If you want to go to university, you have probably spent the whole academic year stressing about your results. Your college or Sixth Form has probably been onto you about ‘how your grades matter this year’ and most institutions get their students to submit their Personal Statements and UCAS applications before Christmas.
With exams and coursework all complete and summer well underway, education has been off the mind for a while but with Results Day looming and everyone asking you which uni you hope to get into, the stress is beginning to seep back in. Here are the best ways to prepare for Results Day whilst also making sure the nerves don’t get to you as you wait!
Research what to expect
Doing research before results day not only prepares you mentally for what to expect but it helps make the whole situation feel a lot less stressful!
Main things to know before Results Day:
Ahead of the day you can organise how you receive your results either through collection from your college, or you can arrange to receive them via email or post. On the day, your school's opening and closing times will vary, so make sure to check in advance.
According to The Student Room Uni Guide, UCAS receives your results directly and from there they will update your UCAS Hub at around 8.15am. The Guide reassures students that, “The system will be busy, so you might need to be patient to find out whether you’ve been successful.”
Checking the UCAS Hub will allow you to find out whether you managed to secure your university place, but you will still need to see your results to find out the exact grades you achieved. If you want to enter Clearing, your grades will be vital for this process.
What to do if you run into issues on the day
The Student Room Uni Guide says that if your Hub hasn't updated by mid-morning on results day, you should “phone the university as they might still be making a decision on your application.”
Most universities have hotline numbers that you can ring, if this is the case it will be listed on their website. It could be worth making a note of the number ahead of Results Day so that you’re not panicking trying to find it on the day.
If your university doesn’t have a hotline, try calling their general help number and make sure to notify them that you’re an existing offer holder, rather than a Clearing applicant because most universities will assume that you’re ringing to get in touch about Clearing.
If you think there has been a mistake with your A Level results, you can appeal them. In this situation you may only gain a few marks, so it can be worth checking what the grade boundaries are first to save you the hassle.
Research alternative options as a backup
You may have your heart set on your first choice, but you may only get into your insurance university instead – do some research and see if this is the right choice for you.
If you don’t get the grades you need or you have changed minds about what university you wish to attend or what course you want to study, you can find a course through Clearing.
Round-up
All of this research should help you be ready for any outcome. Most of it is ‘just in case’, but it is handy to know so that you aren’t put under any extra pressure on the day you open your results.
The night before, try and get a good night’s sleep and take it easy on the day – no matter what your result is there will always be a backup option if Plan A doesn’t succeed. Good luck!
