Gone Through Clearing!
When you’re doing your A-Levels, clearing is something that everyone knows about - but no one really mentions. You have your sights set on the grades that you want, and if you mention clearing it’s like you’re admitting you may not get them.
So when I opened the envelope containing my A-Level results I was gutted. I was desperate to go to Sheffield Hallam to study Physiotherapy, and although I did alright in my A-levels, I missed the grades I needed.
So I went home, and the first thing I did was call Hallam to see what my options were. I was pretty nervous, the last thing you want to do is admit your grades down the phone to total stranger when you haven’t achieved what you hoped!
But the man I spoke to didn’t make me feel stupid or belittle me. In fact he was really helpful. He talked me through all the options that were available – I could consider a Physiotherapy course at another university, or perhaps another course at Hallam uni. In the end, as I was desperate to go to Sheffield, I opted to study Sports & Exercise Science there. Once I had made that decision the rest of the clearing process was simple.
Two years down the line, I’m glad that things worked out as they did. I really enjoy the course, and it has opened up loads of opportunities for me. I may even decide to do a postgraduate course in Physiotherapy later on!
So my main advice is, if you have your heart set on a particular course but don’t achieve the results to do it, don’t worry! There are loads of other paths that can lead you to your intended career. And whatever you do, don’t let the thought of clearing put you off going to university because it’s the best thing I’ve done. I love it!
