additionally
I'm not sure if this will help with your nerves, but it might. The universities offering Clearing (not all do) aren't just doing you a favour - they are desperately trying to achieve their target numbers for the year as well. Each course has to state an expected number of students before the grades are known - in fact, before the students even apply. Partial funding is allocated to the university on the basis of those figures. If a university fails to achieve their targets, they lose money and that impacts on next year's targets. It is in a university's interest to fill their places (we academics don't get a say in this policy, unfortunately, or it'd be all research and no teaching) so Clearing is something both the university and the prospective student need.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 14 Aug 2008, 10:01, Reply)