Navigating University Clearing; what to consider if your results don’t go your way.


University clearing can be a critical pathway for students who have either missed out on their initial university offers or decided to change their course choice(s) last minute. Understanding how clearing works and how to navigate it effectively can make the difference between securing a university place and missing out. This comprehensive guide will help you understand everything you need to know about university clearing, including tips, timelines, and common mistakes to avoid.

What is University Clearing?
Clearing is a part of the university admissions process managed by UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) in the UK. It provides an opportunity for students who did not secure a place at a university to find available spots on courses that still have vacancies. Clearing is primarily for students who:
(1) Did not receive any offers from their university applications.
(2)Did not meet the conditions of their offers.
(3)Applied after the UCAS deadline.

Key Dates and Timeline
The clearing process officially begins in early July and runs until mid-October. However, the peak period is around A-level results day, which typically falls in mid-August. Here’s a rough timeline:
(1) Early July: Clearing opens.
(2) Thursday 15th August: A-level results day. This is when the majority of students will start engaging with clearing.
(3) August-October: Universities update their course vacancies regularly as spots get filled.
(4) Mid-October: Clearing closes.

How to Prepare for Clearing
1. Research Potential Courses and Universities:
Before results day, research potential courses and universities where you might want to apply if you need to go through clearing. Make a list of courses and have their contact details ready. Remember to consider whether there are any future career requirements related to your course. For example, if you’re looking to study Psychology at university it is always a good idea to enroll on a course that is accredited by the BPS (British Psychological Society) as future career pathways often state that it is essential any previous degree qualifications have been recognized by the BPS.
2. Understand the Clearing Process:
Familiarize yourself with how clearing works. UCAS offers a detailed guide on the process, and many universities provide specific information about how they handle clearing applications.
3. Have Your Documents Ready:
Ensure you have all necessary documents, such as your UCAS ID, personal statement, and academic records, readily available.
4. Stay Calm and Organized:
Clearing can be stressful, but staying calm and organized is crucial. Have a plan and follow it step-by-step.

Steps to Take on Results Day
(1) Check Your Status on UCAS Track: Log in to UCAS Track early on results day to see if you have a place confirmed. If not, you’ll see the option to start the clearing process.
(2) Search for Courses: Use the UCAS clearing search tool to find courses that still have vacancies. Keep an eye on the course requirements and ensure you meet them.
(3) Contact Universities: Call the universities directly to inquire about their available courses. Be prepared to discuss your grades, interests, and why you are interested in the course. This is your chance to make a good impression.
(4) Receive Verbal Offers: If a university is interested, they may make a verbal offer over the phone. Take note of these offers and make your decisions wisely.
(5) Add a Clearing Choice in UCAS Track: Once you have received and decided on an offer, you need to add the clearing choice in UCAS Track. The university will then confirm your place.

Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Panic Applying:
Avoid applying to courses randomly out of panic. Focus on courses that genuinely interest you and match your career aspirations.
2. Ignoring Course Details:
Pay attention to course details, including location, course content, and potential career paths. Ensure it aligns with your long-term goals.
3. Not Being Proactive:
Be proactive and prompt in your communications with universities. Delay in response can result in losing potential offers.
4. Overlooking Backup Plans:
Always have a backup plan. If your preferred choice does not work out, have other options ready to avoid last-minute stress.

Conclusion
University clearing is an excellent opportunity for students to secure a university place even if their initial plans didn’t work out. By preparing ahead, understanding the process, and staying organized, you can navigate clearing successfully and find a course that fits your aspirations. Remember, many students find great success through clearing, and it can be the first step toward a fulfilling academic journey.
For more information and resources, visit the UCAS website.


Good luck!

Easter A Level Revision Tips For Psychology Students

The Easter break is only a few weeks away, and for A Level students, this is an important time to prepare for the challenging months which lie ahead. Here are some important points to bear in mind, and to help you do justice to all the hard work that you have already put into your course. 

Draw up a revision timetable

The best way to ensure that you revise consistently is to draw up a study timetable in advance. This will help you cover all the topics studied in a balanced way, avoiding any last minute panics. Most people study best in shorter blocks of an hour or two, with breaks in between.

Varying your topics throughout the day can also help your brain to keep sharp and stimulated. 

Revision cards

Making a set of revision cards is a great way to break down an overwhelming task into more manageable sections. Summarise the main points of each topic on each card, and then during each study session drill down into the finer details.

Practice past exam papers

Past papers are an excellent way to give you practice of answering questions fully within set timeframes. You might know all the theory and the correct way to answer questions, but it is also important to work on your timing so that you can get through all the main points without running out of time. 

