guide
Established in 2005, The Student Pocket Guide is a digital publication engaging with students with a mixture of money saving, informative and entertaining content every day.
