Anyone else nervous about A level and BTEC results day

[ThatGoldHedgehog]

How are all the Alevel and BTEC results mums holding up? My son applied to UCAS and has to hit high grades in his BTEC. He seems calm and confident. I am nervous but putting on a brave face and staying calm. In the background ive been reading about how Clearing works and getting ready for results day. He wants to live at home so only 2 universities he is considering. First time through this system! Solidarity with other mums navigating this with their teenagers!

Thanks so much AnonyMum. I am so hoping that your DS gets the right grades!

Just to add, we’ve done a little background research in the last week. Found a unversity for a ‘just missed’ and for the BBB and CCC grades (the latter includes a uni that offers a foundation year). And made a list of their admissions numbers/emails. Felt stupid for not prepping earlier - he was so wiped out by the exams I didn’t want to convey any level of pessimism back in June.

However, it turns out that his GF has been doing this all along (she did that Edexel maths paper that made the news, so felt she had no choice but to be prepared for disaster) so I was able to use this to suggest last week that maybe it would be sensible to do some research and compile an emergency list.

It’s made me super anxious though, so I dread to think if it has impacted him. Have tried so hard to appear cool about it and just suggest it is what everyone does, just in case, you know? Just a last bit of admin.

I found it a really tricky time. I was confident she would be accepted by firm or insurance but my be prepared personality was I wanted to look in clearing just in case.
It’s such a knife edge, them thinking you think they’ve failed if you mention clearing.
I used a lot of just humour me you know what I’m like.
As it was she made firm and we were all done and dusted for 8.10am but I felt better having a list of possible courses, gcse details, EPQ and all phone numbers to hand just in case.

I think it's positive.

If he does do worse than expected then it emphasises it's not a disaster. "Oh, you got BCC - we'd better get on the phone about that course you liked the look of at X" - straightaway you're focussing on the future rather than what was missed.

Apparently last year someone with an Oxford offer got CCC and had to find a place in Clearing - it happens.

Very similar here too. I had to do a lot of reading up about how results come in, what they need to do and about clearing as well. First broached it with son saying - we're sure you'll be fine, but just in case it doesn't go to plan, have you had a thought about alternative options? And he mentioned a foundation year. Which was when I freaked! Another year of student loan and extra financial support, no guarantee of passing a foundation year. Looks bad on cv. He is just dead keen on this particular university. He's accepted that now though and we both drew up a list of alternative options at alternative universities.

Yes it is important to prepare a plan B because from what I've read, results day is a complete minefield if they don't get their choice.

From what I understand - 8am they have something showing on UCAS for first choice - either approved, declined or alternative course offered. A green button to accept. I said DON'T CLICK ON ANYTHING! (I can imagine impulsive panic at just accepting a lesser offer or foundation course). But they can't see if the insurance choice is approved unless they reject the first one (if it's an alternative offer), so again I said DON'T CLICK ON ANYTHING until we have a chat. I believe they have 5 days to accept online.

So advice I had was. If they don't get their choice approved or a near miss with grades:

1. Ring the University, and say you still really want to go there and do that course and would they accept the results (depending on how many points different I guess).
2. If first choice no longer an option: Ring the Insurance university and ask if they've been accepted/approved. If they say yes, confirm you want the place on the phone, reject first choice online and then insurance choice shows online to be accepted.
3. Have all the clearing numbers for particular universities/courses ready to phone if needed.

It's been tough - he desperately wants his first choice - there are no real alternative courses at that university if he misses the grades, it's likely he'll get accepted if he missed one grade but not two, as long as the main subject is an A. But not certain.

But we've looked up courses for lesser results in the same subject/mix of subjects or similar subjects at different universities and have the numbers ready!

And now I'm worrying he won't sleep the night before and then won't be safe to drive next day! When going into college later in the morning.

Hope the above helps anyone and if anyone else has any tips please share!

It sounds like a potential bunfight!

It's tough on them isn't it? When they've already chosen accommodation, had that confirmed and even paid a deposit for the accommodation - getting all psyched up to go somewhere and then having to even look at alternatives just in case.

Yes I had a similar conversation with DS and he is set on his first choice now too and is thinking of doing a foundation year if he has to over choosing his second choice. His first choice has a year abroad so was going to be 4 years anyway, so I said if he does that he has to think about a semester abroad instead of a year, then it's not an extra year. I didn't think about it looking bad on a CV. I'm not so sure it would though? surely you just put ' University of x 2026-2030(?!!) and degree. I think unless you completely fuck up ( which could happen first year of a degree too) you'd go into the degree with more skills etc? Anyway, hopefully it won't come to that for either of our DV's!

Son's are all four years but the extra one is a year in industry so hopefully that would be earning and help a bit! Maybe I was too negative about the foundation year idea. But I was horrified at the idea. It's for people with 3 C's. Why do that when you have an A and to B's (his most likely outcome) - why not just start a degree course instead of another year of student debt repeating work you';ve already done. Also they have to pass the foundation year - and need to get 65% I believe. No pass. Then what? Start all over again applying to other universities with that behind you? It worried me silly, But yes the need to go to a certain place with friends seems to override his ambition now. And that worries me! That he'd accept a foundation year rather than just a different course with joint subjects and start his degree. I can't actually see a university offering a student with an A in their subject a foundation year anyway. But maybe I'm wrong. I think it's fine for a student whose grades really are much less than they expected as it's a good chance for them then.

My stress levels are up tonight! I mean - he could get a really good place and course somewhere else in clearing if he doesn't get his choice!

