Durham Clearing

[mamabluestar]

DD had intended to look at clearing in Durham in advance of starting Y13 in September- but totally forgot until this afternoon and all of the places have been taken.

She's wanting to study BA Geography and is on course for the required grades (and is eligable for a contextual offer), but wanted to look into the situation with clearing.

If anyone looked/went through the process was there much difference between the required grades and those offered in clearing?

She's looked at the other Universities she's planning on applying to and has seen that the clearing places are predominantly a grade lower.

Thank you

Durham does go into clearing (there was a lot this morning). But it's generally at the same grades as their standard offers. They scoop up those who have missed their oxbridge offers or done much better than expected rather than reduce their grades.

I had a look as well as it would be DC's aspirational option (needs AstarAA and PGs are AAA). I put a little message on the Durham online chat this pm and asked what the clearing grades were and whether it was worth DC applying next year with her PGs. They basically said it's worth applying in case her grades end up being higher than predicted but that they very rarely offer to anyone with lower grades in clearing. That seems a bit pointless to me as surely she won't get an offer then and could just apply through cleaning if she ends up with better than predicted results

I didn't look at Geography but for History/ Politics/ Liberal Arts they were only showing their standard grades in clearing, no reductions.

Could she be eligible for a contextual offer? My son was given an offer which matched his PGs & was 2 grades lower than the required entry because of our postcode.
He actually exceeded his PGs and is off to Durham next month.
The clearing places were snapped up really fast this morning so I wouldn't rely on getting in by that route even with high grades

Durham’s clearing was full and closed by about 9.30/10am. I think they have few places and just take those who meet the standard offer.

It all depends on which course. Things like Theology, Anthropology and Sociology tend to offer AAB and offer to pretty much everyone who has those predicted grades. They are also likely to accept some who are near misses come results.

Economics only tends to offer to less than 20% of Home applicants and most will have PGs in excess of the standard offer. Most who have PGs of the standard offer won’t get an offer.

I saw some good laces with Geog. York and Exeter had it with a couple of grades lower than standard offer. I think Warwick did too. But some of these are full now.

Congratulations to your DC - must be such a relief! Mine wouldn't get a contextual offer but has other options she is equally keen on so let's see what happens in a year's time...

Durham closed their UK clearing by about 8.15 so they probably only had single spaces on the courses showing as available, as per last year.

Thank you for your replies - it's all really useful information.

@MillicentFaucetcongratulations to you son!

If your DD can get the predicted grades she should apply. From what I heard from last year and have seen today at DC school Durham have firmed offers on dropped grades at the same rate as other similar unis like Exeter, in some cases 2 drop grades. I do find that for some reason MN talks about Durham as if it’s up there with Oxbridge and whilst it is obviously very good and has the colleges etc it really isn’t any different from other high ranking unis.

DS missed grades for a*AA at Edinburgh. But got Bristol through clearing. He’s v happy. He’s got AAB but they may be taking ABB. That’s geography.

I know that Durham went into clearing last year for maths and a few other subjects and the requirement was the same as for any other time. I was nosy so looked at clearing even though DS was already accepted onto his course elsewhere with the required grades. He did have an offer for Durham and met the offer but turned it down.

Most unis will accept lower grades unless it’s a very popular course.

Most universities will but Durham rarely does in clearing. They simply don't need to because there will be oxbridge and LSE candidates who have missed their grades and then there will be people who have firmed somewhere mid ranking who have then come out with straight A stars who want to trade up.

DS did this and traded up on results day having initially played it safe with his firm choice.

They might show some leniency with firm offer holders who have just missed one grade on some courses but they don't typically drop their requirements in clearing.

So generally the advice is that if you want to go to Durham you need to apply to Durham.

Sorry @ciribut that’s simply not true. I know at least 1 person who dropped 2 grades last year and still got their place. At least 2 in DC cohort dropped grades this year and still got in. In one case this was 2 grades.

I also don’t buy the idea that those who miss Oxbridge and LSE go there. Typically their requirements are the same as Durham so if they drop one grade, say an A to a B, they aren’t going get a place. I’m sure they get some but many will be going to other RG unis. It would be interesting to see stats on this. As I’ve says MN seems to view Durham as some extra special place. I wonder if it’s parents who DC don’t get to Oxbridge and somehow this makes them feel better 🤔

Durham definitely does have loads of popular courses in clearing. It always has. It’s not where the brightest students want to go these days. It wants to be seen as a uni for Oxbridge rejects but it really isn’t.

I have no particular love for Durham. My son got a place via clearing two years ago trading up but he then rejected it and went elsewhere. It is the case however that Durham is generally particularly strict with grade drops.

Durham is one of the universities that is in very significant financial trouble and so may have been more lenient recently with firm offer holders.

The OP was wanting to know whether the Durham requirements dropped in clearing. They don't tend to do this and generally the places go quickly (yesterday they closed for clearing within the hour). So the advice remains that if you want Durham you should apply for Durham and not rely on them having lower grade offers available in clearing.

Last year was the first year Durham was in Clearing. It was in this year with a good number of courses listed but was closed to Home students by 9am on results day. This suggests there were v few places available. Grades required in Clearing were same as standard requirements. Places still available for Internationals.

Like most places, on less competitive courses they will accept some firm offer holders who’ve missed a grade, esp if it’s not the most relevant one. On other courses there will be no leeway.

I’d say there are a group of more selective RG unis that require higher grades for most courses and are where people look as a tier down from Oxbridge. This includes Durham but also London unis, Edinburgh, St A, and prob Bristol, Bath and Warwick depending on subjects.

A lot is subject dependent. It’s v hard to get into Warwick for Maths or Econ. It’s nowhere near so hard for things like Sociology or Languages.

I guess with RG sucking up more students, there will be a wider range of ability there. That’s not a problem in itself. Teaching on certain courses to a wide range of ability to maintain pace or reach the required standards might be more tricky.

In the longer term I suspect the HE sector will have to contract. The less prestigious places will prob be the ones to go….?but it will take ages and be v messy.

Last year isn't the first year Durham was in clearing. DS had a place via clearing two years ago.

It was unusual to see it there though.

Thank you again to everyone for taking the time to answer.

As I said, my DD had planned on looking at clearing just to be aware of how things have panned out this year and to have the knowledge to help her thought process moving forward.

We live in the north east and Durham is a direct train journey from home. This is definitely not an option based on being an Oxbrigde reject.

DD has made a decision as to how far she wants to be away from home and the type of place where she would like to live (definitely not a large city). Durham ticks these boxes for her and she had a really positive feeling from the department and the local area.

Having said all of this Lancaster seems to be her top choice 😄

My DD got her lowest offer this year from Durham. It was probably contextual and they really wanted her. She did exceed her offer but it took the pressure off.

DS rejected his Durham clearing offer for Lancaster. He is absolutely loving it there.

@Sundaycrunch @ciri
Yes, they do drop but don't seem to publish it.
Several courses were on the clearing list long before results day and I know 2 people who dropped grades and still got in (one for their firm; the other for insurance, for which Durham dropped 3 grades from an entry level of AAA to actual of ABC).

They've got a pick of people on clearing, so unlikely to drop any grades there, but they do take people who have dropped grades who they've offered to.
Dd was at Durham (and had a fantastic time) and she dropped a grade and was still accepted, as did several of her friends.
They also do contextual offers that are good if you qualify.

Durham: Yes that's true, this was insurance. Dropped 3 grade levels but still accepted (was rejected for firm at Exeter at AAB). Know another with a firm who dropped 2 grades and who was also still accepted at Durham.