June 26, 2024
Find Ellie’s story on the RGU student blog here.
RGU student Ellie shares her journey applying to RGU through Clearing to study Law, and all the support she received from RGU before and after she enrolled.
Why did you apply through Clearing?
After receiving my university offers in early 2020, I decided to make a change and confirmed an offer to study away from Aberdeen since I had grown up and spent my entire life here. Spending the next several months at home during lockdown gave me time to think about my next steps at university, and caused me to question my decision to move away, but I hoped it was just cold feet.
In August 2020, I ultimately decided to withdraw my place at university. And since I had spent most of my time at secondary school planning to attend RGU, I got in touch with the admissions department to find out if my original offer could still be used. I was made aware of the clearing process and began my new application.
How did you find the Clearing experience?
The clearing process could not have been simpler. I was given a phone number to WhatsApp, providing my grades and a photograph of my SQA certificate to speed up the process. They informed me that they could still consider and accept my application, and guided me through how to re-apply on UCAS.
The whole process was completed within a few days, and RGU’s admissions department supported me through the entire process and were available to answer any questions or concerns. This really put my mind at ease after making such a big decision only a matter of weeks before the semester was due to begin.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying through clearing?
Clearing is a much less daunting process than it may seem. It moves very quickly, but there is always someone there to help and support you through the experience. Having all of your information and necessary documents near will definitely speed up the process and make things much smoother!
In the grand scheme of things, beginning your university journey through clearing means very little. Just because you joined slightly later does not mean that the beginning of your journey will be any different, and RGU kept me up to speed with everything I needed to know before beginning the semester.
My final piece of advice would be to take the step and just go for it. Applying through clearing was definitely one of the best decisions I have made, so I am extremely grateful for the option to use the clearing process rather than waiting another year to attend university.
Why did you choose RGU?
Being from Aberdeen, I always considered RGU as one of my main options for university. My dad and brother both attended RGU and spoke so highly of their time here which made me think I would enjoy it as well. So, I looked into what RGU had to offer at the beginning of the UCAS process.
RGU’s modern approach to teaching appeared very different from the approach taken by other universities, and seemed to create a much more inclusive and comfortable environment for higher education. I was able to hear from other students studying law from different universities across Scotland, and was extremely interested by the fact that many of the RGU Law School’s lecturers were still practicing solicitors. This made it clear that the method of teaching I could experience at RGU would be the most up-to-date and the most beneficial in positioning students for a career in law.
Finally, one of the main factors which attracted me to RGU was its commitment to making university accessible to students from all backgrounds through initiatives like Access, and setting realistic entry requirements for schools that are underrepresented in higher education which benefitted me greatly.
What have been the highlights of your time studying at RGU?
Beginning university during the peak of COVID was extremely daunting, but RGU went above and beyond to make my cohort comfortable and give us as normal of an experience as possible given the restrictions at the time. Being able to come onto campus during the first semester was so beneficial as this allowed me to make friends quickly, which I wouldn’t have been able to do if we were not meeting in person since I did not move into student halls.
Throughout my studies, I have had some excellent lecturers, and their support and encouragement have been vital in helping me achieve my goal of graduating with a first-class honours. The modules I was able to study provided me with such topical knowledge which will be relevant for securing a job. This knowledge was also ultimately a driving force behind me securing a summer placement and later a legal traineeship with a highly competitive international law firm during my third year at university.
My final and most memorable highlight at RGU was submitting my dissertation, the largest and most important piece of work from my entire four years, alongside my three best friends from university and getting photos on campus with them to celebrate the completion of our studies!
