Alarum and despondency

[taimatsu]

I did manage to produce things for both Robert and I to wear at the Bladelands event. Said event went very well. I am knackered. More another time.

I am alarmed and distressed because I have just worked out (d'oh) that 18th August, the day Clearing starts for ths autumn's university vacancies, is the day before I piss off for eleven days on a campsite in Wales. This is seriously non-ideal. I don't know what to do. I mean, I only want to do English at Reading, so it's not like I have to make big decisions - either there is a vacancy or there isn't. But if there is one on the first day and I apply, I'm then not there to talk to them if they want me for an interview etc. If there isn't one on the first day, I then miss eleven days of possible vacancies which will be snapped up like nobody's business. My chances of getting a place this time round were already slim, and now they look so non-existant that I doubt it's worth bothering my former tutor for a reference. :(

Edited to add: Of course, I could skip the event in favour of Clearing. However, I have been looking forward to this event for months and months, have already paid for it on a block booking scheme (hence no refund possible) and would hate to miss it. If I were sure there would be a vacancy I probably *would* miss it, but I have not the faintest idea how likely Reading is to have places going in Clearing, and missing the trip for the very small chance that I might have the possibility of applying for a place I might not get is not looking like a good deal.

Comments

[juliet]

Will you definitely not have mobile coverage? I was amazed at how good the coverage was out in Islay, so you might be in luck. What about a payphone in the vicinity - could you go up once/twice a day & phone to find out the situation?

[j4.livejournal.com]

You have a mobile phone -- if they contact you to ask you to come for an interview, then they can still get in touch with you while you're in Wales. Could you get back at short-ish notice if necessary? (You could phone to check for vacancies from Wales as well...)

Ask your tutor for the reference anyway. I asked my former tutor for a reference every time I applied for a job, and I didn't get most of the jobs I applied for (obviously, because I stopped applying once I'd got one!). They're used to it. If you get a reference and don't use it, it matters a lot less than if you need one and don't have one. If you've asked them for a reference before, they'll be able to update the one they wrote last time; if you haven't, they'll be able to update this one next time (if you need a reference from them again).

And a question you can answer to yourself quietly rather than on LJ: are you trying to convince yourself that it's impossible to try to get a place so you don't have to risk not getting one? (Or am I just projecting?)

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Okay, as someone who works with *curses* Clearing you could a) call Reading nowish to find out if they are planning on going into Clearing - they'll know now, and possibly even arrange for a place (subject to all the paperwork and gumpf). Otherwise, unless they're very different than us, you'll be able to arrange things on day 1, and sort out forms (etc) before you go OR once you're back.

Alternatively, call Andy and see if you can change 1 event (etc) for a forthcoming one/towards Xmas/etc...?

[taimatsu]

Basically, no. Candleston's not good for mobiles (it's right on the south Wales coast), and my phone is an utter piece of crap anyway which I can't afford to replace. No idea about payphones - but who would I be phoning? I can't ask my father/brothers to handle this for me, and Robert will be with me at the event.

[quisalan.livejournal.com]

It's 11 days - and clearing might get done quickly. What you could do is give Robert everything you need, and he goes up to the event by car, and you stay at home for a few days just in case. It'll give you some peace of mind and a chance for interview.

The set yourself a deadline. If they don't get back to you in 3 days, you head up there by train. It means missing 3 days of the event and having to train it up there, but it might be worth it, and allows you to do both things you want to do since they don't have to be mutually exclusive...

Just a suggestion?

[taimatsu]

As I've just said to Juliet, the campsite has almost no mobile coverage, and my phone just won't cope. I guess I could beg my father for cash for a new one.

This is UCAS rather than employment reference - I don't think I've asked her for one before. I might well do it anyway, you're right.

[taimatsu]

Yes, this is possible. I'll definitely consider it.

[taimatsu]

Who do I call at Reading? The department? The general Admissions people? The departmental admissions people? It's all hideously confusing...

You are lovely, and I will possibly ask you more questions if that's all right.

[(Anonymous)]

Hey Hatsu-san,

Come away with us instead! Reading is pants for English anyway.

If you're still up for it, we're leaving London on the 16th, so you'd need to meet us at the airport somehow. Get yourself on an EasyJet flight to Riga and bob's your uncle, fanny's your cat! Five weeks in sunneh Latvia at your disposal. And my dad is paying for the villa, so all you'd need would be a groundsheet and a change of clothing (villa has dishwasher but no beds i'm afraid, so it'll be camping!) I'm afraid no partners allowed.