So just keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that he gets his firm accepted! And we don't have to deal with this! Or it could be stressful Thursday morning over decisions and what next.

LOL It sounds like we have the same DS! I suspect the reluctance to go to his second choice is also because his friends are going to his first choice and it's not as far from home! They were all bravado in year 12 about going far and wide then when it came to it either applied to the local uni or decided not to go! (gap years, jobs, apprenticeships) DS is also on an ABB, and his first choice has BCC as contextual so the CCC is if it goes horribly wrong! He already has an A in his history NEA which is 20% of his mark so he'd have to have drop quite a way to have to do it but it's so hard to predict! I sympathise with the stress levels. Mine are through the roof but the thought of the foundation has had the opposite effect! Maybe I'm being too positive! In the one I was looking at it's things like research methods, skills etc which many Unis say students need to get out of the prescriptive writing they need for A Levels, and they can choose some interesting languages to learn at beginners levels too.

This is a good thread, much appreciated as a distraction from the building nerves. DS is very chill by nature so I'm trying not to bother him about it. It's not that I'm even worried - he has a proper safety net insurance that should take him if he misses his firm, and I think (hope) he'll do well and get the grades for his firm anyway. But my adrenaline and imagination kick in anyway and there's just that amorphous watershed feeling about them growing up and going that is all mixed in with it. Not a bad thing, exciting in many ways, but just a lot of feelings.

So good luck to all for tomorrow - but also for today. I'm seeing friends this pm so I'm not rattling around at home doing his head in, ha ha.

Hi @manywanderings
We've been through Clearing with our oldest DC and actually the experience with respect to the unis was fine. BUT: DD knew exactly what she wanted to do, had an offer by 9.30am, and has been very happy with her choice. I guess if your DC is in this scenario but not quite sure what to apply for (ie is having second thoughts about going down another pathway) it could be more stressful.

She was quite off the pace relative to her predictions and was going for a high demand humanities course. She had a few friends in similar positions that ended up with good options in high demand courses too. I wouldn't worry so much about the bun fight scenario. Our experience also was that the people fielding the calls are very sympathetic and understanding.

What made things complicated for us was processing what had happened in the exams. This is the bit that is hard - we did go for reviews, there were some things that just didn't make any sense at all in terms of points awarded in the essays and she was on the border with one of the papers. The reviews did not result in a change to her results.

She has had a lot of academic and other success overall - some real lucky breaks. A-levels were a nightmare but we just put this down to someone - higher power?! - deciding that the two options she had for whatever reason we really wrong and it was important to be categoric!

That’s a good point about reviews. Check your school or college process. DD’s was a paper form and cash to the office (only 2 years ago)
She didn’t need a review she had her firm uni place but it was a mark off A star in an essay subject. She requested papers and saw where she could potentially have a few marks to pick up and went for it one paper at a time and got the A star (which got her a uni scholarship £4000 so it was worth it!)

The stats are over 80% get firm choice (possibly a different course) and I think over another 10% get insurance. Obviously for those that don’t it’s a stressful day or two in clearing but there are lots of high quality courses in clearing at decent well regarded universities.

That was certainly not the case my daughter's year at her school (private.) Interesting.

Maybe more going for the very competitive courses like med/den/vet or law and top 10 universities at a selective private so less wiggle room if miss grades?
Most of my DD’s friends (state) got their firm.

That is quite reassuring to hear. It's easy to get caught up in the : what ifs'. I'm taking the DC' s to a hill tonight to see the eclipse so hopefully that will be nice and relaxing ( and I'll do a bit of a prayer to Gaia or whoever just in case...)

Going for an outing all day, ferry, second breakfast, walk, lunch, rent bikes to a nice beach, swim, bikes then ferry back. Hopefully we’ll all manage to take our minds off it. This time tomorrow we’ll know!

I think they fucked up the predicteds tbh. Also: school was very strong at GCSE, less so at A level but the courses seemed to be taught the same way.

Finally got my DS to engage this morning - 5mins of scanning and ‘yeah, I’d be happy with either of those. See ya later’. Slopes off with Huel shake and bar…

This is a massive generalisation but private schools apparently tend to over predict grades and state schools under predict.

I realised last night son was just humouring me whatever I said! Yes that looks ok, and told me he had a list of clearing numbers on his phone and showed me. But then dropped he wanted to go where friends are. So I think whatever research I've done into alternative courses, he has his own agenda! But realistically is probably just only thinking about getting his offer and not wanting to think about anything else yet. But rather too concerned about certain friends who are not likely to get the grades.

Surely this system could be simpler on everyone all round?!

I wonder what this thread will be like tomorrow! Lots of ups and downs maybe.

I'm still a bit confused that they can see ucas results by 8am but don't get the actual A level results till later when they go into college. That must be a bit confusing.

Have some favourite snacks and cake for tea to try and distract from it all but am worried about him getting to college tomorrow as he won't sleep. Said we will drop him off as it's not safe to drive when sleep deprived, but he's insistent he is driving himself. That worries me more than the results!

The Unis had the results a week ago, so have all their offers ready to go. I think maybe that's best as if you have a place you are happy and it doesn't matter as much but if you're unhappy you can go find out exactly what your results are and speak to someone straight away.

UCAS updates at 8am so they can see if they have been accepted by firm, insurance or clearing. It was about 8.10am when when dd got it open (everyone is trying to get on and it’s slow to load)

Lots of schools and colleges just email results at 8am no need to go in unless they want to. My dd could see her email had come but wanted to look at ucas first.