Introduction to Clearing

Introduction to Clearing

Tom Griffiths (founder of gapyear.com) writes...

I'll never forget results day. I looked up at the board, found my name, ran my finger across, saw the grades - erm - went back to my name, ran my finger across - no, can't be true - back to my name, ran my fingers across - I couldn't believe my eyes. I'd missed the grades I needed. 

Time stood still. Looking around it was as if everything was happening in slow motion. I was congratulating my mates who had passed, sort of 'consoling' my mates who hadn't. As I waved my mates off to the pub I decided to head home. I felt sick, gutted, fed up, lonely, confused, annoyed (with myself and the exam system!) and, to be honest, completely lost.

I felt I had let myself and my parents down and wasn't completely sure what to do next.

I finally got home and sat there, completely numb. I felt like crying. I kept thinking about all the hard work I had done and the fact that my mates were all going to head off to the places they'd been dreaming of. I thought I was missing out. I kept thinking that life was passing me by.

I don't know how long I sat there beating myself up but I finally snapped out of it and started to ring the universities. Time after time they turned me down, but I was determined to succeed.

Finally it happened. I got to speak to the admissions tutor at Manchester University and grabbed a place (Economics). I was ecstatic and was even able to defer the place for the following year, which meant that I could have my gap year after all.

The beauty of this was that I was first in line for the best accommodation for the following year (as opposed to being last in line for the worst accommodation after clearing!) and I could go away safe in the knowledge that my uni place was safe and sorted.

I had an amazing gap year, an amazing uni life and have absolutely no regrets.

If you've found yourself in the same boat as me, don't panic. This section of gapyear.com will take you through your options...