Libby (Suoki's big sister) x

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Either the general admissions office, or the admissions people in the department (what course are you after? full time or part time? i'll try to work out who that is if'n you like), either way the first should be able to get you to the other - the admissions tutor for the subject is probably the second best port of call, the best being whoever their assistant/monkey is.

Feel free to ask away - i've got some experience after all :)

[taimatsu]

FT. I've probably been in contact with whoever it is before, actually, having emailed people about PT stuff and credit transfer.

[taimatsu]

?

[juliet]

I meant phone the tutor/applications people/whoever it is that one contacts on such occasions.

Could you borrow a better-quality phone for the week (if you ask your FL you may find that someone has a spare)? Or give them Robert's number, if his is better? Or swap SIMs?

[chrisvenus]

No idea about payphones - but who would I be phoning?

Well who would you be calling if you were at home? If you have to call them to get a place in clearing then its no different. If they are going to call you then I'd have thought they'd leave a message so all you need to do is check your messages on the phone, not necessarily have 24/7 coverage.

If you don't think you'll be able to find anywhere, on or off the campsite for coverage then I'd be surprised if you can't pick up messages left on your mobile from another phone (eg a payphone). I'm on orange and I can definitely phone an orange number, type in my phone number and a presetup security code and then I'm into my voicemail. So you pick up messages that will presumably say "please call x on this number" and you call them and sort things out from a payphone. Not the most practical way to do things but if its that or not sorting it out then it seems like a good plan. :)

[chrisvenus]

I second this. ANd although I have no experience I am sure that if you explain the problem to them (ie that you are due to be on holiday at that time) that they will be able to narrow down the times that you need to be around, etc. Either that or you could tell them now that you definitely want a place and then they don't need to ask you later and so they have no need to contact you - if a place comes up with your name next to it they don't ask, they just give it to you... Of course, I don't know precisely what needs to get sorted out in clearing...

the way it works here...

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

1- Person calls up, talks with people on the phone to make sure they're qualified. We say yes (or no - end here)
2- A place is held for them for 5 working days, at that point we should have received their CEF (Clearing Entry Form), if not, end here.
3- Once the CEF is here, and signed by the admissions tutor, it goes to UCAS through the central admissions department, and all is done and dusted.

Of course, thats the ideal, without playing about trying to get hold of people and callbacks and what have you...

[j4.livejournal.com]

Can lend you my spare mobile if it's any use -- it's an Orange PAYG SIM in a Motorola Timeport, er, some model or other. The user interface is horrible but it works, has okay-ish battery life, & Orange usually has reasonable coverage everywhere. This is, of course, where you tell me you're already on Orange and it won't work. :-}

["Spare mobile" == I bought a PAYG SIM to stick in an old phone when I lost my phone and desperately needed one before I could get the replacement; now I keep it for emergencies (mine and other people's -- addedentry borrowed it when he lost his phone).]

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Right having just called them the advice i have is call back after 8.15 in the morning - apparently the slackers are all gone!

Feh!
(he says, sloping off)

[taimatsu]

Um, guidelines from UCAS basically say 'don't be on holiday'. Now, this is mostly for kids who are shopping around for courses and might need to call five, six, ten universities about their places and requirements. I don't need to do that, so it's slightly easier for me. But I wouldn't want to call Reading and say 'can I jump the queue, please, I planned badly?' I don't think they will actually be able to give me a Clearing place before Clearing starts.

Krys's suggestion is looking good. I'll probably call Reading (when I have pinned down who to talk to and written myself a script), and ask about the likelihood of vacancies. If they just aren't going to have any, that's that. If they *are*, I'll plan to skip the beginning of the event to sort things out. If they aren't sure, or can't be useful, I'll have to consider things carefully.

Re: the way it works here...

[taimatsu]

That sounds pretty reassuringly simple. Thanks. So if there was a vacancy on the first day, I would want to be by a phone for the next couple of days, ready to talk to tutors and then post off my form, and then I could go to Wales making sure I had a working phone to check the form was received. Is that right?

[taimatsu]

Heh! You are deeply wonderful :) Was that the general UoR admissions dept?

