2025 A Level Results Day and Sept Uni Starters - All Welcome

[SlightlyJaded]

I couldn't see board specifically dedicated to results day for our DC who have sat A levels this spring. And I know some of us STILL have questions about Uni starters.

DS has Liverpool as his first choice and Notts Trent as his insurance - both to study History. Anyone who recognises me from previous boards might remember the hell we went through with DD a couple of years ago, so DS has applied quite a lot of caution to his choices - perhaps too much, perhaps not enough. Neither of us have any idea what to expect with his results. He has genuinely fluctuated between a D and an A in some of his mocks....

I still haven't done anything about accommodation which is one of the reasons I am starting this thread.

But mostly, it's for nail biting, relief, tears, support, advice and all the other things needed to get us through the next few weeks.

Welcome :)

What's Liverpool's deadline for applying to accommodation? Normally they have a guarantee for 1st years but only if they apply before the deadline. Why hasn't your DS sorted out his accommodation? By this age, most kids just sort the uni stuff out, they're the ones getting the email, so they should be on it, looking on the website. When he firmed them, they likely a few days after would have sent details for accommodation. I'd try and find those emails or look on the website for the accommodation page, better to ask the uni now than results day. But Liverpool is a lovely uni and city, so I'm sure he'll enjoy it. Most kids often do the best they have in exams, because they do more revision than ever, so I'm sure he's done well. Plus l saw Liverpool have put up their clearing grades for subject and they have lowered them quite a bit compared to the offer, so he'll likely be fine.

We have a short list of accomodation and DS did take himself on a few tours and make notes. What I don't understand is whether i am supposed to put a deposit down for Liverpool and for accom in his Insurance city and what happens to that deposit if he ends up crashing out and going somewhere else via clearing...?

I've just looked at the clearing grades posted. Certainly a bit lower - thanks for the head's up.

No deposit or money will be confirmed till after results day. Also in the contract or somewhere on the wesbite it will lokely stipulate payment dates - if not I'd recommend emailing or calling them to see.
I'd recommend looking through this website. Has stuff for how to apply and how to contact them if have more questions. I think from this his deadline is 31st of August but Liverpool say they do first come, first served as well.

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/accommodation/
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/accommodation/applying/

Also, for insurance it depends on the uni, normally the want you to wait till results day - so then if the doesn't get the grades and goes to Nottingham Trent. Then they'll get him to apply then, because some students may get higher grades and go somewhere else etc. However, this is the typical idea, I know some universities do it differently, so definitely check Trent's website so you know for sure. Hope this is helpful.

It really should be DS who is driving this though. But as he's not a PFB you must know this 😀 I don't subscribe to the MN view that they are 18 and so should just get on with all of it with no reference to parents at all btw.
Liverpool have gone early like Southampton and Nottingham with some considerable and widespread grade drops.

Placemarking. Liverpool is first choice for DS. Keeping everything crossed.

DS has reserved accommodation at his first choice (Sheffield) but doesn’t need to pay a deposit until after results day. Having said that, he hasn’t at his insurance

Found you!!! @SlightlyJaded yes DD needs AAB. Gonna be close and may not make it but she loved Leeds. You are v sensible in exercising caution! @ihmppmmwtbwote I agree fabulous city!

Hello, would like to join please. DD waiting for results, applied for Lancaster as first choice and Sussex as second. I'm so nervous for her.

Ds is waiting for results.

Like the Op's ds, if he had a good day he could pass all expectations. Or bad papers and he may sink without trace. He said the first couple were "good" and all others were "okay" but "okay" is his default for "leave me alone, I don't want to talk" which could mean anything. Results for all three could be anything from B to E, I suspect most likely on the C/D side, but not guaranteed. So I'm nervous; don't know if he is.

His insurance offer is higher than his firm, so if he misses his firm then he likely doesn't have anywhere.

I so want him to do well because he did eventually (if a little late) put some effort in, so I want him to see that it did give results. I asked him with about 2 months to go how he normally revised, and he looked blankly at me and said "I haven't." <sigh>

@MargaretThursday Lancaster is supposed to be lovely with fantastic pastoral care. Fingers crossed. It’s almost impossible to tell: DD also variable. Says exactly the same after every exam: “was ok. Don’t want to talk about it “.

