Worried about your A-levels? These are practical things you can do if you miss your grades
IT’S a nerve-wracking time for teenagers across the region.
A-level results day, can be a make or break time, with dreams of particular university courses or apprenticeships riding on the gradess. According to research by Northumbria University, students in the North East are particularly nervous about their scores – 81% said they were worried they wouldn’t get the grades they need.
But if your scores aren’t exactly what you wanted, things might not be as bad as you think. If a grade is lower than you expected, there’s always a chance it could be improved through the moderation process. Talk to your teachers about this, and they should be able to arrange it, if they think an improvement is a realistic prospect.
Last year, Ofqual, the exams regulator, changed the re-marking system to make it less generous. Nonetheless, if an examiner has made a mistake in your paper, a change could boost your score.
If you’re waiting on a university or college place, you should let them know you’re having a re-mark done – they’ll be more likely to keep the place for you, though they don’t have to.
If your results do change, UCAS recommend you get them to the university by August 31 at the latest – if you do it later than that, they may offer you a deferred place for next year.
Most university courses and many apprenticeships or jobs will have entry requirements of some kind.
Of course you aim to hit them, but if you miss by a grade or two, it might not stop you following the path you wanted.
If you’ve applied for a degree, UCAS advises you ring the university as soon as you’ve got your grades.
Depending on the demand for the course in question, and the strength of your original application, they may accept you anyway. The cap on university places has been abolished, meaning an institution can accept as many students as it wants – this can make it easier for people to get in on a near-miss. Alternatively, a university could give you a ‘changed course offer.’ This
A RE-MARK COULD HELP CHECK WHETHER YOU REALLY NEED TO CHANGE YOUR PLANS
means they’ll ask if you’d still like to attend, but to study a slightly different subject which has spare places or lower requirements.
Take a little time to research the course, and make sure it’s right for you, before saying yes.
The advice is similar if you’re hoping to move into a job or apprenticeship. Call your employer, explain the situation and ask if you can still take up the place.
Be prepared to make a case for why you’d still be a valuable addition to their organisation.
If you really can’t join the course you hoped for, there will be plenty of other institutions with places still available – and they’ll want you to join them.
Get started with clearing as soon as you can, to snap up the best options on offer.
Here we talk you through everything you need to know about the process.
You might be nervous about turning to clearing, but plenty of students achieve real success after finding a course through it. Last year, we spoke to Matt Evans, from Durham, who turned disappointment into the best years of his life using the system.
He told us he’d heard “horror stories” about clearing, but they turned out to be unfounded.
We spoke to careers advisor Tom Laws, of the National Careers Service. He says if one route has become impossible, that won’t shut off an area you’re interested in.
He said: “One of the things we often say is if you are looking to go into a particular career, sometimes a sideways step is just as good as a forwards one.
“There are other ways into careers – for example apprenticeships are really popular now, there are a lot of roles that you can get now through an apprenticeship.
“Don’t assume you can’t do something you wanted to do – speak to an adviser, they are set up to go your skills, and different situations, and find something that might work.”
For example, if you’d hoped to become a doctor but haven’t got the grades for a medical degree, there are plenty of other ways to work in healthcare.
You could find an apprenticeship in a different field, which uses similar skills. Many apprenticeships can also eventually lead to degrees, which you earn while being paid.
There’s more information at: https:// nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/
National Careers Service advisors will also be holding Q&As on social media ahead of results day.
If apprenticeships might be for you, find them at www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
REMEMBER CLEARING THERE’S ALWAYS ANOTHER WAY