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

That was the switchboard number - i found their website even worse than ours!

Re: the way it works here...

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

If there was a vacancy on the first day (Thursday) you'll have wanted to confirm your interest on the day (or agreed it beforehand) and send your CEF to the department ASAP - you could plausibly pop in physically to hand it over if they're happy with that - then, erm, relax and wait a week or so for official confirmation to come through the letterbox.

You'd not need to miss any of the Shards.

[taimatsu]

I'm on Orange! I have been to numerous eventa at the site; imitially I had no coverage and stopped checking, but then once or twice I did get signal. It's quite strange. So there might be coverage but it's probably not dependable. If I find it necessary I probably will arrange to buy a new phone, with help from my father. It's pretty necessary.

Also, I think Robert could drive me up to the village every so often to check messages.

Things are looking less awful. :)

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to give them a shout tomorrow to enquire as to the odds of places if you like? The details of who to call will be in the papers, but i can try to get that info for you as well.

Re: the way it works here...

[taimatsu]

Woo and yay! I was thinking they might have ten zillion people call and leave messages and then have to get back to them. Or something.

Is agreeing it beforehand plausible?

[taimatsu]

That would be very kind, yes. I am using the UCAS website to apply, and I think they have some useful numbers on already.

[taimatsu]

Oh, confusion. I thought Juliet meant I would call someone who would check the paper/website for me to see if there were vacancies, and handle the whole thing remotely. :)

Thanks for the voicemail tip, I will see about setting that up if I don't sort out a decent phone.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Contact the institute directly rather than through UCAS, but i'll try to get contact details tomorrow.

Re: the way it works here...

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Only in a gentle[wo]mans agreement type way - "with those grades we would be inclined to accept you, please send us your CEF" for example.

go later

[baratron.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I was going to say.

Re: the way it works here...

[taimatsu]

Right, I see :)

[chrisvenus]

I suspect that as long as you stay phone capable it won't be too bad. Its not like you're on holiday in ibiza. If you need to get back to reading for any reason you're only a train ride away. If you are going to be able to check the phone then its not really a problem, I'm sure.

And yes, write a script for the conversation. Or at least a list of all the pieces of information you want to know so you can make sure you cover everything. I hate getting off the phone and realising I forgot to ask something. :)

[damianobf.livejournal.com]

and Candelstone I used to find a walk up to the road gets you a signal. I have got a signal other places as well.

[damianobf.livejournal.com]

oh and just to add to this this was when I was on orange. You don't have to go to the village basically if you walk out the gate by the carp parlk and walk abotu 100 yeards up the road I used to get a signal.

I went to an event when dominic was about 4 weeks old and rang esther atleast 2 or 3 times a day doing this.

Also Andy use to go up their to get a signal.

[purpleheather.livejournal.com]

My mobile works on a tree stump in the car park. For getting a place at uni you can use it as much as you like. I'll bring the car charger and we can charge it on the way to & from Tescos.

(Not read the rest of the comments so no idea if I'm duplicating)

Also, my clearing experiences were that I called Brunel on day 1, and went down the next day for an interview, and during that interview the tutor confirmed my place.

Good luck, and let me know how I can help.

[purpleheather.livejournal.com]

You've got things sorted now, but I don't quite know what the plan is, so...

I will help you in any way I can! I know that Robert can drive, but I can come & collect you from Cardiff train station, or somewhere else. I will get you from Reading, if that's what it takes to get you into uni & at the event!

While I'll miss you if you're not there for the first event (eep, solo healing!) it would be really cool if you got into uni for next year!

When I called Brunel in clearing, one of the things that they commented on was how cheerful I was, and how that was really nice to hear. If you want to practice any conversations then feel free to give me a call.

[taimatsu]

The plan is that I find out how likely it is that there will be English places in Clearing. If there will be none, I basically stop bothering and wait till next year. If there will be some or they are not sure, I check vacancies on the first day and call immediately (as I would anyway) and hang around in Reading long enough to sort everything out, which might take no time at all, or a couple of days. If that means Robert takes my stuff and I follow on the train, that's fine. There's a direct train to Bridgend from Reading, no changes, and it takes less than two hours. :) I would need picking up from there by someone, but it's not clear that it'll be necessary.

[purpleheather.livejournal.com]

That all sounds like a good plan - I can definately get you from Bridgend should that be needed! Take care, and good luck!