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 :)

Placemarking, Durham is firm for DC, was aspirational application, so getting just an offer feels like a win. As did getting first choice college in the ballot. Do good things come in threes? Exams were 'fine'. DC not the most forthcoming with emotions or deep discussions about what if's, so silence is golden in the 'readandsew' household regarding the impending results day. Because of this, no chance of a discussion/plan for clearing, will just stress DC out unduly beforehand.

The BBC is reporting there is a greater chance of getting your firm even if you've missed the conditional offer, which may result in fewer places in clearing. The application process has been a steep learning curve; predicted grades are so important!

Please don’t dismiss the idea of a gap year.

Both my DC had unplanned ones. DC1 had a change of heart about the university and course a week before results. They got excellent grades. DC2 did not get award the grades needed by his school -Covid year- and his chosen university (middle tier) would not accept him with ACC when his offer was BBC (B in maths and he had been given a C). His course was also in clearing but they would not budge.

DC1 did workaway, VSO and a gappy in a boarding school, DC2 worked in a Covid testing centre. Both had never had a job before and it was the making of them. They got jobs easily at university as they had customer facing experience and then got grad jobs easily after university. I am sure the maturity they gained and work experience in their gap years helped.

DC2 took the October Covid year exams and got an A star in the maths and moved his other C up to a B (with 6 weeks preparation). He took his place on the BBC course the following year with A star, A, B. The degree course is the only one he wanted and he loved it… and the maths element was very challenging!

DC1 reapplied with grades in hand to top universities for completely different courses to the ones chosen before.

I have spoken to three university smt people this week (three different top twenty universities) in connection with work. Without exception they have used the phrase “bums on seats”. The sector is in trouble but in the short term it’s helpful for those of us with DC expecting to miss their grades.

Im still highly stressed though! DS really has his heart set on Lancaster. It’s such a great university. It literally has it all. I’m trying to big up some of the clearing options this week but with law if you don’t get at least BBB then you’re highly unlikely to ever get a job as a solicitor anyway so it’s probably a big shift to something else if that happens.

Joining also! DC has an Oxbridge offer which is nervewrackingly high. They are predicted the grades to meet/exceed it, but I am beginning to feel quite nervous, particularly as the insurance is Bristol, which is tricky for accommodation (not to mention expensive!)

DC has been off travelling for a month - back now, but we are all trying not to mention next week 😆

That BBC article is encouraging but I wonder if it applies to all the unis?! Hope so!

We are stuck waiting as my DD has struggled with mental health and so it's making the waiting really hard. I know it's hard anyway but it's really stringing her anxiety out to the max.
We want to talk about things for Uni and buying stuff but we are just waiting arghhh it's horrible.
She's done so well to get where she is through some really hard times so I just want it to all come together for her.
Sending calming thoughts to all of us waiting and worrying.
Also I am struggling myself and work is very busy but I can't really explain my emotional stress as it sounds daft.

@elliejjtiny Most university halls of residence have contents insurance included so worth checking before buying your own (and remembering that private halls don't in subsequent years - glares at DC1!)

Oh, and apparently it will be ok as DC met someone in a pub last week who got into the same course last year with lower grades!! Bit of straw clutching going on!

I felt some hope on the back of the bbc article but I think ds will take a gap year. He is not excited about going really so it might be good. At least we know if he does not get Notts we will not do clearing so it takes the pressure off. He will reapply with grades I think.

I think it will be like last year, but more extreme. Over 80% of offer holders got their Firm option. Most places took near miss candidates, including top unis for many courses.
The BBC article suggests possibly slightly fewer Clearing places as unis will fill most places with near misses. A bird in the hand is definitely preferable. Those near misses have usually visited, selected accommodation and want to come and are emotionally invested. Their £9k bum is more likely to land on the seat than a theoretical bum which might receive multiple offers in Clesring and then never appear.
For most unis, it’s not worth trying to replace a firm offer holder who missed the offer by 1 grade, with someone who got one grade better. They weigh the pros and cons and accept lower grades / sometimes 2 or 3!
But of course lots of unis will do this and STILL need to go to Clearing to fill.

It’s an anxious time, but most young people will be off to their preferred choice.

One further thought, often better places can be had through Clearing than applying with grades in hand.
In Clearing, you’re competing against the real, achieved grades which are usually lower than PGs. In the standard cycle you compete against those with inflated PGs and fave the standard offer, not the much lower accepted in Clearing often.

I have been in school for results day four times now (this will be my fifth time!) and I work in the sector. DC also attend a school which publishes all individual A level grades (which is a whole different thread!) In general it's those who have aimed for the highest ranking universities that are seen looking shocked and tearful. Oxford Cambridge Durham LSE St Andrews and Imperial are far more likely to say no to people who have missed a grade. The mid ranking universities are generally fairly flexible as long as they are seeing As and Bs. Once you go into the category of below the top 30 the likelihood is in the current economic climate that they are accepting you even if you've missed by a few grades.

