Lauren applied through Clearing to follow her passion for music

Lauren Howell, 20, had great offers from three universities. She finished her course with a triple distinction star but decided to decline all three offers and apply for a place through Clearing on a very different course.

Lauren originally studied for a BTEC in travel and tourism at college, however, some soul-searching and a long look at her career ambitions found her in contact with a music tutor at The Manchester College.

I was thinking about it a lot and it just clicked that I didn’t want to study that subject in so much depth. Music and the arts are something that I’ve really enjoyed and I’ve never really had the chance to study.

Lauren was apprehensive, taking such a courageous step away from what she'd studied before, but some great support from the course tutor at The Manchester College encouraged her to follow her passion:

I had no particular music background - I don’t play particularly, I don’t have any qualifications or past education – I genuinely didn't think they'd take me on! But I had an interview with the course leader… I knew a lot more than you would probably expect, because of my own passion… he felt comfortable to take me on, obviously with my good educational background but also from my wanting to go in and learn. I was honoured!

Lauren is glad she made the decision to change direction:

I wasn’t quite sure how I’d fall in to the course because people in my class had done a bit of music technology – I had no experience of that whatsoever. But I settled in well. It’s not all about your past education, it’s about what you’re going to learn. I have really enjoyed the course.

Lauren finishes her Foundation Degree in Music Industries Management this summer. As well as her degree, she has a great potential employment opportunity with one of the UK's biggest music promoters:

I do potentially have a job opportunity at SJM later in the year… for now I’m going to manage a band, which is pretty cool. They’re a college band from the music performance course here and they approached me.