As A-Level Results Day approaches, the University of Worcester is expecting to be inundated with calls as people look for places on courses through Clearing.
Clearing at universities is the process where students are matched with available places on courses.
Last year was a record breaker at Worcester, with the team taking more than a thousand calls in a single day.
Kristine Mendoza is about to graduate from the University of Worcester after finding her place through Clearing in 2022.
“I’d already spoken to the lecturers at Worcester, and I’d decided I wanted to come,” said Kristine.
“I called the University’s Clearing number on the day and it was really easy, after our conversation I just had to wait for an email and then I was on the course!”
Official data shows one of the main reasons why people use Clearing services is because they’ve changed their mind about the course of study.
Many people coming to the University of Worcester do so after changing their mind on the size or location of the university they want to attend.
Kristine had begun a foundation degree in health and social care at her local university but decided during her time there that a career in healthcare wasn’t for her and she wanted to go into teaching.
She also decided she wanted to immerse herself in university life and move into accommodation away from home. She chose to come to Worcester to study a three-year degree in Education Studies.
She said: “I’d always been inspired by my teachers in the past, and I’m actually still in contact with a lot of them. Education Studies is about the whole education system, not just primary, secondary or early years.”
She continued: “It’s not just learning about schools, we look at different educational settings, we look at policies, we look at teaching in other perspectives, and it has given me the chance to think about lots of different careers.”
The decision to change universities also meant she was able to immerse herself more fully in campus life.
She said: “I wanted a uni-life! I wanted to be a fresher, to meet new friends, to live on my own, to be independent, and coming here meant I got all of that.”
She continued: “If I didn’t come here, I wouldn’t be who I am today. It has made me so confident, I’m now a cheerleader, I’ve been a course representative, a department representative, I’ve started societies, I’ve done so much here.”
As she grew her confidence and expanded her network, Kristine said she was able to explore different career options while at university: “I thought about teaching in the army, and I went on a placement to a primary school, and I was around the children which I loved,” she said.
“This year I finished a placement at a secondary school, and I’ve had so much fun there. I have loved observing different classes and subjects, I’ve been able to observe art lessons, music lessons, drama, and it really confirmed in my mind that I want to teach art because I’ve always loved being creative.”
Kristine is now preparing to study her Postgraduate Certificate in Education so she can teach art at secondary school.
For information on courses at University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries telephone 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk