What do these A level results actually mean?

[Kayet]

My eldest got her A level results this year and while to me it sounds like she's done very well she's unimpressed and I'm questioning my judgement as you always do seem to see articles about how the value of A levels has decreased and they've become easier etc. Her college counted anything as good as or better than a D as great. She got AAB with an A at EPQ but seems to think the B makes it all useless. For her A* at A level she was highly commended on two papers by the external moderator but none of us actually know what that means - does anyone here?
I have zero background in academia and DD knows it, so I was hoping to have the advice of someone who actually know what they're talking about.

Those are definitely good grades. There would be certain courses for which they wouldn't be sufficient but she certainly has a wealth of options available to her. The "commendation" means she was high within the A* boundary for those exams (probably came in the top 1-5% of candidates for that exam).

What subjects did she take? What are her plans for the future? Had she applied for uni? Does she intend to?

The fact that she thinks her grades are useless because she got a B would make me worry. Not the grades.

@CrispSandwiches thank you! I thought they were, but I couldn't say for sure and some of her friends (from private schools mind) got straight A*s so I think she was feeling inadequate. She took English lit (the commendation, she got 100% in those two papers), Chemistry and Music (that was the B). She's starting to think about uni for English but she's going to work this year so she can afford it.
I'm worried about the plans for the future tbh, English doesn't seem very practical

@AJP perhaps not useless but she doesn't seem to think they're particularly good, comparing them against friends in very different schools, DD didn't even have teachers for her subjects and they were in private schools so...

@AJP perhaps not useless but she doesn't seem to think they're particularly good, comparing them against friends in very different schools, DD didn't even have teachers for her subjects and they were in private schools so...

@AJP perhaps not useless but she doesn't seem to think they're particularly good, comparing them against friends in very different schools, DD didn't even have teachers for her subjects and they were in private schools so...

They're fantastic results!

@derekthe1adyhamster thank you, I thought so!

@AJP sorry that seems to have sent a couple of times

They are very good results and she could get into a very good university with those grades!

@MrsBartlet which universities are good? Should we be looking at leege tables?

She sounds like she has real talent in English - that's an impressive score! I don't think you need to be too concerned about an English degree. A degree like that from a good university has good employment prospects (you can check out the graduate employment statistics for each of the universities she's interested in).

I have experience with high achieving students and what she's feeling is very common - it's her first set of results which aren't perfect. It's almost better that she gets used to this disappointment sooner rather than later. Some students fall apart completely when they get to university and suddenly they're not achieving at the level they're used to. It's important that she knows that there's more to her as a person than exam results and being a high achieving student. One disappointing (to her - B is a perfectly good grade many students would never be able to achieve) grade doesn't change anything.

@CrispSandwiches thank you, I'll tell her that. Do you know how we should start looking at universities, find out wich are good?

My dd got a B in one this year (the other two were A) and was devestated, she's a high achiever and the fact she missed her firm choice offer was the end of the world to her.

She is now in another excellent uni, three weeks today she's been there and although I think she's accepted it I know she's still very cross with herself.

Perfectly good results. The 100% is amazing.

Curious about the rationale for her subject choices. And also wondering why she didn’t investigate/get any advice on university selection while she was at school. (I have read that she’ll be working for a year.)

@WhirlyGigWhirlyGig it sounds like she's done brilliantly! I don't see why their so worried about B grades

@QuarterMiss she took what she enjoyed and apparently two are "facilitating subjects" which she says lots of unis want? Her college weren't very good, there weren't any support services really and there wasn't a permanent English teacher, which is the subject shes applying for, and the supplies she had didn't really care enough or have the knowledge, one was a chef really apparently - he refused to teach one of the books on the syllabus because it was boring

Kayet it's because she needed three A's to get into her firm choice uni course. The one she's in now also gave her an offer with conditional three A's but they emailed her on results day making her another offer with the grades she had. I think she saw it a being a bit of a failure. But we spoke to a lecturer who said they don't make offers with reduced grades through clearing unless they are sure the student is capable. I guess at 18 things look very different to us older people.

Well she’s obviously lucky to be strong in arts and science. Has she identified any English courses for which Chemistry might be an advantage? (On the basis that it’s nice if your other A’ levels support your chosen degree subject.)

Perhaps she has a future as a sci-fi writer? Fiction or journalism.

@WhirlyGigWhirlyGig I guess its a perspective thing. They'll get other it I hope, when they too become "older people"

@QuarterMiss she says she's sick of chemistry now! Didn't enjoy it past AS, got the A out of sheer bloodymindedness I think.

In terms of how to look for university a very crude way to begin is just to look at the league tables - look at the required grades - and find the universities which she's likely to get into. This is just a first step though and she shouldn't take league tables as gospel. For each prospective university she should look in detail at how graduates fare employment wise,look at other features that may be of interest to her (for example would she prefer a big city? Smaller university town? North? South? Campus university?). It's not a bad idea to visit (although this can perhaps wait until she has offers) so she can get a feel for the uni and for the town. Obviously the cost of living varies greatly as well so look at that unless money is no object. She should also look in detail at the courses offered to ensure they match her interests. She could also consider the OU if she wants to do a degree part time or stay at home.

Also she should include a safe choice and a university that is perhaps a bit of a reach when applying. Her very good score in English will work in her favour so even if a university requires A*AA it'll definitely be worth a shot.

Crisps why would she need safe and aspirational choices when she already has the grades? Doesn’t she just apply for courses that require the grades she has?

Op most Russell Group unis (among the best, eg Birmingham, Bristol, Warwick, UCL) would ask for AAA for Eng lit (it's what dd wants to do) so with her grades she'd probably get offers (A*AB is equivalent points wise) from them.

Prob not Oxford or Cambridge tho. If she wants to go in Sept 2019 she needs to be putting together her UCAS form and personal statement now. What a shame her college wasn't more supportive but well done her to do so well despite that!