Clearing hotline re-ignites student’s scientific ambitions

09/08/07

Clearing hotline re-ignites student’s scientific ambitions

When A-level results day didn’t quite go to plan for Kazuwa Mandikate, he decided to take immediate action. The 20 year old from Wood Green, North London, narrowly missed the grades he needed for a university place to study biomedical science. But a call to the Kingston University Clearing hotline meant his academic aspirations weren’t left on hold for long.

 “I went on the internet to look at the UCAS course vacancies website and then hit the phones straight away,” he said. “Some universities I spoke to weren’t very helpful, but when I got through to the Kingston University Clearing hotline my mind was immediately put at rest. The operator was very reassuring and supportive. He told me there was a course vacancy available so I came in to talk to a tutor and a week later I found out I definitely had a place.”

Kazuwa has just completed his first year on the course and is loving every minute. “The facilities at the University are excellent and Kingston itself is a great place to study with the lovely riverside setting and lots of shops and bars,” he said. “The lecturers are really encouraging and everyone on my course mingles so I’ve made lots of new friends.”

Now Kazuwa is thinking of going on to study nutrition when he graduates in 2010.  “I practice martial arts so I’m interested in what I eat and how that influences the mind and body,” he said.

Kazuwa’s advice to anyone going through the Clearing process this year is to stay calm and not to panic. “My experience has shown me that having to apply through Clearing’s not the end of the world. You can still go to a good university and you might even find that you end up somewhere better than where you originally planned to go to, which is exactly what happened to me.”

• Find out more about Clearing at Kingston University.