Student says getting coming to Salford via Clearing was ‘best decision’ of her life

A University of Salford (@SalfordUni) student says she ‘couldn’t imagine’ studying anywhere else after gaining a place on the BSc (Hons) Zoology course through Clearing.

Becky, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, contacted different universities via Clearing when she didn’t get the grades she needed for her original university choice.

But it was the University of Salford which stood out to her.

She said:

“I called lots of universities, including one I’d originally applied for. But after looking at different university comparison sites I really liked the location of the University of Salford and the Zoology degree course sounded good. 

“I was interested in the trip in the final year, which was to Brazil. Because I was offered a place at Salford I went on the Clearing visit day and I made my choice from there.

“I felt really nervous before I called Salford’s Clearing hotline because I thought I might have missed out on my chance to go to university. But the people on the other end of the phone made me feel a lot better. They were really kind and they helped calm me down. 

“When I called up, I knew I was interested in Zoology but I was willing to go for anything Biology or Zoology based, so I told them what I was primarily interested in and we also discussed related courses. But after talking through my options I knew that I still had my heart set on Zoology.”

On reflection, Becky says the process was much easier that she’d thought; she only had to answer a couple of ‘getting-to-know-me’ questions.

“The person I spoke to on the phone was really kind. They asked me how I was doing, which was something other universities didn’t, and that made me feel really supported. When they asked me if I’d like to apply, it was just a few questions over the phone. Then after a quick chat with the tutor I was offered a place.”

She’s described studying at Salford as ‘probably the best decision I’ve ever made.’

Becky explained:

“I didn’t expect to come here but I couldn’t imagine myself going anywhere else now. The course itself was wonderful and the lecturers were fantastic – really supportive and approachable. I loved every part of my degree and I’ve even progressed onto postgraduate study.”

Becky went on to stay at Salford to do a research master’s in palaeontology – a topic she gained an interest in through the modules she studied during her undergraduate degree. It was a route suggested by a lecturer while she was writing her undergraduate dissertation.

“I’m now in the final stages of my master’s and I’ve loved the challenge of doing a research qualification. It’s been great to work on this niche topic within my field, with an academic who shares my interests.” 

Find out more about Clearing at the University of Salford here.