For my A-Levels I did Maths, Chemistry and Biology. You’re thinking the same thing as me, why on earth would someone want to put themselves through that (I still don’t know to this day)? I originally wanted to do Medicine but changed my mind to study Natural Science before applying to university. Once I started studying for my A-Levels, it hit me that I didn’t enjoy science as much as I used to, and I called the universities I had applied to and had my offers changed to Economics. It’ll make you laugh to know that I now study Accounting and Finance. So let me tell you the story of how all this happened…
Firstly, I want to say that the A-Levels that I did were the hardest exams I’ve ever done. The pressure on you is immense but trust me there is light on the other side! When I applied for university, I had every confidence in the world I would get into my top choices. I applied for Economics at Bath (firm) and Nottingham (insurance) which required A*AA and AAA respectively. My parents were telling me that I needed to have a backup plan but foolishly I didn’t listen.
I could barely sleep the night before results day, anticipating what was to be but that morning I woke up and was in for a shock. At around 7am we were preparing to go to my secondary school to pick up the results when I received and email from UCAS informing me that I hadn’t got into either of my selected universities. My heart sank. The first response from my parents was “what happens now”? We got to school as quickly as we could, and I opened my results to find I had got BBB. Looking back on it, I’m incredibly proud of my grades but 18-year-old James didn’t feel that way one bit. I hadn’t expected to go through clearing and didn’t even know where to start but my teachers were fantastic. They took me to a desk with a computer, informed me of how to start and off I went. I called about 25 universities that day and was often met with straight no’s once I got through their phone queue. I recall one lady even chuckling when I told her my grades. When I got through to the University of Surrey, I was met by a warm, reassuring voice that offered me a place studying Accounting and Finance. I had a couple of offers from different universities with limited time to decide so I prioritised which universities I’d most like to visit and booked myself in to visit them. I saw two universities the day after and was left feeing unsure but the minute I drove into the Surrey campus I knew it was the one for me.
If you find yourself in Clearing, I know how overwhelming it can feel in the moment – I’ve been there. It might not have been part of your original plan, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the right path for you. Take a breath, ask for help, and give yourself the chance to explore your options. For me, Clearing led me somewhere I hadn’t expected, but genuinely couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. You’ve still got time, and there are great opportunities out there, sometimes it just takes a different route to find them.
