Surviving exam results day

Thursday 15th August giving you sleepless nights? No matter how well you think your exams went, it’s natural to feel on edge as results day approaches – especially if it will determine whether you can go to your chosen university. The good news is that if you don’t receive the grades you were expecting, it doesn’t have to spell the end of your academic journey. Let’s look at your options.

Request to be remarked

Just a few marks off the grade boundary? You can request that the exam board review your paper for any marking mistakes – universities will even hold your place pending the result. Whilst there is a cost attached, you’ll receive a full refund if you find that the mark has changed. Talk to your teacher about next steps.

Re-sit

If with little more time and hard work you can get where you need to be, consider re-sitting the exam. You’ll have to wait to do it at the same time as all other A-Level students, which is in either May or June 2025, but you can use this extra time to gain employability skills through a work placement or other qualifications like a Duke of Edinburgh Award. Don’t worry, most universities allow you to defer your place for a year.

Browse Clearing

Just because your results don’t meet the conditions of your university offer, doesn’t mean another won’t be thrilled to have you. Opening on Friday 5^th July 2023, Clearing is how universities fill any places they still have on their courses and it’s available to anyone who has made a UCAS Undergraduate application and doesn’t hold any offers.

Consider other paths

Take a breath. Higher education might seem like the obvious next step but there are many alternative options that will allow you to spend your time, money and effort on pursuits that suit your career goals, including enrolling onto an apprenticeship or taking a gap year.

Reach out

For anyone who needs a more personal guidance, National Career Service (NCS) is a brilliant resource that provides careers information for free. It even features a telephone line and webchat link so you can talk to real people – no bots here!