Lauren Redfern

Media Production - BA

Lauren didn’t feel like the first university she attended was the right fit for her. After her first year, she made a last-minute decision to drop out and apply to Media Production at BCU through Clearing. She’s now on her way to becoming a successful Radio Presenter and has already worked with the BBC and Black Country Radio.

“I originally went to a university outside of Birmingham to study acting, but after one year, I knew it wasn’t for me. The university I’d chosen didn’t feel like a good fit. I had friends who stayed in Birmingham after college, studied at BCU and loved their university experience! They told me that the creative courses have a hands-on approach that prepares you to work in the industry.

I decided to check out which courses BCU had available in Clearing and luckily, they had just the thing I was looking for. I’d studied Media at A-level and really enjoyed it, the more I read about the Media Production course on the BCU website, the more excited I became, so I applied!

It was a big decision to change university and course, and I’d left it quite last minute too, but Clearing was so straightforward. My Clearing phone call was friendly and informative. The hotline worker clearly explained what I had to do to sort out my application and get ready for September. Considering it was a last-minute decision, BCU made me feel relaxed and reassured me that everything would be ok.

The positivity of the hotline staff helped me to feel like I’d made the right decision, but I was still nervous to start another three-year course after already starting one and not enjoying it. However, as soon as I arrived for my first day on campus, I knew that BCU was a better choice for me. BCU values independence and creativity; I was encouraged to pursue my goals and learn new things from day one.

What I was really looking for in a university is new challenges and experiences. I’ve gained lots of work experience and worked a variety of different media roles since starting my studies. I’ve attended workshops delivered by the BBC, received presenter coaching from Capital producers at Global, worked as a student content creator alongside the marketing team at BCU and had lots of other placements in marketing and radio which have helped me get my foot in the door.

I hope to graduate and become a radio presenter. Thanks to BCU, I’m on the right track. At my previous university, something just didn’t feel right. Even though it was a risk, I trusted my gut and started from scratch at BCU. My advice to anyone applying through Clearing is to go for it and trust your gut! You could end up having the best three years of your life and pursuing your dream career.”