Students who don’t make the Higher grades they need for a place at university are being advised not to panic as the results come out today (Tuesday, August 9) as places are still available on a wide range of courses at the University of Aberdeen.
The Clearing team at the University will be on hand seven days a week to answer calls from prospective students looking for a place in higher education. The Clearing hotline is open from 8.00am to 8.00pm, Monday to Friday and 9.00am to 5.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
A special web site: www.abdn.ac.uk/clearing/ is available with up-to-the-minute advice and information on course vacancies. The telephone number to call is: (01224) 273504, or email: clearing@abdn.ac.uk
Dominic Houlihan, Vice Principal, said that Clearing can be a time of confusion and stress for many students and their parents. “Clearing is the last opportunity that prospective students will have of obtaining a place at university this year, so it is very important that they go about it in the right way,” he said.
“It may be that the student will not have gained the necessary qualifications for the course in which they were originally interested, but may have done better in subjects that they had not really expected to. This may allow them to think about studying a totally different subject. That is what we are here to advise them on and the message that we want to get across is that we are ready to take their calls.”
Dominic added: "The Clearing team at the University will be on hand seven days a week to answer calls from prospective students looking for a place in higher education.
"The University of Aberdeen continues to be a popular choice for students. Places are still available on a range of courses at Aberdeen, except Medicine, Law and Primary Education."
Graham Wood, from Newcastle, is a student at the University in his fourth year in religious studies. He is one of the University’s Student Ambassadors and one of his tasks is to help students get through the Clearing process.
He said: “We try to make it as easy as possible. If students don’t have the grades they need, it can be very stressful and we try to put them at ease as quickly as possible. There are also students who have done better than expected and want to upgrade.
“Obviously, we try to get them into Aberdeen but if that is not appropriate we will do our best to advise them and we try at all times to accommodate their needs. We are on good terms with the other institutions, and if we don’t have a place for a student we will pass them on to other institutions.”
The University has also organised an event for students and their parents. The University-wide pre-application Open Day is one of the biggest events in the University calendar and will be held on Tuesday, August 23. It is aimed mainly at those interested in coming to study at the University in September 2006 although late applicants for 2005 entry will also be very welcome to attend.
The aim of the Open Day is to provide an opportunity for prospective students to find out more about what the University has to offer. Parents, teachers and friends are also welcome and it is anticipated that over 4,000 visitors will visit, some from as far afield as Italy, Greece, and Germany.
A packed programme of events has been planned to showcase the University, ranging from presentations and departmental activities, to exhibitions, demonstrations and campus tours.
For further information about the University’s Open Day, please call the freephone telephone number: 0800 027 1495, or to speak to a member of the University’s Clearing team call: (01224) 273504.