A Biomedical Science student who joined De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) through Clearing in 2020 has said she “could not have asked for better support” during her first year.
Sofia Famela, 20, had originally applied to universities in her home city of Birmingham but when her A-levels results weren’t quite what she expected, she decided to look at alternative options.
“I started thinking about my next steps and that’s when my teachers said I could apply for Biomedical Science at other universities through Clearing,” explained Sofia.
“I contacted DMU through WhatsApp and they got back to me straight away. I told them the grades I had and the course I was interested in and they took care of the rest. It really was as simple as that.
“They were really helpful and talked me through the whole process and what would happen next. It was so straightforward, I was surprised by how simple the whole process was.”
A few weeks after applying through Clearing, Sofia secured her place on the Biomedical Science course at DMU.
“I was nervous about joining a university that I hadn’t been to but I needn’t have worried because everybody at DMU has been so supportive since that initial conversation,” continued Sofia.
“Not long after confirming my place, I got a call from student reps at DMU who chatted to me about student life and what to expect. They asked if I had any questions and let me know they were there to help with any queries I might have.
“That made me feel more comfortable and I knew then I’d made the right decision.”
Since starting her course last September, Sofia has dived straight into university life and is now a course rep for Biomedical Science, meaning she meets regularly with other students on the course to discuss what they enjoy and what could be improved, to provide feedback to their lecturers and tutors
“Because of the pandemic we’ve been working in a mostly online environment, so I knew that students might need a bit more support,” she explained. “I wanted to be an advocate for current students but also future students who choose this course and being a course rep allows me to do that.
“Even though I stayed at home in Birmingham and did the majority of my first year online, I still felt really supported by DMU and that’s mainly down to how helpful the lecturers have been. I really enjoyed my first year.”
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Sofia also said her course mates have been a great support network, thanks to the group WhatsApp chats they have set up.
“Even though we’ve not been studying together in person we still speak regularly,” she said. “One of the things I love about DMU is how diverse the community is. There are students from all over the globe so you get to speak and study with people from different countries and different cultures.
“I never realised that about DMU or Leicester before studying here, but it’s definitely one of the things I love most.”
While Sofia didn’t move to Leicester for her first year because of the pandemic, she is now planning to make the move for the second year.
“There’s a group of us on the course who are hoping to rent a property together in Leicester, which I am looking forward to,” she said.
“I’ve been to visit the city and I just love how calm it is. It’s not too big or overwhelming and the DMU campus is within walking distance to the city centre.
“I’m so glad I took the decision to apply through Clearing.”
Posted on Wednesday 14 July 2021