It’s a nerve-wracking time and your emotions are running high. Try not to agonise – we’re here to help you prepare as best as you can as the day draws near.
There is nothing you can do about your grades at this stage, so try to enjoy the remainder of your summer holidays. Try to take your mind off your results by doing things you enjoy – see friends, read a book, go for a walk etc. Although it’s natural to be nervous, don’t let yourself get too worked up about something you can’t change. If you’re feeling anxious, confide in your family so they can support you.
It is sensible to prepare yourself for every eventuality. Think about different circumstances and how you’re likely to react. If you miss your grades, will you retake or will you apply via Clearing? If you do better than expected, will you apply for Adjustment? If you do well in a certain subject, will you change your course? If you feel your results aren’t accurate, will you challenge them?
No matter how confident you feel, it pays off to have a back-up plan in place. Do some research on which universities you’d like to go to in case you require clearing. Write down three points about why you like each university, you can then refer back to these if you end up applying via clearing.
Remember that university is only one pathway to higher education. If you don’t do as well as expected or you have changed your mind, don’t panic. There are different and more flexible ways to get a degree which may suit you better, from apprenticeships to distance learning programmes. If you’ve struggled with A-Levels and do not wish to resit, then you might want to consider applying for a Higher National Diploma (HND) course, which does not have an exam component and may allow you to skip 1-2 years of a University degree course.
Whether your results were what you were hoping for or not, you still had to sit through months of revision and exams, which means you deserve a reward. It’s highly likely you’ll have reached a conclusion about your future by the end of the day – have a treat waiting for you to celebrate this significant event!