Hi, just joining! I have one looking to study Music tech at Uni of Surrey. Needs BBB but no idea if he will achieve this as Audhd and chaotic! He’s also away on results day so I need to be doing clearing 😭 This is all new to me as eldest was v independent and did it all himself (plus got grades needed for first choice). Currently in negotiations for him to prepare me a list of possibilities but he sees this as evidence of my lack of faith in him 🤯

Be aware that many universities won't speak to you as the parent. They need to speak to the applicant. Clearing is a phone call situation rather than something you do online. It might be best if he can be available (or I guess your older DS could possibly pretend to be him?)

Oh gosh really? I had no idea that could be an issue. He’ll be in Paris (terrible timing). Right, I need to plan for that then. Eeeek. Could the fact that he needs extra support count in my favour on that front though potentially?

Hi! I haven’t posted on here yet either, (but am current on a Year 11 thread and been lurking on here as I have a DS18 due to start Edinburgh in September after a gap year.. he also breezed through and organised everything himself 🤩). Your post just popped up and made me smile in sympathy, as my DS16 is AuDHD too, is “handling” his college application himself and I’ve no idea of his start date, if he gets in… Annoyingly, DH took him for his interview in February ( so found out zero!), we were on holiday for the open day and I am utterly clueless as to the actual grades needed ( “is it 4 Grade 4’s but can retake English, thus need 3 ?! 🤷‍♀️😹?!?) as “he is dealing with it all”, and any questions from me are like a slight on his ability to do so… so, I feel your pain in trying to delve further again, for precisely the reasons you gave 🙄!. ( I’m going to have to man up and call the college, which I’ve been putting off, to get a Plan B).

I wish you the very best of luck next week, and 🤞🙏you don’t need to go through clearing.

Can he still call from Paris? My eldest was due to be away at the key point but in the end reapplied with grades in hand so it didn't matter. We had planned to get him to call from whichever country he was in at the time.

Thanks so much - sound like you very much ‘get it’! It’s so hard to help him see that I’m just trying my hardest to support him - not annoy him 🤣

That will have to be the new plan. Along with clear instructions on not losing the charger, waking up in time, having the numbers with international codes ready, not freaking out or freezing due to anxiety…the list goes on. He’s with friends the same age so unlikely to have anyone to handhold him through it

This next week is going to drag. I just want to get on and deal with it now come what may.

I'm almost certain DS will miss his grade offer, just a question of how much. I haven't said this to him but he seems to think so too. One history paper in particular he was not happy with.

Given the BBC article and the fact his firmed course is in clearing for the 2nd year running at a much reduced offer, I'm as hopeful as I can be that they may still take him. His insurance choice was a lower offer anyway so he does have a back up but I know his heart is set on the firm.

I would love for him to avoid clearing as just the thought of it stresses me out even as just a 'helper'.

Not really I'm afraid since the universities you are telephoning won't know about any additional needs, will view him as an adult and will expect him to be able to make a phone call anyway. You can prepare the night before looking through clearing options and getting phone numbers ready. Be aware that it can be one of those situations where you call 5000 times before getting through to anyone... It isn't entirely first come first served though. They will generally take your details and then they consider in batches and make offers to those with the best grades and then wait to see whether they are accepted before potentially offering out to those with lower grades.

@Birdbrained13 we ended up in clearing with DD a couple of years ago. They definitely want to speak to the student. I think you should have your DS plan for the morning to be spent somewhere quiet on an 'open zoom' with you and you can support him virtually whilst he makes calls.

With DD, I did make a couple of calls whilst she was on other calls - just to test the waters and see if it was even worth her calling - but the minute it sounded like she might be considered for a place, she had to take over.

If you feel your DS needs support - do the leg work - make a 'clearing list' for him to work with:

His UCAS number
University name
Clearing hotline phone number
Course Reference Numbers
Published grades
Clearing grades
Any details about accom (ie: guaranteed campus accom etc)

Any hints on using the UCAS website to search for courses? I can't get it to give me just the subject I'm interested in

It’s crazy to think that this time in a week, we will know the outcome, and also that the universities might have allocated firm places now. Does UCAS normally update re offers before the grades are known, or vice versa?

@Roomgigi I just set the filter to 'clearing' then type into the subject box

https://digital.ucas.com/coursedisplay/results/courses?studyYear=2025&destination=Undergraduate&vacancy=eng&postcodeDistanceSystem=imperial&pageNumber=1&sort=MostRelevant&clearingPreference=CoursesInClearing

Yes. Last year we got the UCAS update and uni email confirmation before the email arrived with grades on. Both were due at 8 but the school email was a bit late.