Posted Thursday 8 August 2019
With A-level and BTEC results days just around the corner it can be a tense time for students considering all their options – but a bit of forward planning could set them on their path to success, an admissions tutor at Kingston University has said.
The University is expecting thousands of calls from applicants eager to secure one of the remaining degree course places when its Clearing hotline opens at 7.30am on A-level results day. They will include students who have changed their minds about what course they want to study, as well those who have narrowly missed the grades they hoped for.
Associate Professor Dr Barry Avery, an expert in accounting, finance and informatics at London's Kingston University, will be among the admissions tutors on hand to answer students' questions on the day. He recommends potential applicants get a head start by researching several courses before picking up the phone. "Once they have got their results – or even before then – they need to be looking at what course they want to study. Once they're through to the hotline, they're likely to have to make a decision fairly quickly, so I'd definitely urge them to carry out that vital research before getting on the line," he advised.
The University will have a dedicated team of 120 hotline staff on hand to guide eager applicants through the process. Having the right details, such as their UCAS identification and full details of qualifications to hand, including subjects, grades, dates obtained and exam boards, will ensure prospective students are able to get the most out of their calls.
Dr Avery said it really would be a case of ‘the early bird catches the worm' and urges students not to leave it too late to call the hotline on results day, as course places will be given out by the University's admissions tutors from 7.30am. He also emphasised that a phone conversation with an admissions tutor was an opportunity to shine. "Calling the hotline gives you the chance to speak to course admission tutors like myself and to show them your potential. You'll have our total attention, so it's a great opportunity to sell yourself," he said.
"We will be looking for students who have done their homework and have a good idea about what they want to study – and why. Applicants need to have a genuine desire to want to study a particular course and we would hope to hear that come across over the phone," he added.
Dr Avery advised applicants to think ahead about what aspects of University life they valued the most and to take into consideration their commitments outside of University, such as family or part-time jobs, and whether they would like to live in student halls or commute to campus.
An added bonus for those applying to Kingston University through Clearing this year is the chance of an offer of accommodation. The University is guaranteeing a place in halls for any callers who accept a course place during Clearing by 30 August.
Applicants calling the Clearing hotline can also talk to a member of the hotline team about any areas at Kingston University they might want to know more about.
Students who have gone through Clearing have gone on to be high-achievers at the University, Dr Avery said. "We have had some brilliant students who, for personal reasons, didn't quite achieve the grades they were hoping to at A-level, so they've come to us and we have been able to help them find a course that's right for them," he said.
"One year I offered a place to a prospective student and she very calmly said, ‘thank you'. As I waited for her to hang up the phone I heard this scream of delight as she said, ‘Mum, dad, I'm going to university!'. That's why it's a brilliant experience speaking to students through Clearing – there's something amazing about being able to offer a place directly to someone over the phone and to help set them on their path to achieving their potential," he added.
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