Thousands of prospective students have been finding out about studying at Kent – with help from a dedicated University team.
This year’s ‘Clearing’ process – where students apply for the last remaining university places just before the start of term – has been busier than ever. The University’s new online application system and Clearing telephone hotline received thousands of applications and calls during the first two days following publication of the A level results on 13 August 2015.
Steven Holdcroft, Head of Recruitment and Admissions Office (Enrolment Management Services (EMS)): ‘Clearing is always a huge team effort and no two years are the same. This year, with the lifting of the cap on student numbers, the ending of the student maintenance grant in 2016 and the introduction of a new online application system, we were unsure what to expect.
‘However, our new IT system worked extremely well and we received a record 4,500 applications within 48 hours of the start of Clearing. During this short period, we were able to make over 1,200 offers to well qualified applicants and receive more than 500 firm acceptances.’
Behind the scenes
Working behind the scenes to ensure that all ran smoothly for both prospective students and students wishing to confirm their places were staff from departments including Enrolment Management Services (EMS), Estates, Information Services (IS) and Hospitality, as well as academic Schools and current and former students.
(Left to right) – Russell Jordan; Steve Holdcroft; Lydia Greenhalgh; Laetitia Gullett; David Newell; Julie Deary; Emma Drewitt; Laura West; Michelle Rowe
Michelle Rowe, Recruitment & Marketing Manager (EMS): ‘It might seem that Clearing only lasts a relatively short while, but there’s a lot of work behind the scenes. It’s not just a case of picking up and doing it – there are ten months of hard work beforehand and people across the University pulling together to make things happen.’
For example, work on the new online Clearing application system has been underway since November 2014 by a project team including Natalie McRae and James Grant, Analyst Programmers for IS. They have used SITS system tools to tailor an innovative Clearing system that’s unique to Kent.
James Grant: ‘The new more responsive system allows people to make applications from anywhere. For example, this year compared to previous Clearings, we’ve received double the number of applications via mobile devices.’
Natalie McRae: ‘The new system has meant that applicants have had much more control over their applications. They can interact with the system, see changes to their application live in their portal and apply to other courses simply and quickly, as the system retains lots of their information.’
Busy call centre
Despite the early success of the online application process, the Clearing call centre has been extremely busy. The team of 38 operators – made up of current and recently-graduated students – received around 4,000 calls from potential students on A level results day. Almost 2,000 calls were handled the following day – despite the challenges of a flood and power-cut during horrendous rainstorms!
Call centre for Clearing 2015
Michelle Rowe: ‘Our call-handlers are mainly students, some of whom have themselves joined Kent through the Clearing process. We feel that they’re best placed to offer advice on the student experience here and what callers should do next.’
Call-handlers receive three days of intensive training before the hotline opens and are supported by a team of staff, led by Michelle and her colleagues in EMS. Students involved this year all stress the support they received and the difference they have been able to make to potential new students.
Chris Handley (BA Hons Religious Studies): ‘As soon as the lines opened on Thursday, calls started flooding in, and carried on persistently until when the lines closed at 7pm. It has been a very rewarding job, and is made all the better when you are able to give individuals the news that they have managed to achieve a place to study at Kent in September.’
Dawn Rollason (BSc Hons Psychology): ‘The first day we were live was great, it was extremely busy but so enjoyable. I cannot thank the (EMS) staff enough for their help – they were always on hand, calm and had unending patience. Working on the Clearing hotline has been a fabulous experience and made me realise how lucky I am to be a student here and be involved in things like this.’
Ongoing support
Helping ensure the call centre, based in the Jennison Building on Canterbury campus, ran smoothly was Mark Ellis, Director of IT and Technical Services for the School of Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA).
Mark Ellis, Director of IT and Technical Services for the School of Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA)
Mark Ellis: Every year, we host the call centre, provide all the PCs and offer support on the ground. This year, we made a special effort to ensure that the PCs were moved to a generator so that they were not affected by a power-cut – which was just as well given the weather on the first day! There’s a lot of background work to ensure the room and equipment are as resilient as they can be.’
The University switchboard also plays an indispensable part in ensuring that calls get through to the calls centre – Deputy Supervisor Richard Simpson and his three-strong team expect to quadruple the number of calls they receive during the Clearing period.
Richard Simpson, Deputy Switchboard Supervisor: ‘On results day, calls start coming in around 8am with the switchboard opening at 8.30am so we make sure we’re all in by then. On a ‘normal’ day, we usually handle around 350-450 calls, but on the first day of Clearing we can add around 1,000 for the first day alone.’
The switchboard team’s involvement starts long before results day – they attend Clearing planning meetings with other University staff from January onwards. This year, the team also oversaw major improvements to both the call centre software and servers to ensure that the call centre was completely resilient.
Sarah Cooke, Telecoms & Administration Manager: ‘We recognise the telephone system can be an essential tool at this business-critical time and we have been investing in major improvements which will continue past this year’s Clearing and into the future.’
Role of Schools
Clearing is obviously a busy time too for admissions and recruitment staff within individual Schools. Admissions and recruitment officers are on standby throughout the Clearing period to ensure decisions on places are made as quickly as possible.
Call centre for Clearing 2015
Victoria Hart, Admissions and Recruitment Manager, School of Arts: ‘We went into Clearing in a very strong position having already achieved our original Week 0 target by the time results day arrived. On the whole, we were incredibly pleased with the applications we received.’
Steve Robinson, Head of Student Recruitment, Kent Business School: ‘KBS has been incredibly busy during the clearing period with a great deal of interest in our programmes at both Canterbury and Medway.’
Post-Clearing
The Clearing hotline runs at full pelt for the first few days following the A level results and then, as call numbers become more manageable, a number of staff are transferred to help with an accommodation hotline for confirmed students.
Russell Jordan, Recruitment Officer for the Recruitment and Admissions Office
Derek Goss, Student Accommodation Manager: ‘The accommodation office operates a telephone call centre by recruiting ten students for a three-week period to help answer the many questions and queries about accommodation and the University. This year, we were able to offer rooms to around 700 applicants at Canterbury and Medway via the Clearing process.’
Staff in other departments including EMS, Student Services, IS and Corporate Communications are also busy preparing for the start of term – with, for example, ‘getting started’ information for new students and Welcome Week arrangements.
Steve Holdcroft: ‘While clearing forms only a small part of the work of the recruitment and admissions team, it is nonetheless a critical period for the University on which millions of pounds of tuition fee income rests. It is a great example of how staff from across all areas of the University can work effectively together to ensure the best students are recruited so that they may take advantage of the fantastic opportunities that the Kent student experience can offer.’