Stragic clearing ? What’s all this about ?is it a new thing for this year ?

[SummerSpringWater]

Keep seeing ads for it

Do you mean strategic?

Is it about trading up because a better uni lowers its grades in clearing ? They need bums on seats so lower grades? Not entirely certain though! So you decline your offers and try elsewhere?

If you had low predicted grades and have done better than expected you can trade up into a course that might not have considered you previous.

People have always done that though haven't they ..?

I know last year my adult child was considering trading up

My impression is that with the drop in student numbers overall there are expected to be more courses in clearing at higher tariff universities so there is potentially more movement than in previous years.

No, it’s a relatively new thing—maybe the last ten years at most.

I “traded up” in clearing in 1986. Maybe I was ahead of my time 😁

Strategic clearing (as offered by Leeds uni) is new. You apply to them now with predicted grades and they will make you a clearing offer at clearing grades that (if you meet) they will honour. As with any clearing offer, you are under no obligation to take it, and your existing firm/insurance offers are not impacted. It would only come into play if after results day you released yourself from your confirmed place on UCAS (exactly same as any other clearing offer).

It's basically an attempt to grab students who might now be expecting to do better than their predicted grades.

Generally unis are having to get less snooty about Clearing. I don't think places like Bristol would have advertised they would have clearing places a few years ago.