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A Level Results Day is a pivotal moment that can stir a whirlwind of emotions—anticipation, anxiety, excitement, and even dread. This guide aims to arm you with practical strategies and insights to not only survive but thrive on Results Day.
What to Do the Night Before
It’s normal to feel anxious the night before A Level results day however, it’s important to engage in activities to help manage these feelings. For example, going out with friends to take your mind off it, taking note of your UCAS login and university clearing numbers, and talking to your parents or siblings about their experiences.
Getting Your Results
When you wake up on the morning of results day, you have one of two options: you can wait until you go to your school to collect your results, or you can log in to your UCAS account to see if you were offered a place.
Logging into your UCAS account is something that many will do, and although this does not show your results, it shows if you have been offered a place. This isn’t ideal for everyone, as it could lead to confusion if your application is pending, which usually happens when the offer is someone’s second choice. The place in the course could still be offered to you, so it is important to be optimistic and not jump to conclusions.
Once you get your results, it is recommended that you open them alone or with only close family members around, as you don’t want anyone to see your results before you do. This can often lead to classmates and friends comparing their results with yours. Comparing yourself with others and overthinking may lead to you feeling even more stressed, depending on how your results look. It is very important to remember that no matter how you do in your results, what matters is the end goal, not how you got there.
Free Stuff
Who doesn’t love freebies? Well, after you collect your A Level results, you can access some really great rewards that are available throughout the day. Many places offer free items to students who have received their A Level results. These include Nando’s, Papa Johns, Wagamama, and Frankie & Benny’s.
Clearing
Clearing is always something that you should be prepared for, no matter how confident you are. Ultimately, you do not know what your results will be until you open that letter and see for yourself. That’s why taking note of university clearing numbers and not making massive plans during the day will be important, as you could end up being stuck on the phone all day trying to find a place in an alternative university course. Below are some of the clearing hotline numbers for local universities:
Ulster University: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/clearing
Queens University: https://www.qub.ac.uk/clearing/
We would recommend not rushing into clearing as soon as you get your results. This is because your course may be someone’s second choice, and if they decline that offer, it could be offered to you.
Repeats and Foundation Degrees
If you aren’t happy with what is on offer from clearing, an option you can take is repeats, which can allow you to achieve the grades you need to get into the course you originally wanted.
Foundation degrees are another alternative, and these can be done on a part-time basis, meaning you could potentially work during the foundation degree. Once completed, you have the opportunity to continue working or progress on to a bachelor’s degree. Below are some local institutions that provide foundation degrees:
Going Straight into Work
Finished your A Levels and further education isn’t for you? Well, why not consider going into the working world and pursuing a career now? This can be done through apprenticeships, which allow you to achieve your qualifications through working, or maybe by taking up a role that is available to you now. There are amazing opportunities on our website in the current vacancies section.
Wishing everyone the best of luck on A Level results day! From all the team at Honeycomb Jobs.
