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 :)

If your son doesn’t make Liverpool my daughter had a brilliant time at John Moore’s instead ,after declining NTU insurance plan on the day. Good luck

I can DHs point as DS2s is autistic and could really struggle with sharing a kitchen. He'd literally not eat if it meant he had to speak up for his turn. But the flip-side is he'd miss out on being potentially invited out. It's Exeter for DS2 and accommodation is getting booked quickly

DC got lower grades than expected but still got offers. School sorted out getting one subject remarked because it missed by one point.

I can see that point too (my son is also neuro diverse). But I would worry that a studio flat could be isolating if he lacks the confidence to push himself to go to social events without others he knows going too.

It's a difficult situation, I hope he can sort out suitable accommodation soon. It's only my personal opinion that it's harder to make friends in studio flats (you and your husband know your son better than me though).

DS off to Bath (Engineering), very happy even though it was his insurance.

Can anyone shed some light on what happens with accommodation? As it wasn’t his first choice he hasn’t booked yet, their website says they will be back on the 19th of August. Is it possible he won’t get any student accommodation?

also interested to hear any experience, good and bad, what to look out for re student life and academic studies.

My son had a age 6 spelling and reading age at age 11. Severely dyslexic and later found out he sees every letter twice and they move but not in unison. I think we would all struggle with that! Small text looks like a qwerty code to him.

He's a software engineer and sealed a degree apprenticeship (after a triple distinction star BTEC IT).

Takes some grit to achieve when fighting the odds.

Well done to all of your young adults today. I hope they have a great Uni experience wherever they choose.

I see Exeter is mentioned a few times. I've been to Streatham Campus a few times in the summer holidays. OK, its rather quiet at the moment, but it seems a lovely place and the building we were in was amazing. Easy access to the mainline train (bit of a hill but that's the South West for you and it affords the views!) And a wetherspoons enroute too! I never did a degree and am virtually retired now but it made me want to be young again!

I know someone who did. Went through clearing, was offered, then decided she wanted to take the year off. They said she could defer. It's not guaranteed but it's also not out of the question.

Ds got his grades and is off to do law at Lancaster. He is over the moon!

Do universities ever retract places? My daughter got much much less than her conditional grades but still got her place - could they have made a mistake?

Would have thought it very unlikely.

Have you checked what her course if being offered at in Clearing?

Congratulations to him, my DS is also off to Durham for engineering!
He got the email at 8:05 as we were driving into town to pick up his results, he yelled so loudly that poor DH nearly jumped out of his skin.
His offer was AAB and he got AAA, he'd already logged into the portal & accepted it before we even got to school.
We are locals so he's going to live in (Cuths) for a year then back home for the other 3.
If you want any Durham info ask away, I worked at the university a few years ago.

My daughter also got lower than asked for for York last year and still got the place. She has other extra curricular things which I think helped and an A in Epq so I guess that helped

My understanding (from director of admissions at Manchester open day) is that if the offer is a legal contract and if you get the grades the university has to give you a place. Hopefully it’s just an admin thing.

DS has got his 1st choice offer - I’ve seen a few posts saying their kids have ‘logged on and accepted’ their place. But I just looked and the only option seems to be to decline (which obvs he won’t be doing!)

am I missing something?!

So proud of DC, Astar, Astar, A and off to Nottingham for Economics.

Congrats. What did he have to accept on the portal? DS's said congratulations and that there was nothing else to do.

DS got his place despite two grade drop on FM. Relieved!

I wondered the same - DS's says it's confirmed and there's nothing else to do.

I only found this thread last night so have been lurking today. DD got her grades - I’m so happy for her as she got a B in English lit that she worked her socks off for! She’s dyslexic and has ADHD so achieving that has been a much needed boost to her self esteem. She’s off to York- funny how many on this thread there are!

was all prepared for clearing as we had to do that three years ago for DS. Just wanted to offer support to those who didn’t get their grades and have to do that- DS was gutted but moved quickly to apply through clearing, got a great uni within first year accommodation. He graduated this summer with a first (his a levels were ABC) so it really is just the stepping stone.

It might be accept the College accommodation for Durham rather than the place.

thank you for this thread, have been reading the posts the last few days and has really helped with the nerves! Congrats to all your young people who are in where they wanted and sending good wishes to those who aren’t yet on the next steps…

does anyone have any views on NTU and Sussex for law? DD missed her offer from Exeter unfortunately so is disappointed but it was always a stretch. They offered her a different course but miles away on their Cornwall campus instead.

She has clearing options from NTU and Sussex - loved NTU on open day but now wobbling about it, didn’t visit Sussex so can’t compare and don’t know much about it! Any thoughts gratefully received thanks

My DC met the grade offer and is off to their first choice Uni. We are beyond proud as they have worked so hard. For those whose DC didn’t do as well as expected I totally flunked my A levels only achieving 1 at grade E! I went to do a foundation year followed by a HND followed by a year top up into a BA Hons. It is absolutely not the end of the world and there will be ways to get to where you want to be.

Ds got BBB, which he was disappointed with as he needed ABB. However, his firm accepted him anyway so he’s happy

It’s a lovely university to go to, and the college system works really well. There are both college and university societies, and a pretty good nightlife for what is quite a small city. My daughter graduated from there this summer and enjoyed her time there, she was at the college next door to Stevenson.

My 'back in the day' was the mid/late '60s, we took a stamped addressed envelope into school on the last day and they were posted to us, so it came Friday if lucky or Saturday, more likely! However the local rag had them on Thursday evening, I recall walking down our avenue from my holiday job when the 'O' levels came out and the neighbours waving at me and thumbs upping, one lady came out, said Well done love and gave me a box of chocolates, I had no idea of her name!
Good luck to you all, interesting that so many children are sleeping while Mum is a nervous wreck, are Fathers not pacing too??