My name is Ivana and I joined the University of Surrey through Clearing. On A-Level results day, I didn’t receive the grades for my firm and insurance choice, so I was faced with going through Clearing. I was very much under pressure as prior to results day, my understanding was that the Clearing experience could be quite stressful. However, it was important to remember that I had options and to try not to stress too much.

When I first considered Surrey, it was mainly down to the Politics and Economics course but particularly the way in which I’d be assessed. As well as gaining a lot of information from the Surrey Clearing page, I also went online and was able to speak to a member of the Clearing admissions team who made me aware of important information relating to Surrey and the course I was applying for.

Why I chose Surrey

For me, I was particularly interested in the ways I’d be assessed and if there was an opportunity to do a placement/work abroad year after the second year of study and Surrey offered that. I was attracted to the fact that I wouldn’t have purely exams, and it was a mixture of coursework and online tests which reassured me that Surrey would be a great fit for me!

Next I wanted to be close to home as I had spent the last few years quite far from home as I attended a boarding secondary school and, as I live just outside of London, the journey was quite short and would allow me to visit home often at ease. Most importantly, I looked at Surrey’s statistics which included student satisfaction, graduate opportunities and its ranking and I was very pleased with what I saw which is why I chose Surrey.

My advice if you’re going through Clearing too

There is still hope! You may feel that Clearing is not the ideal place to be heading on A-Level results day but you must remember that you cannot predict if it’ll take you there or not. At the end of the day, you will find the university for you, if you don’t secure your top two choices.

Whilst A-Level Results Day is a day I would not like to repeat, I am thankful for how reassuring and supportive the Surrey team were in helping me make the choice I did within a short span of time and with little prior knowledge. Since being at Surrey, I have made the best of memories, fallen in love with a new area and felt so comfortable studying my undergraduate degree.

My life as a Surrey student

I’m about to finish my first year at Surrey which is surreal to think about. The year has flown by so fast and I’d re-live it with a click of a finger! It’s been a very full-on year, getting used to undergraduate study, facing challenges within my degree, battling with the work-life balance; however, it has all been made possible through the support of friends, family and the members of staff surrounded by me daily.

I have spent a good amount of this year in the library, exploring the different areas I can get my work done as well as in social areas such as in the Hive where I can meet up with friends and have a nice time! I am very much looking forward to second year and will definitely miss Surrey over the summer holidays but there is more to come as I return to progress with my studies.

Good luck!