A-level results are released on Thursday 17th August 2017, and this is a stressful time for students (and many parents) all over the country. The anticipation of finding out whether you have made it into your university of choice can be tough to deal with over the summer months. However, with thousands of other students experiencing the same pressure, rest assured you’re not going it alone. Here are some tips on how to deal with results day.

The night before
This can be stressful, so make sure you do something relaxing to take your mind off things. Whether you watch a film, have a bath or hang out with friends, try not to think or talk too much about the next day or you will just increase your anxiety levels!

On results day
Have some breakfast!
Don’t skip this. You’re either going to be celebrating today or making some important decisions on what you need to do next. Either way, you don’t want to be getting all wobbly because you’re trying to get through the day on an empty stomach. Results day is an emotional time; make sure you’re fully fuelled up!

Check your status on UCAS Track
Log onto UCAS Track and you’ll be able to find out whether your firm choice has already confirmed your place. Track opens at around 8am on the morning of A-level results day but don’t panic if the website is running slowly – thousands of other students will be doing the same thing!
While Track will tell you whether your chosen university has accepted you, it won’t detail your grades. You may well be accepted by your firm choice, even if you haven’t achieved the exact terms of your offer.

Confirmation of a firm offer
Congratulations! Your confirmation of a place will show on Track five to seven days after your place is confirmed! Make sure you check your confirmation letter carefully – it will say if there’s anything else you need to do, or if your university or college will be in touch with further instructions. This could include providing provide proof of your qualifications or medical require-ments, for example.

If things didn’t go to plan
If you didn’t get the grades you expected for either your firm or insurance offer but you still want to go to university, there are still options available – don’t panic! There is still a reasonable chance you’ll be accepted doing the course that you want at a slightly later date, so always double check your UCAS account first to see if you have been offered a place at your insurance university on another course (it will show as UCC or ‘unconditional changed course’).

Going through Clearing
Look for course vacancies in Clearing on the UCAS website:
www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/no-offers-learn-how-clearing-works

There are also some really helpful websites dedicated to students that have a wealth of information:
www.thestudentroom.co.uk
www.savethestudent.org

Good Luck!!