Clearing stories: Matt

I ended up applying through Clearing because I did not get the results I expected. I remember opening them on results day, and it was just a bit disappointing, but my family encouraged me to look for the next step, and I started to research different unis around London.

I came across Middlesex, and judging from the website and course content, I saw it as one of my top options. What mattered to me when I was choosing my university was reputation, somewhere that would give me a good chance of future success, and being local to me.

The process of applying to Middlesex was easy. I just went on the website and answered a few simple questions. 

On the first day, that's when I felt like, you know, I've made the right decision. It felt like exactly where I needed to be.

I've met a lot of great people and made great friends here. My academics were very helpful; I really appreciated that it was easy to contact them if I had any questions. One thing I didn't expect was the opportunity to go on trips as a part of the course. Recently, I went on a three-day trip where we visited places like Bournemouth Beach to look for fossils. We also visited the Eden Project, one of the largest greenhouses in the world.

I'm proud of myself for overcoming the little struggles that I faced. And now I've come to a point where I'm quite hopeful for the next two years.

Matt's top-tips 

My top tips if you are thinking of changing your university after you get your results are: 

• Look for opportunities, clearing is a chance to revisit what you want from university and make sure you find somewhere that suits you
• Check out the placement opportunities. For me it was important my degree helped to develop my work skills and included a placement
• Take time to think about what you want. For me, location and the course itself were important but since starting the support and experiences have stood out to me.
• Don’t worry if the university isn’t your first or even second choice. It’s still a great opportunity to build your skills and find work afterwards. 

It's your life, you can change your mind - chat with a current student for an insider view of life at Middlesex.

Chat with a student