Dr Toni Schwarz, Deputy Dean

“This week is one of the most important weeks in the University calendar, ‘clearing week’. This is technically a misnomer as activity has already begun and goes on for longer than the week!

This is also one of the most important weeks for our applicants as it decides their next 3 years and beyond. For many it’s the single biggest decision they will have made to date, and for those who have successfully achieved their grades or who have had an unconditional offer there is the realisation of what is to come which fully ‘hits home’.

For those of us who are involved in clearing week it is a time where we have to adapt our skills and expertise to deal with the applicant in front of us. Some may have been more successful in their examinations and want to swap their university choices to us, so its about our ability to share as much information and detail with them about our courses and to give them a thumbnail sketch of why they should come to us to study. For others it will be a more difficult conversation, as they may not have achieved their expected results and are now considering their options. Here we have an optimal window of influence and conversion to one of our options. Our care and compassion in managing these calls and enquiry cannot be underestimated in influencing the applicants decision. This year we also have on offer a Foundation Year in Sport and Health. This year is for those students who have just missed out on their UG entry but are still very invested in wanting to come to us as great and supportive university; so I know colleagues are working hard on getting the information to share with our future students.

Whilst this is a very busy time of year for us, there is also a great buzz about the place. It’s great to be involved in enabling our future students shape their lives, to make the right choice for them and to then support them in their learning and development throughout their course. It’s at the very beginning of the transforming lives journey with us.

So, I want to say, in advance, a thank you to all staff who are involved during the clearing period, be that taking calls, managing queries, interviewing applicants and so on. It is a very well oiled machine, run skilfully by our Head of Recruitment Jane Saunders and Jo Stone so I know we are in good hands.”