Look up the different types of questions you might be asked, and make sure you understand the precise meaning of the terms used, such as the difference between ‘evaluate’ and ‘analyse’, for example.

Find the right place to study

For some students, home may not be the most ideal place to study, whether because of too many tempting distractions, a lack of space, or boisterous younger siblings. Your local library may have quiet study rooms available, or your school or college may offer to provide study areas over the holidays.

The study area should be well lit and ergonomically adjusted so that you are not straining your back, arms, neck or eyes during study periods. Some people need complete silence to concentrate, whereas others prefer a little bit of background noise, and may even prefer a busier environment such as a cafè or coffee shop.

Make time for self care

It is also important to make sure that you get some rest during the Easter break. Working continuously may feel like the right thing to do, but it can be counterproductive because concentration and energy levels will naturally fall away, meaning that you are less likely to retain and think clearly about the information you are trying to take in.

Timetable in short 10 or 20 minute breaks during the day, and schedule in at least two or three complete days off to get out and about, or just have a quiet day relaxing at home. 

Eating well, taking regular exercise, and sticking to a regular sleep schedule are all important to help you feel at your best both physically and mentally. 

For more tips on A level psychology revision, please get in touch today. 

Why Choose Psychology As An A Level

There are more than 40 different subjects you can take as an A Level, some of which you’ll have already come across with your GCSEs. 

Because you have so many options, it’s wise to research any new topics you might be interested in before you sign up for the course, so you can make sure that it’s the right choice for you and what you think you might like to study at university. This also helps you work towards careers you could potentially work towards.

There is a psychology GCSE course available, so you may well have learned some of the theories and research already and this is a great introduction to the A Level itself.

In terms of a qualification to have, psychology A Level is a great option, one that can open a lot of potential doors later down the line. Where career paths are concerned, there are all sorts of jobs that psychologists can do and lots of different sectors in which to work, including education, mental health, social care, sports research and business.

Other potential occupations include those in marketing, human resources, business development, forensic psychology, nursing and occupational therapy. So you’ll have a lot to choose from!

As for interpersonal skills, studying psychology brings with it a wide range of different benefits, helping to drive your analytical and communication skills, your organisational skills, teamwork ability and leadership skills.

It also gives you plenty of experience in essay writing, history, maths and a whole lot more, so it goes well alongside other subjects, including English, maths and history.

As you can see, there are lots of reasons why psychology might be a great subject to take. If you’re currently enrolled on a course, get in touch with Psychology Hub today for A Level psychology help.

What’s The Difference Between Psychology And Psychopathology?

If you are embarking on a course of study in psychology, at some stage you are bound to come across the term psychopathology. These two similar terms are often confused, but they have distinct meanings. Psychology refers to the general study of the human mind and behaviour, while psychopathology refers to the specific study of mental disorders.

The study of psychopathology may include the examining the cause of a mental disorder, how they develop and progress, and how they are treated. Common examples of mental disorders include depression, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, which are considered to be abnormal patterns of human behaviour.

How is psychopathology defined?

There are various different ways to define psychopathology. It’s generally described as an abnormal behaviour, but how is that abnormality itself defined? One way is to treat it as a statistical infrequency, so that if a person’s behaviour or symptoms are in minority group, then it may be considered deviant.

However, left-handed people, or those with exceptionally high IQs, are in the minority of the population, but they are not generally regarded as deviant or abnormal. Therefore, statistical infrequency is not considered a reliable way to define psychopathology.

Another way to look at psychopathology may be to define it as behaviour which deviates from social norms. However, social norms are by their nature defined by the society which produces them, rather than by innate human traits.

For example, different cultures have different standards of etiquette, which may be considered polite in one society, but offensive in another. Therefore, defining psychopathology by social norms is not considered to be a satisfactory approach by most psychologists.

Another approach to defining psychopathology is to take a purely scientific and biological view of the neural processes in the brain. This involves studying the neurotransmitters which send messages to the nervous system. For example, scientists believe that people with depression have reduced levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in their brains.

Serotonin is thought to play a major role in regulating our moods, and an imbalance can cause depression, and it has also been linked to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In psychopathology, this can be defined as interference with proper functioning. This may have a biological or a genetic basis.

However, some psychologists argue that depression and other disorders such as phobias are caused by irrational thought processes, where the patient becomes locked into inflexible negative thought patterns, and is unable to view a situation in a neutral and objective light.

Another way to define psychopathology is a deviation from ideal mental health. This is viewed as the most comprehensive approach by some psychologists, because it provides a benchmark for most mental health problems.

