Still shocked by UCAS clearing

[ThePonderer]

Imagine you book the holiday of a lifetime, using all your savings. You're going on a cruise in the Caribbean.

You are delayed on the way to the airport and at the check-in desk they tell you, "Sorry, you're too late for your flight. But we can offer you these alternatives instead:

1. Cruising in Norway
2. A beach holiday in Antigua
3. Walking in Oporto
4. Snorkelling with sloths in Yucatan

Choose which holiday you want, run across the airport to the right check-in desk, and you might just be in time."

It could all work out well, if you know your geography, or if you'd been having doubts about your original booking anyway. It might even be the beginning of an epic sloth romance. But it's still massively stressful and an absurd way to make such a big life decision.

Surely there must be a better way?

The other thing to say is that nowadays (and I write asa some-time Admissions Tutor in a very competitive department) applicants are using Clearing in a very different way than, say, 10 years ago. It's partly the influence of Clearing being rolled up with Adjustment - the mirror opposite of Clearing - where candidates can "grade up" if their results are better than expected.

It's been observable - at least at my place - that some applicants see Clearing/Adjustment process as one which they can play with, and possibly reconsider their options with grades in hand.

Clearing is no longer the last stand of desperation, for both applicants & universities. Certainly, I've noticed that there's little status left now about saying "We're not in Clearing" - because by being in Clearing/Adjustment we can sometimes pick up really well qualified applicants we wouldn't otherwise have found.

And yes, as titchy says, a post-results application process would possibly be clearer or fairer. But schools would have to adjust the timing of A Levels - schools would need to start a month earlier, or university terns start a month later ...

Yep, my daughter missed her first choice by one grade but decided to upgrade from her insurance as her grades e ceded their offer.

*Exceeded

I heard a suggestion that universities start in January to allow one term for applications after results and Exams could be a month later too, which might also help students.

Well, that's a laboured metaphor OP.

If your results aren't good enough to get into your chosen university you have two options - clearing or retakes.

I heard a suggestion that universities start in January to allow one term for applications after results and Exams could be a month later too, which might also help students.

Unfortunately that would mean huge numbers of 18 year olds effectively unemployed for several months. No Gov would agree to extend CB for this group, and those from less well off backgrounds would undoubtedly suffer as an extra mouth to feed, with no CB or UC or tax credit entitlement could push some into poverty. Plus you know what kids are like coming back to school after six weeks off in summer - imagine the catching up with six months off - could be disastrous for subjects like maths!

It's great in principle, applying post results, but making it the status quo has so many unintended consequences.

Obviously not a serious suggestion then!

titchy I don’t think your objections are deal breakers should it be decided to reform the present system.
A foundation autumn term of STEM or humanities study skills at universities would cost less loan wise than a foundation year and would enable students to get a real taste of university similar to an extended summer course. It might even encourage some lower income bright students to consider university as they are not committed to 3 or more years before trying it out.
Online self-study material and reading lists can also be provided for certain subjects when students don’t need or want a foundation term. Advantage of that would be to help the transition into independent study. Mathematicians for example are often pretty good at self teaching anyway either through enthusiasm or because of necessity for STEP and further maths. A student who can’t / won’t self study for a couple of months is better finding that out earlier before wasting a year or more of loans and funding.

It's not self studying for a couple of months though - it's six months.

And if you're going to suggest that six months is taken up doing a foundation type course at uni - well errrr you're suggesting they go to uni, like they do now...? The point of post results applications is that they'd spend the autumn applying not attending!

And who pays the fees for these short foundation courses? More loan liability? Is Gov happy to hand over yet more cash to SLC?

Who funds the unis for that six months?

It needs a wholesale revamp of schools, exam boards, universities, colleges and the benefit system to work. And some meaningful, paid for some, activity between A levels finishing and universities starting. And as many universities are competing on an international stage we'd need overseas, and therefore all others, students to start in Autumn as that's when US etc start. So exams in Feb should do it!

It's not self studying for a couple of months though - it's six months
The autumn term is 8 to 10 weeks so no it is not six months.

The loan liability and costs to university is less than people getting on the wrong course and redoing a year.

This short foundation terms may cost the universities less than their full foundation courses, admissions costs and outreach summer courses. That would need to be calculated.
Yes it would need a reform of the university system, not necessarily the school system.