Thursday 14^th August is A-level results day, and if you need advice on your next steps  into higher education Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is ready to guide you through the Clearing process.

If you’ve changed your mind about what course you want to study, if you’ve done better than expected, if you’ve decided to apply late, or if you haven’t quite achieved the grades you need for your first-choice university, the Clearing process will help you to find the right course.

Bishop Grosseteste University has a dedicated Clearing call centre where around 30 members of staff, including a number of BGU student ambassadors, will be answering calls on the dedicated Clearing hotline.

The call centre will be open from 8am until 6pm on both Thursday 14^th August and Friday 15^th August and the number to call is 01522 583698.

Prospective students who wish to look round Bishop Grosseteste University can take a campus tour on Thursday, Friday and Saturday – visit www.bishopg.ac.uk/clearing from Monday 11th August for details.

The university’s open day on Friday 15^th August from 10am to 6pm gives prospective applicants and their friends and family the opportunity to see what Bishop Grosseteste University has to offer, take a minibus tour of Lincoln and speak to staff and students about courses and life as a student.

The open day also provides an opportunity for those who are starting (or hoping to start) in September to speak face-to-face to BGU staff about any anxieties regarding qualifications and pick up a free Freshers’ Wall Planner which contains all the important event Freshers may want to attend.

“The days following A-level results day can be a stressful and anxious time for those students who have not yet finalised their plans,” said Karen Richardson, Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions at BGU.

“It’s a busy few days for us but as always we will do our best to ensure that students are not left worried or uncertain about their place at university.”

Top Tips for Clearing

If you’ve just got your A-level results and you’re not sure what to do next, consult Karen Richardson’s handy set of tips for students who will be entering the Clearing system next week:

• Don’t panic! If you stay calm you’re more likely to take in all the information you need to succeed.

• If your grades fall short, wait for that important acceptance/rejection indication on Track before you put yourself into Clearing. You never know – your first-choice university might still accept you.

• Don’t give up! You may well get a place on a similar course that’s just as good – but you’ll need to shop around. Don’t rush your decision. The UCAS system doesn’t even let you trigger the formal process of accepting a Clearing place until 5pm on results day, so you have the chance to shop around.

• Be realistic. If you’ve seriously blown it then think hard about re-sits or another course altogether – you can always re-apply next time around. UCAS is offering a free (for landlines) Exam Results Service on 0808 100 8000 where trained, professional careers advisers will be available to give help and advice

• Be prepared to make lots of phone calls and to be persistent!

• Keep your nerve – you may need all your negotiating skills to persuade an academic that they should take you on.

• Enlist the support of friends and family – keep them informed, as they’ll be a great help to you when you have to make that difficult final decision.

• Be prepared to explain to universities why you didn’t do as well as you hoped in your exams – and be honest.

• If you don’t get the grades you need it’s not the end of the world – there are plenty of other opportunities to consider.

Notes to editors

• Clearing is a service run by UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, which helps applicants who have not secured a place at university to find vacancies on higher education courses.
• A-level results day this year is Thursday 14th August 2014. The BGU Clearing hotline number for UCAS applicants is 01522 583698.
• Bishop Grosseteste University was established in January 1862 and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2012.
• It is an independent higher education institution based in Lincoln which awards its own undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
• It changed its name from Bishop Grosseteste University College to Bishop Grosseteste University in November 2012.
• For information about BGU visit www.bishopg.ac.uk.
• For more information about UCAS and Clearing visit www.ucas.com.

For media information please contact:
Jez Ashberry
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
07780 735071
jez@weareshootingstar.co.uk
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