Clearing 2013: are universities facing another 'bloodbath'?

It's a myth that Clearing is solely for A-level students and only happens on results day, says Kathryn Jones. Preparation is key

With a-level results day fast approaching, universities across the uk are gearing up for your own chaotic scramble out to fill university places. last year, more often three hundredunited nations monitors. the unarme establishments and more often fifty five, 700 students matched their places in clearing – 4, 600 more often in 2011 – the best recorded out to date. academics and administrators alike are busily clearing the method for your own 2013 method. our solely guarantee : we are roughly certain what out to expect.

 This year represents my sixteenth anniversary of involvement with clearing. it may also be my busiest thanks towards the changing landscape of higher education, created currently being a results of each higher fees and therefore the governments core and margin policy out to restrict and manage the amount of students being recruited.

 At birmingham city university, preparation for clearing started around 3 months ago, not least as a result of the actual procedure of accepting or confirming students on places for undergraduate courses begins in earnest a few months previous august.

 You can find a long-standing public misconception that clearing is solely for a-level students and as such begins on a-level results day. the official ucas method itself begins with the begin of july and runs till september. it's true that the majority of these getting into university hold a-levels, in spite of this the proportion as to the population getting into holding a-levels truly fell in 2012, whereas that of uk 18-year olds getting into with btecs increased and most definitely has risen by 80% since 2008.

 Research revealed in 2011 showed that more often half 20- out to 30-year-olds happening out to higher education are btec students. similarly, numbers studying the international baccalaureate are steadily rising. results for your own kind qualifications currently accepted among entry requirements return out from as early as might onwards, enabling their recipients out to confirm their places – currently being a range who attended our recent june open day selected to try and do.

 Clearing last year was described currently being a bloodbath. it was eventually undoubtedly a watershed moment : universities fell in need of recruitment targets by virtually 30, 000 representing variant pounds in lost fee income as well as a range of russell cluster universities were forced out to enter clearing for your own 1st time, hit hardest from the reduction of aab students. at this, i stifle a wry smile, having worked in 3 post-92 universities which may have perpetually relied on clearing. we saw a ripple impact across the pecking order, though at bcu we managed out to recruit an extra student through the actual procedure than in 2011.

will be'>there could be a undoubtedly that lessons were learned ; all universities have treated their recruitment for 2013 with the use of a very little caution and plenty additional attention. at bcu, we are performing mostly than ever out to ensure prospective students ( and oldsters ) recognise the rewards of the issues we need to supply currently being a university centered on artistic and skilled education and research. our popularity continues with ucas applications bucking national trends – up 13 compared out to 3%. whether or not those applications can convert out to students sufficient out to meet our targets remains to remain seen.

constituents of staff in education liaison, admissions and therefore the tutorial faculties have already been liaising with these feeder schools and colleges out to facilitate secure places for individuals wanting out to reached university in september. meanwhile, giant numbers of staff are contributing towards the preparation for your own huge logistical operation that kicks in when universities receive a-level results the weekend before results day.

like their counterparts up and through the country, our admissions staff will certainly be operating over this weekend in readiness for your own communication out to confirm places out to students who have met their offers and don't got to enter the clearing method.

For individuals who haven't secured or are seeking to remove places, we open our clearing hotline 1st factor on 15 august and even as hosting clearing tv on our website. we will certainly be sending staff on out to web site at 5 native colleges in birmingham in order to make on-the-spot offers out to eligible students, and likewise running a dedicated open day the listed weekend targeted at students seeking out to gain entry in september 2013.

Last year, the university received virtually 4, 000 calls towards the hotline and our course enquiries line on results day, whereas our central switchboard took 2, 600 calls. this year we've got taken the unprecedented step of recruiting and coaching more often 40 staff from across the university to back up selling staff who have traditionally manned the lines.

Todays guardian report suggests elite universities are gearing up for clearing too. a few have already taken the unusual ( a few would possibly say risky ) step of creating unconditional offers primarily based on predicted grades, whereas others are reportedly dropping their entry requirements substantially out to ensure these recover student numbers.

This effectively suggests that that the ripple impact we saw throughout clearing in 2012 could possibly have started already – while not several universities realising. that students will certainly be offered in clearing and holding what grades will still be a mystery. hotlines might flip purpose is to be surprisingly quiet.

kathryn jones is director of promoting and communications at birmingham city university – follow it on twitter @mybcu and @kathrynjinhe.