It is needless to say that as a year 13 student, the thought of a-level results day can often be very daunting. As someone who went through the experience of results day in 2019, I can resonate heavily with how the 2020 students must be feeling, however I also acknowledge that the circumstances surrounding this years results are incredibly different to when I received my results last year.
Nevertheless, I hope this short article can provide an insight into what to expect from results day, and how to make sure you're in the best headspace possible for receiving your results.
Checking UCAS
Sometimes before you actually receive your grades from your sixth form/college, UCAS will release whether you were accepted by your chosen university. For myself, this wasn’t the case and I received my grades before finding out my university place, however I have since met people at university who did actually know where they were going for university before finding out their grades. Let’s be honest though: there is no good or right way to do this.
The anxiety many people often feel on results day is not lessened by knowing whether you got the grades you needed or whether you got into your chosen university first. That fear of the unknown will remain a constant no matter what, so it's important to consider which option will be best for you. Try and steer away from influences such as doing what your friends are doing, as just because one option feels best for them does not necessarily mean that it will be best for you.
For myself, I wanted to check UCAS before receiving my results, however as I mentioned, UCAS Track had not updated for me. In this respect, if you too decide to check UCAS before receiving your results, be prepared that Track might not display your university place yet, and so you may have to receieve your grades beforehand regardless.
Make sure to Review Clearing Options
Whether you are confident you will get the results you need or not, there is no harm in viewing your clearing options before results day just in case. For those who do not know, clearing is the process which matches applicants to university places that are yet to be filled. It is a misconception that clearing courses are only the most unpopular courses, and there are many options available at many different universities. In my case, I was accepted by my insurance choice university, however I had done research a couple of days beforehand anyway which meant that I would have been prepared to go through clearing and had a clear idea of where I wanted to apply. Clearing places can become filled up very quickly, so I would highly recommend doing plenty of research and a having plan ready in case you do have to go through the process. Most universities will have a list of their clearing courses on their websites, and UCAS also have a great search tool which can help you find places at many different universities.
For more information on clearing, please see here.
Try to Avoid Comparing Yourself to Others
If we look to reality of results day, it is a certain that not everyone will get the grades they were hoping for. I myself did not get my predicted grades, and it really was disheartening. One of the biggest mistakes I made surrounding my results was comparing them so heavily to my peers that did better than me, and trying to think what I could have done differently or what they might have done that meant their grades turned out higher. While there is nothing wrong with self reflection, it can often be upsetting to look too deeply in to the 'ifs' and 'buts' when the situation is now out of your control.
The most important thing is to be supportive of each other and be empathetic of everyone's situations. If you are pleased with your grades, then you should be so happy for yourself and make sure you celebrate doing so well. However, it is also important to be empathetic to others and support any friends or peers who might be disappointed with their results.
Your Grades do not Define You
As a student, I personally feel that throughout my entire academic career the importance of grades above anything else has been a constant no matter what stage in my education. This constant assertion that grades are the most important thing can really start to alter your perception of how you prioritise aspects of your life, and really influenced my negative mindset towards exams and results. For a very long time I defined my self-worth by the grades I received, however since being at university I have found ways to slowly break out of this cycle.
Being at university and studying law in particular has shown me that there are other aspects of life that are often just as important or even more important than the grades you receive. This includes things such as work experience, extra curriculars and soft skills like communication. This is not to say that grades do not matter at all as you should always try to do the best you can, but they are not always the be all and end all of how successful you can be, and good grades should most definetely not be acheieved at the expense of your mental health.
As someone who was disappointed with their a-level results and did not get into their first choice university, I understand that it can be difficult to accept all of this when it feels like your future rests on the three or four letters you receive on results day. However, I promise that there is more to life than those three or four letters, and if you are disapponted with your results you should not let those grades negatively impact your opinion of yourself. Your mental health and perception of yourself is more important than any grades you will ever receive.
Most of All: Good Luck
Whether you care about how your grades turn out or not, I cannot wish all the a-level students enough luck in the world. A-level results day is an emotional rollercoaster, and I hope that this quick guide has helped you prepare a little bit as to what to expect. I would love to know how any of you guys have gone on so please feel free to let me know on my LinkedIn how your results have turned out!
Good luck Class of 2020!
Comments