I Followed My University Plan, but I Wish I Had Looked at Clearing

When people picture results day, it's usually all smiles, celebratory Instagram posts and students delighted to be heading off to their first-choice university. That was me too. Well, sort of. Like most students, I spent months making my university choices, listening to advice from teachers, parents and careers advisers, and trying to make sensible decisions about my future. I picked a course, chose a university and stuck to the plan.

Then results day arrived, and I did something nobody expected (including me): I got better grades than predicted. Some of my teachers looked genuinely surprised. One or two looked like they wanted to recheck the maths. At the time, I thought that was the end of the story. I'd done well, I'd got into university, and it was time to start looking at accommodation and celebrating with friends. Looking back, I wish I'd paused for a moment. Not because anything had gone wrong – quite the opposite. The grades I'd achieved had opened up options I hadn't considered, but it never occurred to me that I could take a step back and ask whether the choices I'd made months earlier were still the right ones.

The Choice You Made a Year Ago Doesn't Have to Be Permanent

One thing nobody really tells you is how much can change between submitting your UCAS application and actually arriving at university. I had taken up and given up on at least three new hobbies in that time, but I didn't realise I was so focused on getting into university that I never really stopped to think about where I wanted to live, whether I'd fit in there or if I could picture myself being genuinely happy. At 18, those questions felt like optional extras; the focus was on grades. Now I'd argue they're some of the most important ones.

The Part I Wish I'd Known About Clearing

Back then, Clearing had a bit of an image problem; I'm sure most of my peers would agree it was spoken about in hushed voices by teachers as an unfortunate and unwanted outcome if things had gone awry. It felt like something for people whose plans hadn't worked out. What nobody really talked about was that sometimes your plans can work out perfectly and still deserve a second look. Got your grades/didn't get your grades, maybe you weren't considering university at all, but now you might consider it if something really grabbed you. That's why I think Clearing is one of the most misunderstood parts of the university application process. It isn't just there for when things didn't follow your original plan (even though it's a great tool in this instance too – don’t give up on yourself). Sometimes it's there for when you've changed.

What Working in Admissions Taught Me

Fast-forward roughly 15 years (a sentence that becomes more painful every year) and I found myself working in higher education and supporting our lovely Admissions team during a very busy day in this year's Clearing period (A Level results day).

I expected lots of conversations about grades, sure. But many of the conversations I had were about 'fit'. And as a grad who wouldn't say that my uni experience was the perfect fit, I was delighted and envious to hear this alternative route play out. Students wanted to know what Chester was like, what the vibe on campus felt like, whether they'd find friends and if they could see themselves here. It made me happy but insanely jealous that these students were having this conversation – I ran through the process without even thinking that I wasn't bound to the choices I'd already made. University is where you'll live, laugh, love (sorry, couldn't resist), for the next several years, and it really is worth taking a moment to revisit your motivations, ambitions, passions and penchants before you fast forward to the beginning of term.

Don't Rush

Look at the course. Look at the city. Think about the kind of experience you want, not just the offer in front of you. If your original choice still feels right, fantastic. But if you're having doubts, or your results have given you opportunities you hadn't considered before, or you weren't where you'd expected to be and need to take a fresh look at your options; don't be afraid to explore them.

If I Could Give My Younger Self One Piece of Advice

I'd tell myself not to be so committed to the plan for the sake of things 'going to plan'. Yes, predicting and getting what you chose awards you a certain amount of instant gratification on results day. Your university experience is a lot slower burn than that (it's years, not hours of your life) and deserves some proper, honest thought. I should have been more honest for my need to be more practical and my need for certain types of support and whether it would be available! Most students who receive their results will discover that their original choice is exactly where they're meant to be. That's brilliant. But if you're still looking at your options through Clearing, don't think of it as a consolation prize – it's an opportunity to be decisive again. 'Back in my day', I wish someone had explained the benefits of Clearing and made sure I didn't get caught up in the pace and panic of it all.

If you're still having a think (good for you), we've got loads of Clearing info on our site, including some helpful FAQs if you're not sure where to start.

There's still time. Clearing runs into October – so if you didn’t start a conversation in results week, that doesn't mean you're out of options.

Good luck!