A-Level results are released on the 15th of August this year: the day when thousands of teenagers up and down the country will find out if their grades are good enough to get them into the university of their choice. 

If you’re going to be in that position, and you’re worried your grades won’t be up to scratch, don’t panic – there’s still a lot you can do. 

1. Get Your Grades Early

Grades are released to schools at 6am, and they will open as early as 7am. If it turns out you haven’t got the grades you were hoping for, you’ll want as much time as possible to follow the next steps on this list, so get there as early as you can. If you have a summer job, book results day off. 

2. Talk To Your School

Any good school will have teachers there on results day who are experts on exactly this scenario. Don’t go off on your own when you find out your grades. Instead, speak to the teachers on hand about what to do next. They’ve seen it all before.

3. Contact Your First Choice Of University

You might already have had an automated rejection on UCAS for not meeting your offer, but that doesn’t mean your university definitely won’t accept you. Call them (and you must do this yourself; don’t have your parents do it for you) and ask if they’ll still consider you. The fine detail of your grades can be important here; for instance, if you’re very close to a grade boundary, or were let down by a poor performance on a single module. 

4. Look At Clearing

If your university says no, go to Clearing and see if there’s anything on offer that’s of interest to you. You won’t see Oxbridge there but many other top universities will have places available. Get on the phone to them. Make sure your mobile has enough battery and minutes to make all these calls!

5. Wait Until Next Year

The scramble to find an alternative place on results day is too much for some students. If that’s you, you can wait and reapply next year, with the added advantage of having your grades in hand. 

6. Get Support

The Education Hotel are experts at guiding students through university applications, from shortlisting options, to personal statements, to interviews. We can support you through the process of reapplying so that next time round, you’ll get into the university that’s right for you.