I really like Lancaster. DS has firmed Bath. I know Lancaster and Loughborough were in clearing for his course last year with a slight dropped grade that I think DS will achieve, but he doesn't want to go to these unis. He has also gone off his insurance choice, and has had a change of heart on his course too. He had one bad biology paper to add to the mix. I have no idea if he is going away in Sept, will reapply or take a gap year.

Joining! Another with Liverpool as first choice.

Can I join too? Ds has firmed Sheffield, with Birmingham as insurance. Says he’s reasonably confident he’ll make the grades - fingers crossed. He’s applied for accommodation at both just in case

I'm not sure which is worse:
Dd1 who came back from every exam wanting to talk about it in detail, then went on-line and "marked" her exams with other people and told me what mark she thought she would get - then there was an anxious wait for grade boundaries.
Tbf she was maths which is relatively easy to do and she was correct within 2 marks on every paper. But she was agonising about "if the grade boundary is this, and I'm at the lower end etc".
Or ds (and tbf dd2) who is "okay. enough said" so I have no idea. He's got ASD and ADHD so a distraction in the exam hall and he may have been away with the fairies.

He (with dd1) put for him an amazing amount of work in on his maths in the last month or so (why on why couldn't he have done that sooner!) so I really really want him to have done surprisingly well in that for dd1, and for ds to show him work helps, and also an up yours for his teacher who was a prat and kept telling him he was rubbish, hence dd1 needing to help him.

Joining in. Ds1 is off to LIPA (Liverpool) in September. He has his place confirmed because he took his exams last year and he's had a gap year.

@SlightlyJaded- it is definitely worth applying for accommodation now. DD was told to apply as soon as she got an offer, before even deciding whether to firm/ insure it.

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/accommodation/applying/

Thanks for all the accommodation tips. We are also unsure whether to just stick to halls linked to the Uni or venture off to other halls too. There seem to be some nice ones that are a bit cheaper and I assume they will be more of a mix of Uni of Liv / Liv John Moores / Liv Hope? DS doesn't care as long as he is fairly central and has his own loo. He is apparently willing to make ‘other sacrifices” for a loo of his own….

Hi OP, and good luck. Just to say, accommodation at NTU is a bunfight . Will be even harder after results day. Hopefully, this is unnecessary information!

Another waiting for results here, firm choice Lancaster. A Level exams were very up and down so no idea how he’s done! 14th August can’t come quick enough!

@MargaretThursday : all credit to your DS. My DS (20) has ASD and no way could he have attempted the stress of A levels either academically or emotionally. But totally get how random it can be!
No idea with DD. Gonna have to wait and see. Not loving the jeopardy….

@Piggywaspushed : I might be wrong but I think you are an A level Sociology teacher. Just to say thank you because I read some of the stuff you talked about (particularly that it is not an easy option A level unlike popular belief) and DD has LOVED it (largely down to an excellent teacher tbf)

Thank you! You're more than welcome 😀

This is good to know

It’s entirely likely possible that DS will end up at NTU so sounds like we should get something sorted there aa well. Thanks

I'm joining in with the wait. Ds2 is waiting results, ds1 has thankfully graduated this year with no hiccups, and is now enjoying summer before PGCE (budding maths teacher)
Ds2 is up and down, swinging between sleeping half the day away, (because he's been up all night) and waking up early to "sort out my sleeping cycle". He doesn't move quietly either, so I'm very frazzled at the moment. He spent a couple of weeks talking about his results, confident at first and then worried. I daren't bring it up at this point, I know he has applied for accommodation at his firm, but that's all. He's hoping to do maths at Warwick, and has insured Bath - so that's going to fun sorting out his accom on results day.
He's looked at clearing, not actually phoned anyone yet. He definitely doesn't want to take a gap year. Hasn't looked at spring week internships. I think we're just about holding on to sanity while he eats All The Food
Ds1 is autistic, and his firm was the exact same grades as his insurance, and I seem to have scrubbed the stress of results day from my memory.
In a few weeks it'll be over and all our budding students will be happy wherever they go.