Like many others, results day wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for. I woke early up at 7 am to check my UCAS, only to find that both choices had rejected me.
Feeling rough, I went into college to grab my results, not knowing what the next stage of my life had in store for me. A few hours later, I was out celebrating the results of my friends and pretending that I had done better than the reality.
I received a phone call from a uni whose name escapes me now, proceeding to tell me that I had done “alright” and that they thought that I would be okay and an adequate fit for them. With little incentive for me to go there, I mulled over my choices and whether the university was even the right choice for me! After eating my body weight in cheap ice cream and waffles I was ready to head home when my phone buzzed again.
It was Brunel.
The person on the other end of the line was the only one who seemed genuinely impressed with my A-Level results and the effort I had put in to earn them. They wanted me to join them and said that I would become a great asset to the university. The passion and interest that Brunel showed in me were second-to-none!
The more research I did around the university, the more confident I felt about going there, and that the choice I was going to make was going to be the correct one. I noted the excellent transport links into central London on the tube, as well as local nightlife and the on-campus night club that plays host to a multitude of social events. There was one caveat, however, that I would have to sit a foundation year.
After more back-and-forth Brunel proved how flexible they were with students, allowing me to take a year out and go into the first year provided I resat one of my exams and achieved a certain grade. Most universities don’t let students defer for a year if they have been offered a place through Clearing, but Brunel was different!
During my year out I only worked a 9-5, but it allowed me to gain some sense of independence in earning a full-time wage, as well as having to study independently to earn my resit grade. I met some amazing people and definitely it helped me to grow as a person before my first year, as well as grow my wallet!
The Clearing process was simple, with universities contacting me, with my only job being to decide which one I wanted to go to. Brunel was the only real one that stood out to me, with how flexible they were, how excited they were to have me; and the quality level of teaching.