A-Level Results Day: What to Expect on an A-OK Results Day
The fateful day has arrived! You went to bed early, desperately trying to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, willing the hour to come, so you’ll know what your next step will be.
Sounds dramatic doesn’t it? Well it is, but it’s also worthwhile saying one thing – stay calm!
We are of course talking about A Level results day, the very morning that casts fear into the hearts of parents, and butterflies into the stomachs of students. If you get what you need, then well done! You’ll mark this down as one of the greatest days of your life so far. However, if you didn’t quite reach the standard you needed, don’t worry, there are options available to you, and many people out there willing to help. Put simply, this isn’t the end of the world, it’s simply a slight bump in the road.
The reality is that you just want to know. You don’t care about the whys and wherefores, you just want to have a slip of paper in your hand that says ‘yes’ or ‘no’. But like most situations in life, it’s important to remember a few things, just in case. So let’s look at what might happen on A level results day and the things you need to keep in mind, other than celebrating.
You don’t care about the whys and wherefores, you just want to have a slip of paper in your hand that says ‘yes’ or ‘no’
When you wake up, bleary-eyed, try not to be too ratty with your nervous parents, who will no doubt jump on you the moment you wake up. You are their baby, and you’re about to step forward into that scary world, so yes, they’re nervous too – be kind. Other than that, have some breakfast. The day ahead is going to be nerve-racking, but hopefully very happy and joyful, however in the event it’s not, you need to keep calm and grounded, which is no good on an empty stomach.
Okay, no family fall-outs, and you’ve eaten, what next? Get yourself dressed, grab your phone, also remember your uni or UCAS letter, just in case you need to ring up. Nobody has ever been accused of being too well-prepared. Right, now put your shoes on and go.
If your journey to school or college takes you via a newsagents, it’s a good idea to call in and grab a copy of the Daily Telegraph, before they sell out. Why? Well no, it’s not for reading today’s ground-breaking news, although why not, it might be interesting, but it’s because they always print a comprehensive list of all clearing vacancies. If you don’t need it, be a good Samaritan to someone who does and pass it on. Remember, karma and all that.
So let’s get down to the nitty gritty – you’ve got your results firmly in your shaking hands ….
Plan A
Success! You’ve got the grades, and you’re in to your first choice uni. Well done you! Remember the phone you have in your pocket, fully charged up? Use it! Then, when you’ve called everyone between here and Timbuktu, go out, celebrate with your friends. There is nothing more you need to do – this is the start of the rest of your life, and it’s time to toast that hard work.
Another reason to seriously celebrate is if you’ve not only met your required grades, but you’ve also gone over and above. This means you have a decision to make, you either stick or twist, basically. If you want to remain with your firm offer, then you don’t need to do anything other than wait for your AS12 letter. However, if all this success has made you think about moving uni’s to somewhere asking for higher grades, then you can do this, and this boys and girls, is called ‘adjustment’. It’s entirely up to you, but if you go down this road, you need to register your decision on Track, and you need to act quickly because you only have five short days. You won’t lose your first choice offer, so that’s always sat there waiting for you.
if success has made you think about moving to somewhere asking for higher grades, then you can do this, and this boys and girls, is called ‘adjustment’
Okay, so we’ve looked at what hopefully is the best case scenarios, and hopefully you won’t need to read the next bit, but just in case, let’s see what happens if you don’t quite reach the grades needed for your plan A.
Plan B
Please don’t worry, there are things you can do, and life will go on. First thing to do is to check Track. If your entry shows as ‘unconditional’, breathe a sigh of relief and put it down to a close call, you’re sorted, no need to worry. However, if it’s showing as unsuccessful, you need to stop those tears and get proactive. If you feel it would help to call the uni, then do so, because you have nothing to lose. Basically, if Track says ‘unsuccessful’, or ‘conditional’ – ring your chosen uni.
Your safety net is that famous thing called ‘clearing’ and that is why you bought the Daily Telegraph, remember? If you spot someone in the crowd looking upset and staring at their results, give them your copy if you don’t need it, they might thank you for it in the future.
SEE ALSO: Guide to Clearing: What to Do on A-Level Clearing Day
Plan Z
Results day is about to get complicated – bear with us.
There are a variety of other possibilities with regards to results day, but the thing to do if you don’t meet the standard scenarios we’ve talked about already, is to check Track. Think of it as a modern-day Yoda, telling you all you need to know. If that’s still not updated or it says ‘conditional’, just get on the phone.
It’s a complicated business this results lark, but just remember if it doesn’t go your way, maybe it’s because there’s another path you haven’t looked at yet. The world isn’t going to implode, and life will go on, probably towards clearing where you’ll more than likely end up somewhere even better. Through twists and turns, you’ll get there, just keep soldiering on! Just remember, when the ground has settled and you’re sat in your uni bar, have a drink for us.