Options available after results
After you get your A level results, you will have the following options:
- Start the course
- Adjustment
- Part-time course
- Re-sit exams
- Foundation degree
- Apprenticeship
- Gap year
- Distance learning
- Get a job
I got the results I needed to get into my desired university
Congratulations! If you met the conditions of your offer, you can go straight to getting ready to start your university course.
I got even better results than expected!
If you got better results than anticipated and you exceeded your conditional firm offer, you can make an adjustment to look for a different university. You can do this by logging into your UCAS account and clicking the ‘Adjustment’ option.
UCAS provide you 5 calendar days to use the ‘Adjustment Period’ to apply to other universities. There is no rush to apply as soon as you get your results, take a day or two to let the results sink in before you make any firm decisions.
I didn’t get the results I needed
If this is the case, do not worry. There are 1000s of students in the same situation.
Firstly, check your points rather than your grades. Your offer from your university may have been based on the amount of UCAS points and not you grades so it is important you clarify this.
The quickest way to ensure you have or haven’t been accepted is by logging into UCAS Track.
I haven’t been accepted, what now?
The first thing you should do, is call your chosen university. Their is a chance they will still enrol you onto the course, especially if you call to express your desire.
Remember, universities won’t just be looking at your results, it’ll depend on everyone else’s results too, so they may be flexible.
If you find you won’t be enrolled at your chosen university, the next step most students take is clearing.
What is ‘clearing’? And how will it help me?
Clearing allows you to apply to university courses with places still available. The database on UCAS will show you every university and all their courses for which you can still apply.
Although you can apply to a clearing option via UCAS Track, it is highly recommended that you give it the personal touch by phoning the university you wish to apply to.
Not only will this make you application seem more personal to them, it’ll also give you the opportunity to make sure the course they are offering is right for you.
It’s well known that clearing can be a stressful experience. But try to remember that 1000s of students across the country are going through the same thing. You still have plenty of options and clearing often works well for many students.
What if I don’t find a place in clearing or I don’t want to go to university?
If you are unable to secure a place in clearing or you decide you don’t want to go to university, there are plenty of options left; you could:
Get a Job
There are plenty of careers out there, now could be the time for you to start thinking about what career direction you want to go in. Here at How2Become, we offer a huge variety of career choices and guidance, take a look at our Careers Page for ideas.
Re-sit Exams
If you weren’t satisfied with your results, you may consider re-sitting your exams. Speak to your school’s career advisor as soon you can for options. They will be able to tell you when the next re-sits are. Remember, as you have finished school now, you can go into work or take other directions. You’ll only need to go back to school to attend you re-sit exam day.
Apply for an Apprenticeship
Apprenticeships are very popular at the moment. Think of them as a combination of studying for a degree/qualification and going into employment.
As an apprentice, you’ll be required to work most days, sometime part-time and other full-time but you’ll also be learning and earning a qualification as you do.
Some careers and job opportunities from apprenticeships include: Optical (becoming an optician), Engineering, Electrotechnical, Customer Service Managers, Train Drivers, Police Constables, Firefighters, Air Traffic Controllers and more!
Gap Year
If you are unsure of which direction you want to take, you can always take a gap year. For many, this is the preferred choice. It’s not unusual to not have a complete life plan, take some time out and consolidate your options if you feel this is best for you.
Whatever happens on your results day, you can feel proud you’ve done it and taken a step forward. It can be stressful, especially with pressure from those around you. However, it is important to remember that this isn’t you one and only opportunity to get into university or get a “good” career. You have plenty of options. Many students take time out after A Level for all sorts of reasons. It may be worth you taking this opportunity to consider your options too.
For more information and free advice you can call the Exams Results Helpline on: 0800 100 8000
For more career information, feel free to contact us via email at: [email protected]
