Three situations you could find yourself in when you get your GCSE results

Nick Hynes, Exam Results Helpline Careers Adviser, talks you through what could happen on exam results day and how you can prepare yourself.

You got all the grades you hoped for, you already have a definite plan, and it's all systems go

Well congratulations, you! Before you sign on the dotted line, though, do check that those A levels/that particular apprenticeship/the college course you're intending to do is pointing you in the right direction, and leaves open the right employment/university choices at the age of 18.

You got most of the grades you were hoping for, but just slipped up on 1 or 2?

Act quickly! This actually might not be a problem, but you must speak to your chosen college or sixth form as soon as possible. They might, depending on your grades, still let you do your original course choice, but ask you to do a retake in your maths or English as well for example. Alternatively, they might ask you to do an extra year, and get more grades at foundation or intermediate level before moving onto your first choice.

You are really disappointed with your grades, and can't do what you wanted?

It is not the end of the world! Just now it might feel like it, but it is not. Again, you need to act pretty quickly: get in touch with the employer/college/sixth form you were hoping to progress on to, and check what they have to say.
If after speaking to them you need more help and advice, call us at the Exam Results Helpline – 0808 100 8000.

Making the grade

Sarah dreamt of being a Vet and so there was a lot riding on results day but she didn’t get the grades she needed to study Veterinary Science at University. However, she still got her place at University, here’s her story…

“I looked up my results at 7am and I was in an absolute mess. All of my shortlist of Universities had rejected me apart from Liverpool and I couldn’t contact them because they weren’t open that early. I was crying for a solid hour being consoled by my parents.

Unfortunately at this stage I thought I had failed until I received an email from UCAS confirming my place at Liverpool. I couldn’t believe it and words cannot describe how I felt.”

Sarah called the Exam Results Helpline to get some advice and guidance about what to do as she was convinced it was a mistake because she knew she hadn’t received the required results to get in.

She said: “The lovely lady who answered checked and checked and checked again because I made her!  She was so friendly and congratulated me. We had a brief conversation and she made me feel totally at ease. I was in floods of tears all over again but this time they were tears of joy!”

Sarah has now completed her first year at the University of Liverpool and she is thoroughly enjoying it.

“University is everything I hoped it would be and more. After all the stress last year, I am so relieved it all worked out OK in the end. I have met loads of new people and the University is such a great place to be!”

How did speaking to a professional careers adviser at the Exam Results Helpline help Sarah?

“The helpline was open earlier than the Universities and had it not been there I would have had longer in turmoil that’s for sure!”

Sarah’s advice for students receiving unexpected exam results this year

“Don’t panic if you don't get the right grades.  I know that is easier said than done but do definitely phone the helpline.  The lady who answered my call was so patient with my demands on checking and also my broken sentences due to the tears!  She understood my situation and I felt as if she really cared.”

A Level Results Day: Don’t Panic and Prepare!

You've finished your A levels, school's out, and all you can do now is countdown to results day on 13th August, right?  Wrong!

Nick Hynes, Exam Results Helpline adviser, suggests your plan of action for the weeks between now and the dreaded day...

The biggest tip - which is equally true leading up to getting your results, and on the day itself - is DON'T PANIC: you do have time, you do have choices, and you do have access to expert advice and guidance.

Every year on the Exam Results Helpline we deal with hundreds of students' queries at this time. Each student's circumstances are of course unique, and many of the questions fall under three main headings: my exam results aren't as good as I wanted; my exam results are better than I had dared hope; or I got the grades, I have a place waiting for me, but I'm no longer sure that I want to take it up.

Imagine yourself in each of these situations: do you have a plan B for in case you don't achieve the grades required first time around?  What do you know about UCAS Clearing?  Have you researched gap years, and retakes, and other further and higher education courses such as foundation degrees and BTEC qualifications?

Some decisions need making in the hours after your results are out - some research here could give you a decisive headstart on others in your situation. What about if you do better than everyone expected?  Happy dilemma - but it is still a dilemma!

Of course you can continue with your previous plans - you have exceeded the requirements of your offers - so would you choose to do this?  Or might you now be interested in UCAS Extra or Adjustment?  Or even a previously-unconsidered gap year, to give yourself more time to reflect on your options?

If you do better than expected it’s often a natural reaction to wonder if you should change your choice of university to one that was previously unavailable to you, in which case you would need to use Adjustment. In this situation I often advise people to reflect on the amount of time taken to decide on their university and the reasons they have chosen it. It may not be wise  suddenly to go somewhere else simply based on the higher grades that are required. If you find yourself in this position, it is something I would strongly recommend for you to talk to us about.

It’s also good to remember that if used constructively a gap year can be a great way of getting some much needed work experience to ‘test out’ your chosen career which is great to have on your CV or to simply research universities and make sure your 100% sure on your university choice.  If a university rejects you, they may reconsider if you take a year out to get some relevant experience and reapply the following year.

In all of these situations, time spent researching - perhaps starting with https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/exam-results-helpline - and discussing your thoughts, plans and fears with your family, your teachers and your careers adviser is likely to be time well spent.

The Exam Results Helpline will be open at 08:00 on Thursday 13 August to back-up your planning with expert, impartial advice on UCAS Extra, Clearing, apprenticeships, retakes, gap years, alternatives to higher education and any other options you'd like to know more about.  Give us a call on 0808 100 8000 - and whatever you decide to do, good luck.

Made In Chelsea’s Nicola Hughes Talks Exam Results

The team at Exam Results Helpline are so happy to have the lovely Nicola Hughes from Made in Chelsea promoting the helpline this year.

Nicola has written a guest blog about what happened when she did her exams, the issue of parent pressure, how she dreams of working on films like Avatar and how terrified she felt when she got her exam results…

'I grew up in Ireland and so instead of GCSEs we did the inter cert and I was so pleased that I passed all of my subjects. I then went on to do the Leaving Certificate in Ireland which I think is equivalent to A Levels over here and I passed all of those too!

During the exam period, I found parent pressure very overwhelming. Obviously they wanted the best for me but I was already putting enough pressure on myself and to try to manage their expectations too sometimes got a bit much. I found that studying with my best friend was a good way of staying calm and not getting too worked up about it all.

I was really nervous about getting my exam results, I was terrified that I’d let my family down.  I have always been very critical of myself as well and so I was really happily surprised when I found out that I had managed to pass them all.

After finishing my Leaving Certificate I went on to study Computers and Multimedia. However, I was lucky enough that my modelling career took off and I had to take a break from studying. I’ve always been a creative person and had ambitions, and still do, to work in the world of multimedia films such as Avatar. The modelling led to other opportunities and the next thing you know I’m on Made in Chelsea!

Apart from the dream of going to Hollywood to work on films, I had no idea what I wanted to do after I had finished education – it feels like a major decision.  That’s why I think it can be good to take some time out and try to find out what you are good at and what you enjoy. I’m still very much on that journey!

In the immediate future I am hoping to do some TV Presenting work. I worked in Canada last year to gain some experience and a film crew came out with me and filmed my experiences for a series called ‘Exiles’ which is currently being aired on RTE Television in Ireland.

If I could give you guys any advice it would be to RELAX; it’s not the end of the world. Try and put in the work throughout the year and don’t leave it to the last minute. Remember it’s only one moment in your life! If you don’t do as well as you had hoped there will be many other opportunities to shine!'