A-level Results Day: Five tips for teenagers if you receive unexpected exam results

On Thursday, August 15, thousands of teenagers across the country will collect their A-level results and find out if they have the all-important grades they need to take their next steps.

It’s the most important day of the year for many, but unfortunately things do not always go to plan.

Your predicted grades are not always accurate, and while it can be upsetting to not get the results you hoped for, there are plenty of things you can do next.

Clearing helped more than 60,000 students find university places in 2018 – so do not feel like you have to stick to plan A.

Here are five tips from Dr Lisette Johnston, Head of School at ScreenSpace, the sister school to Metfilm School, on what to do if your results are unexpected.

1. Ready, steady… research

It’s worth spending some time considering and researching a plan B before you get your results.

Look for similar courses to your chosen one, which might have lower entry requirements.

If your heart is set on a particular university look at their clearing pages now and register with them to save time on results day.

2. Stay calm

It’s the moment you’ve been working towards and you haven’t received the results you expected. Remember this is just a blip.

Take some deep breaths, collect your thoughts, and remember there is always a different path to take.

3. Talk

There’s lots of help out there. Speak to your friends and parents, and don’t forget there are experienced staff at your school or college who can help you.

They will want to do their best for you and most universities have a Clearing process in place.

4. Be brave

Pick up the phone and call the universities you are interested in.

Ask lots of questions and don’t just take the first opportunity that comes along – make sure it’s the right one for you.

Write down the questions you want to ask before you call, and if it’s a university you haven’t visited you may want to find out about facilities, accommodation and student support.

This is your opportunity to discover what is best for you.

5. Keep an open mind

If you don’t know what to do next then you can always give yourself some time to consider all your options.

You could defer going to university until next year, to give yourself time to decide what you really want to do, or get a job or re-sit your exams.