Finishing year 13 in 2017

Track opened about 7am from memory with DS1 two years ago, so get on it ASAP and get over to school quicksmart if you're not in at your firm/insurance.

I'm so sorry I knew it would stress you all out but wanted to give you the info just in case with a bit of time to absorb it. Her course was really popular and a lot won't go so quickly. I would wait and call from home. You get a bit of time to think about a place that you get offered I think . That is actually another point, have some easy to eat but keep you going food at hand along with the wine box and straw.

They are giving out the same percentage of A*, A, B etc as last year I think aren't they? And hopefully clearing will be totally irrelevant for you all. just felt we were floundering around last year and could have done with knowing some of it before. Really sorry .

Lindy, if you're anywhere near me, put a second straw in that box of wine for me

Oh good grief now wishing I hadn't logged back in for this...thanks mirabelle! .

DS has already told me he's going to log into ucas at 7am earliest it's available apparently and see where it says he's going and then he'll see what he needs to do next. He's only applied to one uni but got offers for a 3 year course and a 4 year foundation course so either way he'll know what's what.

I think our day will be: DS wakes up at 7.59. Logs onto Track at 8. Tells me what, if anything, is on Track. Wants to go back to sleep. I chivvy him to get up and go and get his results. Train cancelled. Eventually picks up results at about 9.30-10.00. Decides he needs to go to Wetherspoons with friends to have a commiseratory breakfast muffin. Gets home around 11. Phones a university. I open wine box and shove a massive straw in the top.

Oh god, I'm getting really anxious about this now. Thanks for the information Mirabelle but does that mean DS should be straight on the phones at school as soon as he has his grades? It's a 30 minute drive home and I had visions of a leisurely drive back, a long chat over a pot of tea and then picking up the phone once the initial shock had worn off. Sounds like that might be too casual an approach?

Same here, HSMM. We're fine at home, but that's a whole train journey ... I just feel like it's going to be some bizarre, stress-laden race-against-time, and if the trains play up (as they frequently do) that'll be the icing on the cliché.

I'm going to put a bit here about clearing, hope it doesn't stress anyone out and it was an unusual situation that occurred with friend I was helping. But a few lessons were learned that might help. She missed her grades for both firm and insurance but insurance would have let her in had the exam board given them the right grades so added a whole new layer of complication.

Things we found:

1. Get on the phone as soon as possible. she didn't get her grades until 10.30am by which time the clearing spaces on her insurance course had gone.

2. The phone lines are really busy. We had 2 people on mobiles and one on the landline phoning different admission departments. It was taking around 30 mins to get an answer and for some reason 2 would answer exactly the same time so she spoke to the one she wanted to more.

3. Have phone and iPad chargers ready, laptop charged and power cable plus extension lead just in case.

4. Think best reception spot in the house if on mobile as one of the calls dropped mid way. Get the name of the person you're speaking to.

5. Be ready for mini interview , HOD interviewed her.

It was a very unusual situation due to the incorrect grade put through and got very complicated but we weren't prepared for the length of time it took to get through mid morning, the speed at which the places were going and had the laptop die on us and phone batteries starting to die, which can all be easily avoided. I'm sure if anyone does end up in clearing it will be simpler but just important to get to it and keep a cool head.

All worked out well for her and she has finished her first year at insurance choice with a 2.1. Hope I haven't increased stress levels with that but I'm on standby for Thursday for her sibling and feel a lot more prepared knowing the above. Hopefully the above is all unnecessary, they will all log onto Track and they are in. Juggling is right, whatever happens it will get worked out.

Good luck everyone, hang in there, nearly there

HSMMaCM - I remember stressing out over mine doing the 11+

If I knew then what I know now...!

Bet those unis will be busy in the next day or two

Popping head back into thread, have been following but not commenting as MN decided I wasn't me as I'd changed my email and wouldn't let me log in one time, and then life got in the way again and I forgotten details. Anyway here just in time for A day. Really hope everyone who's been around since 2015 when we were nervously waiting for GCSEs is doing ok.

Whatever happens, we will work it out.
Hoping things fall into place relatively easily, both here and for friends everywhere.
Will have everything crossed by Thursday!

DS is looking a bit glum as the day approaches.

Think the unis get the results on the Sunday before Results Day, so that's THIS Sunday

Oh I remember the hell that was A levels and GCSEs 2yrs ago!!

That was a testing time...

I am trying not to think too hard about next Thursday, it's come round fast though

Double whammy of GCSE's and A Level results for us too again this year. Oh joy.

Time to start buying chocolate ice cream and wine.

The university which she has down as her firm choice has much more convenient moving in dates than the insurance choice. So Sod's Law means that she will get into the insurance choice!

Congrats to those who have their results already.
DS1 has done 4 weeks of 30 hours in a café, so that will be a nice little buffer of money when he gets paid.

I'm trying to get him to decide what his plan will be if he doesn't get the grades he needs. Have been nagging him about it for at least 2 weeks, but he just won't focus on it.

I'm trying not to get too anxious about results, but the double whammy of A levels and GCSEs in this house is not good for my blood pressure!

DD just working out today that she might be able to squeeze in a late summer trip to Slovenia to stay with a friend she met last year at international summer camp in Finland! (Was briefly mentioned as an idea a few weeks ago) I said go for it as long as we can sort out a passport. Fortunately we live in a city with a passport office and it seems to have some appointments available for a one week fast track application. Wondering if the passport ID might be useful for student registration too?

Also just went to garden centre and bought some plants and a pot to plant up for a birthday present for Granny. We're visiting for a few days for birthday celebrations.

That sounds really good Juggling. DD back in Europe now and only another couple of weeks till back in UK, summer is flying by. She's decided that actually the UK not so bad now after all! Starting to schedule University visits for the Autumn. I think she feels a lot better after what's turned into a gap year round the wrong way round and I feel less worried about her and Foundation Art next year, think she'll buckle down without moaning so much and won't spend entire year saying she hates the UK.

I'm on standby to support friend's DD on results day as helped her sister through clearing last year . She had said if she doesn't get grades she will resit but then wavered on that recently and said she might have a go through clearing after all. I'm pretty confident she'll get her insurance and will probably get her first choice but time will tell.

That sounds great Juggling.

DS2 has done very little this holiday, despite saying he wanted a holiday job...
My DS1 has been home a month, with the girlfriend in tow but she's returned home now.

I can't believe it's Results Day a week in Thursday - this year has FLOWN! I think DS2 will take a year out if he doesn't get in and will reapply next year with grades in hand.
That's his Plan B.

Just back from a great week away with DD and DS at our big Quaker Gathering. Last night was especially good with performance of "3 acres and a cow" - a speedy alternative run through of English history told from the peasants POV, illustrated with some great folk songs, and then a brilliant Ceilidh, for all ages, genders, sexual orientations etc. Just come along as you are!
We all had a really good week choosing the different workshops that most interested us and then getting together in the evenings for shared meals with friends in our student kitchen ( we were staying at Warwick Uni), with chance to catch up on everyone's day.
We hold these bigger gatherings every three years and always stay on a Uni campus, which I think is a helpful education in itself for my DC, now teenagers.
Am partly place marking too I must admit as I don't want to drop off this thread!
DS went straight on to his next holiday with a good friend of his, whilst DD and I are back home now to recover slightly ☺

How's all yours summer's going?

Glad to see all of our young people enjoying themselves. Ds is back from his trip abroad and had a fantastic time. He is helping out at a local scout camp for a few days each week and relaxing for the rest.
We are trying not to think about results day.