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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Higher education

What happens after A level results day?

21 replies

glitterbiscuits · 14/05/2018 14:03

I’m new to all this and DS is only in year 12 but I need to book my annual leave at least 12 months in advance if I need popular times like school holidays.
A level results come out slap bang in the middle of peak time.
His school are hosting a UCAS Open event soon to talk parents through it but if I have some advance knowledge I will be better prepared.

We will start to look at Uni Open Days soon. He makes his applications. He has a offer and an insurance. We complete financial application etc all in advance of results.

But what about afterwards? Go to school collect results. Then what?
Is there much admin to do? Should I book some time off to be on-hand or is there nothing much to do, so we could even have a holiday?

OP posts:

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titchy · 14/05/2018 16:24

Book results day and the next day off. If things go pear-shaped and he ends up in clearing he'll need a) support, and b) possibly taking on a couple of trips quickly.

In the run up to results day keep an eye on websites for clearing vacancies in the required subject - just in case.

Do not book a holiday for results week!!!!

titchy · 14/05/2018 16:25

He'll need deposit money for accommodation - but that obviously doesn't need you to take time off!

SoupDragon · 14/05/2018 16:29

I wouldn’t take time off after results day. As said, if it all goes pear shaped ther will be a lot of faffing about to do. DS has one subject remarked one paper at a time alongside trying to get his first choice uni to accept him anyway. This went on for over a week.

SoupDragon · 14/05/2018 16:30

Oh, I thought you were trying to go away!

You probably won’t need mor than the actual results day of all you are trying to do is be there as support

PilarTernera · 14/05/2018 16:32

I would book time off to be available for him, just in case.

My dd had a bureaucratic nightmare where her college made an administrative error and the uni did not get her full results. It was all ok in the end, but it took many phone calls by dd and a sternly worded email from me to the college.

If all goes well, you can use the time to celebrate.

Ocies · 14/05/2018 17:02

On results day the first place to check is UCAS tracker which will be updated to show if offers have converted to unconditional (i.e. the applicant has reached the required grades - or at least near enough that they are accepted onto the course anyway).

If grades are met and courses are confirmed there's not much else to do that day except maybe go and collect the actual results slips from school/college.

Each university has different arrangements and timescales for application and allocation of accommodation. Deposits may or may not have to be paid.

If grades are not met for either firm or insurance offers then it's a case of deciding what to do next. Ideally this is something you need to have decided before results day. Do you go into clearing to find another course at another university. Do you take a year out and either re-sit or just apply with the results you have.

Results day is always a Thursday. My advice is take the results day off work. If your child decides to go into clearing there are often clearing open days in the weekend and week immediately after results so if that looks like it may occur it helps to have some flexibility with work to be able to facilitate those visits.

SweetieBaby · 14/05/2018 17:06

At least book results day off. If all goes to plan and they get the results that they need you will be surplus to requirements. Their uni place is confirmed automatically, although you might need to then organise accommodation.

The problems start if they don't get the grades that they needed (or maybe if they did better than expected) and they need to speak to uni or go through clearing. In that case it would be good to be there to support them, advise etc.

glitterbiscuits · 14/05/2018 22:10

Thanks everyone. I will book the Thursday and Friday off just in case.

I’d rather stick my head in the sand though and buy him a new toy dinosaur or train set and pretend he is 7 not 17.

OP posts:

GnomeDePlume · 15/05/2018 12:42

If all goes well then the shopping begins depending on what is provided in accommodation.

I also made a 'rainy day' box for DD1 and am in the midst of the same for DD2 - a shoe box sized box crammed with things to do when you are bored but have no money. Everything from puzzle books to 'just add water' cookie mixes.

Xenia · 15/05/2018 17:18

We were only away with one child and that was (jsut my luck) the one who needed to get a place in clearing so we had to take ove r the hotel business centre on a remote island and start ringing round. It went fine but it would probably have been a bit easier to be in the UK. I would not book away the results day or the day after and perhaps just go for a one week not 2 week holiday instead or a later one. My twins went last year and I think they got the results or place on -line but slept quite late (unlike some very keen children who get up at the crack of dawn as they were "sure they would have got in" (they were right))... Then they went to school but prohibited me from going (which was fine) around 9am. Their school has upper sixth then, and younger years a bit later as upper sixth is the vital year for university etc.

As they had got in there was not then too much to do in terms of admin and they both had applied for accommodation and got their first choice. Then there were of course celebrations with friends and if you're on holiday with your family you miss out on that too.

(We did no shopping as I am an old meanie who sent them off with the oldest duvets in the house and second hand towels and they went into catered halls)

lljkk · 15/05/2018 20:45

How is the empty nest feeling, Xenia?

Xenia · 16/05/2018 06:36

Very good. 3 months of university holiday coming up shortly however so it's not really quite an empty nest yet and I'm assuming they will be back for 2 or 3 years after graduation.

swingofthings · 16/05/2018 07:25

Very helpful thread, thank you for starting it. I knew not to book to go away that week, but didn't think about the implication of what might need to be done on that day or day after.

glitterbiscuits · 16/05/2018 11:17

Thanks to all that commented.

I think the DCs childhood has gone alarmingly quickly. I am in a house with young people now. When I have an empty nest I will be bereft.
I coped with GCSEs results but thinking abut A level results gives me a lump in my throat! I am a forward planner. If I can make a mental map in my head I will feel better.

Family holiday next year will be very late July or early August.

Results Thursday and Friday following just booked. 15 months in advance!

OP posts:

Xenia · 16/05/2018 11:42

They do stay in touch quite a bit, glitter. i don't feel bereft so far. (but I've always liked my own company my whole life , never even now had enough time on my own and I look at old people with huge envy and think wait until I'm 80 and get some peace at last).

pumpkinpie01 · 16/05/2018 11:52

I was prepared to be spending hours helping with my son getting a uni place (if he didnt get his first choice) but before he had even left the house to get his results he had been online and found that his place had been confirmed. The uni's get the results before the students. So no stress at all, well until he left it last minute to sort accommodation, I had to pay £300 deposit one night that we really hadnt budgeted for. Make sure he keeps on top of all the emails regarding the accommodation!

Xenia · 16/05/2018 11:59

Good point. Last year I did remind my 2 about deadlines for accommodation or ask them when they had to put in the application for their first firmed choice. Some want to celebrate with friends too so may not want to be away on holiday. We were in the wilds of Scotland when i got my A level results and I had to get driven to a remote call box with 10p pieces to call our school which was not ideal. Luckily I got the grades. I was nicely surprised how kind all the boys were last summer if one of them hadn't got where they had wanted to and how they all dealt with it with each other - no one rubbing anyone's noses in it, being sensitive that some people might be quite upset they hadn't got in, saying that the second choice was good anyway etc. Some celebrations have to be muted because not all your friends are happy.

lljkk · 16/05/2018 19:10

You'll have a pack of noisy precocious grandchildren when you're 80, Xenia.

SluttyButty · 16/05/2018 19:27

Thanks to this thread I found out we need to find £550 to book the accommodation that we hadn't planned for! I just didn't know.

We had the letter saying how much she's getting in a maintenance loan today and it's a lot less than I thought

Xenia · 16/05/2018 22:23

At least you know I suppose rather than getting a shock.

(llk, may be great grandchildren by then as I've already some grandchildren in my 50s, lucky me. My cup runneth over; although I may not live to 80 as neither of my parents did)

GnomeDePlume · 17/05/2018 05:40

So far as setting them up with what they need for accommodation is concerned a trolley dash through somewhere like Wilkinson or B&M will provide most of the requirements at fairly little expense.

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