Questions about clearing

[Theonethatmakesmelaugh]

I have a question about clearing places/applications:

My son is going into year 13 so about to start the UCAS process. He's already visited lots of unis and has a very clear idea about what he wants to do and where he wants to go. His top choice's standard offer is ABB which is going to be ambitious for him.

However that course is currently available in clearing at CCC, which is more than achievable for him. Obviously it won't necessarily be the same next year but given this is a Humanities course and the HE climate is unlikely to improve it's reasonable to think similar will happen in 2027.

So what I want to know is if he applies and doesn't get an offer from this uni, can he apply again in clearing? Or is he ruled out of that course because he didn't get an offer originally?

If the latter presumably his better option is to not apply until clearing opens? Or do you have to apply in the standard UCAS round to be able to apply for cleaning spaces?

Very grateful for any info from people who have more understanding of this process than me!

There is no guarantee but if the course is in clearing this year at CCC, then it is likely to be there for similar grades next year. Have a look at the bottom of the UCAS course page to see what the most common and lowest accepted grades have been over the last 5 years and also what percentage of offer holders got accepted with various grade combinations

If he applies and does not get an offer he can still apply in clearing. If he has it as his firm and they reject him on results day he can phone them but they are unlikely to change their mind having had a week to consider him.

If his predicted grades are lower than the standard offer he may well still get an offer with the standard grades. If the course is in clearing at CCC then they would probably already have confirmed his place on results day morning if he gets at least CCC.

You can put in your UCAS application for clearing only but it will be better, and the school will be more geared up for it, to apply for 5 by the January deadline. That way he can be ahead of the game on accommodation etc. He can always change his mind and apply through extra or clearing as the year goes on.

It does feel like a bit of a game with high predictions, high offers and then lower actual required grades but worth trying to get what he wants especially if history supports that he would get a place with his likely grades.

Lots of stories this results day of people being accepted despite missing their offer sometimes by quite a bit. Not all the courses that accept lower grades on the day appear in clearing at all.

If it’s the course he wants, apply with the lower grades, he will probably get a standard offer, firm it and in all likelihood he will get the place without having to go through clearing on results day - universities don’t want to find people through clearing, they would much rather work with what they have in the system and the people who want to go there.

He should apply as planned - that doesn't prevent him from going to the same course through clearing if that's how it works out.

If they are genuinely offering the same course at ccc then it is likely the odd slipped grade from standard offer will still ensure a place on results day. However do check that the clearing places are open to home students and not just internationals.

Well yes, but I’d be astonished if a Humanities dept with ABB as their standard offer, that drops to CCC in clearing didn’t make him an offer. So the situation wont happen.

Yes definitely apply for it. If he gets offer eg ABB then if he misses grades they may well accept him with lower grades. It will just say congratulations you have a place at x uni on ucas. Obviously depends on how competitive uni and course but if it’s ccc in clearing i’d be optimistic they would take students who drop grades. Universities get grades in advance.
If they did reject him and then he saw it in clearing he could ask but they will have already considered him. They may have similar courses that are suitable it’s not a case of that uni is completely closed to you if you miss your offer and that particular course says no.

As a former admissions tutor I agree with the statements above.

Usually, candidates at the standard that may be accepted in Clearing are either accepted or held back in an Undecided pile while that standard is fixed. Generally universities prefer students who have already firmed them. So using the data from your example, it would be rare to reject a CCC applicant and then turn around and make CCC the Clearing standard.

But it could happen: either the applicant was rejected prematurely and should reapply during Clearing, or (very rarely) there was some other flag in their application making them less desirable. It is always worth asking because the former is more likely.

Thanks all for these helpful responses. If I have understood correctly:

He might get an offer at or around AAB even if his PGs are lower than that. If so he should firmly accept it given that's where he really wants to go. Then there is a pretty good chance that if he gets CCC or better they will give him a place after results day. If not hopefully he gets into his insurance. The issue with this seems to be that he might be rejected with grades higher than if he had just held on and not applied until clearing?

Or:

He might not get an offer given his lower PGs in which case he should accept offers from wherever else he gets (he does have back up options). Then if he gets CCC or better (or thereabouts) he can try to trade up in clearing to his first choice.

I have also noticed that this particular course started out at BCC in clearing and has more recently come down to CCC, suggesting they are struggling to fill spaces. That being the case is it possible that they would not have accepted someone on results day but you could persuade them a week later to change their minds? Or is a "no" in clearing a final "no"?

Apply to where he wants, if he gets an offer but then doesn’t achieve it by 2-3 grades it’s often confirmed, sometimes even less, alternatively he goes into clearing

Institutions do vary too on flexibility eg i happen to know Newcastle for instance often drops grades whereas others rarely do

This is broadly correct, OP.

The risk of being rejected with grades later posted as Clearing grades is small. If it happens, it may be down to bad planning and is worth a polite query - email is best.

Your last paragraph, about Clearing standards being lowered during the Clearing process, is interesting to me. I think Clearing applicants who were rejected at the higher standard should feel free to reapply at the lower standard.

The only time we went into Clearing while I was doing admissions, it was an absolute madhouse. We only recorded details for those we verbally accepted. In the scenario you describe, if we had rejected someone at a higher standard and they contacted us a few days later when standards relaxed, it is very unlikely that we would remember them.

(Though this scenario looks bad to me. It is worth making sure the School is in sound shape, I think)

If we did, why would we care? When you are in Clearing it’s all about bums on seats and you need every one you can get without abandoning standards entirely. IMO of course you can reapply.

It’s unlikely a uni would reject him and then offer same grades to clearing candidates.
Universities want bums on seats.
He’s chosen them as firm and therefore they know he’s keen. Better to take him at ccc than reject and offer place in clearing and not know who will bite.
There’s a whole charade with some B/C level unis and courses. They start off asking for ABB. He’s likely to get BBC but school predicts ABB (good day if wind behind him scenario) so he gets offer. Some unis may offer at ABB, some offer lower off bat due to EPQ or say how they loved his personal statement so he may get offer of BBB. Gets BCC and they take him. Yp thinks how lucky they still wanted me but in reality the course has been in clearing every year at BCC and is in clearing again at those grades.
What I don’t understand is why they don’t advertise B/C level initially rather than the whole charade.
If course is AAB and he’s predicted BBB he might not get offer but it’s something to ask at open day. Some may offer him aspirational grades, some may offer lower - we usually ask for AAB but your statement is so great so we really want you and will offer BBB. It’s all marketing tactics.

Yes definitely be should go for it. Southampton for example still have a number of Humanities courses at CCC in Clearing with ABB as a standard offer. They were in the same position last year. No guarantees but definitely worth a place on the UCAS form.

Thanks so much for this all, super helpful.