A level results day 2024

[Happyface246]

How’s everyone else feeling about results day? I’ve got one at uni already and 2nd dd hoping to go to Kent in September. She seems ok about it at the moment although think that will change as it gets closer. Me I’m so keeping my fingers crossed she gets what she wants, I know there will always be other options but she loved the open day. Going to struggle with this one going though as it has been a real journey to get to where she is.

DS did a lot better than his predicted grades (AABB compared to ACCD) but I think DD will struggle to meet hers. Not that they were wrong or overly optimistic at the time, it's just how things have worked out for one reason or another.

(She doesn't actually need to meet them, but does need at least an A in biology and to find an Å from somewhere, which she thinks will be a problem.)

@O2HaveALittleHouse @socks1107 thank you for your kind words 🙂

We've done a huge list of potential alternatives so hoping we are prepped should we need to be - I love a good spreadsheet

I'll let you all know and be watching with interest how everyone is doing. I'll bring the gin 😂

Checking in. Ds was really unwell up to and during exams so not expecting him to have done his best. Desperately hoping for good enough that he’s happy with it.

He has also finally realised he doesn’t really want his degree firm or insurance and wants to do something completely different after kidding himself for the last year (and not listening to me). So looking at worst case resits and best case a gap year and a rethink.
He is actually a fantastic young man. Hard working and helpful and a pleasure to have in the house so I just hope things are ok for him. He’s in a bit of a state about it.

I might need help to get through this! Older dd was soooo easy!!

DS hasn't applied this year. He said he wanted a gap year and to apply next year with grades in hand, as he didn't feel old enough to go (he's not 18 until the end of the month), but I wondered if he was worried he wouldn't get the grades he would need.
His A levels have been a bit of a mixed bag. He completely coasted in lower sixth and his mock results were three Es, which gave him a bit of a wake-up call.
He pulled his finger out in upper sixth and his grades increased throughout the year.
Just before the exams he was talking about maybe applying through clearing if his grades were ok, but he's now saying he might have to go back to college to resit, so the nerves are definitely getting to him.
The waiting's killing me so goodness knows what it's like for him!
I just want to know where he stands so he can sort out what he's going to do ...

It's awful isn't it? I have a white faced 18 year old hiding in her room! Except when she's at work - she works part time at the same place as me - I went in today and they said she was really quiet and anxious yesterday and didn't want to talk about it.

Horrible week! Third and final time for me thank god!

That's the case for my uni and courses. So we spent yesterday deciding who we will be rejecting due to poorer results than predicted and then how many spaces we have left. So our website currently shows we are in clearing and we were getting applications yesterday and more today.

We are interviewing tomorrow and may be out of clearing for some smaller courses before 8am Thursday morning. The plan is to try and fill the courses before Thursday.

Some of the bigger courses will definitely still be in clearing and too be honest won't be filled. However that doesn't mean we will take anyone, there is still a line in the sand for each course on minimum of ucas points accepted. It is not bums on seats.

@ClearingClearing I'm confused - how can students be contacting you about clearing places now? Don't they need to know their grades first? Isn't the whole thing under embargo until Thursday morning?

I wondered the same. Unless it’s students with grades in hand but I’m not sure that seems fair.

People with grades in hand and IB holders? Doesn't make it fair though!

Yes, how does that work with the IB or Scottish results? How do the university manage that?

Yes, it's mainly (but not all) people with grades in hand. Always seem to get a few mature students at this point who suddenly decide they want to go to uni.

Saying that some of the people I'm interviewing tomorrow must be A level students as I know their grades and they don't. I've obviously been warned not to let slip tomorrow. So maybe students who didn't apply and have changed their minds, or students who didn't get any of their 5 offers.

So I will know tomorrow at their interview if they will get an offer or not, won't tell them till Thursday.

Thank you for the explanation. Imagine knowing and they don’t! That would be hard.

Feeling a bit sick with the waiting now.

DD not convinced she's done enough for her firm, unsure about her insurance and started looking at clearing.

I've just got everything crossed she'll get into her firm and I think she probably will but she was ill during the exams (glandular fever and various medical tests in case the lumps were something nastier) and that didn't exactly help her.

I will be glad when Thursday's over - at least once we know what the position is we can make plans

I hate this wait. The universities know. We don't. It's cruel.

DD says that they'll get the email from UCAS saying whether they've been accepted by firm or insurance or entered clearing a couple of hours before they know their results...

I have a question if anyone knows! Do uni admissions see the full mark breakdown so they would know if candidate was borderline when they make their decisions?

ive never seen a full mark breakdown. Just grades/ucas points. I’m a senior lecturer. Not sure if admissions administrators see more but I doubt it.

I don't think so, @aramox1
It would be worth letting them know and also maybe worth considering a remark.

No it's just the schools/colleges.

We don’t and at least in my place we wouldn’t take it, or a request for remark into consideration. If you’re getting a remark you’d let us know - if you get it back and you’ve met your offer by a set day we would then accept you, but might not be for September 2024 start - may have to be Sept 25

It’s a definite trend in DD’s school to have a gap. She’s only one in her friends group going straight away.
Think it’s often finance related - most will only get minimum loan so need to work to build a buffer and lots are trying to get apprenticeships instead, with uni being back up plan. Plus the Covid effect of kids perhaps not being as ready and independent so having a year to mature/work/learn to drive etc.

Thanks everyone for these useful answers! Hoping not to need to find out 🤞

In contrast to what I'm hearing here, all ds's cohort are hoping to go straight on. All have had trouble finding summer employment so that might make gap year work look trickier. Think they're all desperate to leave home too!

Just been looking for looooong films for tomorrow night, when I'm struggling (totally unable?) to sleep. Ben Hur, Gone with the Wind and Interstellar so far.

... all of DC's friends are aiming to go to uni this year too.

Is it correct that if you log onto ucas first thing on Thursday you can find out whether firm choice has accepted (therefore confirming results are either as predicted or higher?)

Yes this is correct however UCAS website may crash as everyone is trying however you may be accepted with lower grades so can’t guarantee you’ve got them