University Clearing 2019 opens for students from Lancashire

Anxious students and their parents will be waiting for their exam results this month, and while it may be too late to change the outcome, you can help your son or daughter plan for the future.
Here’s how you can help your teenHere’s how you can help your teen
Here’s how you can help your teen

Securing a place at university through Clearing is new territory for most; whether they’ve missed their target grades or had a change of heart about a course or university, going through Clearing can be stressful.

The good news is that you can support them through this process, while ensuring you let the prospective student take the lead when it comes to the final decision.

So what can you do?

University of Cumbria is always looking for enthusiastic studentsUniversity of Cumbria is always looking for enthusiastic students
University of Cumbria is always looking for enthusiastic students

Be prepared

There is no harm in your prospective student doing some research about Clearing before results day. This will help to reduce feelings of uncertainty if they find that things don’t go quite to their original plan. Not only this, but if they are already having doubts about their course or university, they may find that there are other options out there which they can access through Clearing.

The University of Cumbria has lots of helpful tips and advice for students who are considering going through Clearing. Find out more at www.cumbria.ac.uk/clearing/.

Empathise, but remain calm

If they don’t make the grades for their first choice, they may be understandably disheartened and unsure as to what to do next. As emotions run high, ensure you are understanding and keep calm as you support their next steps. It is important to emphasise what they have achieved, and that Clearing can be full of positive opportunities.

Research

Encourage them to research which universities and which courses might interest them and make a list of the available courses in order of preference; discuss options with them but it is important to let them decide. Most universities will have a course search on their website. See here for the University of Cumbria.

Support by helping to create a bank of key questions before the call is made to ensure that all the information they want is covered in the phone call.

Call the University

When the prospective student is ready, they can start calling their chosen universities. University of Cumbria will function like most universities and open a call centre early on the morning of results day. Due to data protection regulations we can only talk to your son or daughter. If they are unable to talk to us for any reason, we can talk to you with their permission, but we can still only make any offers directly to the applicant.

Ensure the prospective student is prepared when they call to discuss a course and that they have all their details to hand, including their UCAS number, details of results including GCSEs and a personal statement including why that course and university is of interest.

Be flexible

Don’t make any concrete plans for the Friday and Saturday after results day as many Clearing places may depend on interviews and you may need to attend an Open day, or have an interview. It is important to keep your time free for these eventualities.

Clearing at University of Cumbria

University of Cumbria is always looking for enthusiastic students. Clearing is available from July to September each year. If your son or daughter already has their exam results but has no offers, they can use Clearing from July. If they had conditional offers but their exam results didn't go to plan, they can use Clearing from results day onwards, and lastly if you receive higher than expected grades or change your mind on what you would like to study the university will have dedicated phone lines open to help you receive the advice you need to find a course that is right for you.

The University of Cumbria Clearing hotline is 0808 178 7373 or +44 (1524) 590 800 for international calls. Lines open on Thursday, August 15 2019 at 6.30am.

For further information about Clearing geared towards parents, check out the Which? Guide and the WhatUni Guide.