However, good mental health may be subject to cultural bias—for example in the West, we value freedom of speech and autonomy of action, but other cultures place a higher value on loyalty and duty to country or family.

When you consider case study psychology, you will have the chance to explore and debate these issues in more depth.

What Can Students Expect From A-Level Psychology?

Psychology is one of the most popular subjects to study at A-level, despite the fact that most schools do not offer it as a GCSE subject. Therefore, many 15- and 16-years olds may have selected it because it matches their interests or aspirations, but aren’t quite sure what to expect. Here is an overview for anyone starting an A level course in September.

Psychology teaches you essential academic techniques

During the course, you will learn about the importance of research and experiments. These are the key tools of the psychologist, and depending on the syllabus that you study, you may even have the chance to design, conduct, and evaluate an experiment of your own. You’ll certainly be a whole lot more familiar with the process by the end of the course.

You’ll learn about the human condition

What more valuable way to spend your time here on earth learning all about the human condition? It’s the key to understanding and interpreting the world around us, from our closest friends and family to foreign cultures. It can prove to be enriching and help you manage your own relationships better. 

Understanding how and why we have evolved to think in the way we do can give you more insight into yourself, and your patterns of behaviour, as well. It can be very useful to help identify positive and negative traits in ourselves, and learn how to manage them successfully.

It will develop your critical thinking skills

At A level, you will be expected to do a lot more than passively absorb and regurgitate information. You will need to become an active and independent thinker, and probe information for its veracity, prejudices, and weaknesses.

 In short, by the time you have finished the course, you will be able to critically deconstruct any piece of information that you come across. An invaluable skill in today’s world, where there is a mass of information available, but not necessarily a lot of quality control to go with it!

You will learn about moral complexities

The more of the subject you learn, the more that you will realise that nothing is black and white. You will have the opportunity to tackle ethical questions and issues, about how research and experiments are conducted, and also wider problems facing society. In a world of increasingly polarised and angry opinions, this is a very valuable tool.

You will have a basic grounding in scientific topics

Some of the branches of science that are relevant to psychology, such as biology, will usually be included in the syllabus. You won’t need to be studying other science A level topics to be able to understand it, so don’t worry if you think that this is not going to be your thing.

You will be a better all-round student

The course includes core topics on how the memory works, and this will help you in all of your studies. You will learn how to focus and how to revise effectively for exams. There are also a lot of written assignments to hone your English and grammar skills.

For more information about resources for psychology, please get in touch today.

6 Christmas Holiday Tips For Teachers

It’s almost time for the Christmas break, and no doubt teachers in secondary and higher education will be looking forward to the holidays. Teaching can be a stressful job, and the last few weeks before Christmas can be particularly hectic, with deadlines and extracurricular events taking up extra time. 

However, it is not always easy to switch off your mind from work, and wind down for a while. To make the most from your time off, it can help to set some boundaries. Remember that this isn’t just about not working, but it’s about making sure you are sufficiently well rested so that you can perform at your best next term. 

Block off the first few days for yourself

No doubt you will have brought home with you a sackful of marking and lesson planning to catch up on. However tempting it may be to try and get it done and dusted, put it to one side and have at least a few work-free days. You’ve earned it! Sleep in, go for a walk, read a book (but not a work-related book!).

Don’t talk about your job

Try and avoid socialising with other teachers, and if you have to (say, if you are married to one…) don’t talk about work. It might be tempting to let off steam about a particular class or colleague, or some school-related issue, but this is rarely helpful and will just keep work at the forefront of your mind.

Avoid email

Furthermore, don’t be tempted to check your work emails during holiday times, and mute any work-based WhatsApp groups. Your colleagues shouldn’t be contacting you during official leave time, and you don’t have to reply. 

Go back to neglected hobbies

Chances are your hobbies and interests have taken a back seat during term time. If you have a half-finished oil painting in the garage, or you’ve not been to the gym in weeks, take advantage of your time off to catch up.

Plan some days out

If lounging around in front of Netflix with a box of chocolates is just not your thing, then plan some days out. This will take you out of your usual orbit, and give you a fresh perspective on any problems which have been bothering you. After all, travel broadens the mind, and makes you a more interesting teacher.

If you are super organised, you might even consider jetting off for a week or so somewhere distinctly sunnier than the damp and chilly UK.

If you really can’t switch off…

If you know that switching off is impossible, and the guilt and worry about not getting work-related stuff done will ruin your me-time anyway, maybe consider just getting the urgent tasks out of the way before the big day. However, pace yourself so that you have at least a few days’ break before the start of the new term.

Remember that by being refreshed and rested, you will be bringing your best self back to the classroom. 
If need some resources for psychology, please visit our website today.