Leon's blog: Exam results advice

Results Day 
The day you might dread, the day you might loathe, or perhaps the day you might love…apart from the beginning of school, it is definitely Results Day! To those who had received their A Level results yesterday, I hope they were fantastic. Likewise, those who will receive their GCSE results on the 25^th August – good luck!

This short entry would hopefully give you some advice (or a reminder, as you probably know what to do already!) on what happens next, whether you achieved the grades you wanted or not.

Which Universities?
There are several crucial things you should consider. If you’ve just received your AS grades, then now is the time to reaffirm which universities you wish to apply to. Being realistic is vital: if you underperformed this year, are your choices still suitable? In fact, if you’ve over-performed, you should ask yourself the same question! When choosing which universities to apply for, always remember to have at least one safe option that is a grade lower than what you currently have! For example if you got ABB, then it would be wise to apply to universities that accept ABB, but also one that accepts BBB or lower. You have five options, and the worse situation you could fall into next year is if none of them makes you an offer!

Other things to consider include distance from home (do you want to live in a student accommodation or at home?), reputation of the university/the course, how big it is, the accommodation, and last but not least – how much it’ll cost. Information about fees and funding can be found on the university’s website.

Which degree?
Hopefully you already know which subject(s) you enjoy studying and have some idea on what you’d like to pursue for at least three years of your life. If not, then consider what your strengths and weaknesses are.  How handy! You have your AS results to help you. If you did well in a subject that you enjoy and will apply for, then go for it! If you wanted to do one thing (e.g. Maths) but found that your results weren’t great, then it comes down to the R word again – realistic. Would you be able to improve on your grade? Are you truly passionate about Maths and would pursue it anyway? Are there any other subjects you enjoy that you did better at? Are there any particular topics within Maths which you are more interested in, such as Statistics? Consider your options and make your mind up! Time flies and before you know it you will need to have decided…

It is also advisable to look at the course itself: there may be slight variations between universities on what modules are taught, what is available, and how flexible the course is.

Retakes?
Retaking exams may be an option for you if you didn’t get the grades you wanted. There is nothing stopping you from retaking, and it may not necessarily be as bad as people might say. Indeed, some universities, especially the more prestigious ones, may explicitly say that they prefer students who’ve achieved the required grades the first time round. You should check the university’s website for information regarding this, email their undergraduate recruitment officers, or speak to your teachers about retakes!

If you are going to retake a paper, then also be prepared to spend more time on it among the other work you have next year. Better time management and planning would be needed to achieve the grades you want in both AS and A2. It might be difficult, but you’ll reap the rewards come next Summer!

How many A Levels? Dropping a subject?
One point I’d like to emphasise is that when universities say they look at three grades, they mean it! As a student, I always hear uncertainty from my friends and their parents as to whether having four or more A Levels is better than just three. More than three could be better in the sense that if you under-perform in one subject, you have another that you may fall back on; in other words you can pick the best three of however many you’re doing. Conversely, if you take three A Levels then you could spend more time on them, rather than using a handful of good hours per week on another subject. Many university admissions staff (unless if they’re lying…) have always told me that if they say they look at three, then they only look at three. After you’ve achieved the entry requirements then they would move on to your school reference, personal statement etc. It is advisable, therefore, that you take the subjects you like, and three is sufficient. You should only take more if you can handle it or if you are interested in other subjects – it is plain wrong to say the more the better! Of course you could disagree with me, but I have just told you what I understand.

This leads on to the point of dropping a subject. It is worth considering dropping a subject if you struggled with your workload last year. Or indeed you may drop a subject if is not required by the university, if you don’t enjoy it, or if you performed badly in your exams. Remember to check with your university options to see whether there are any subject requirements before dropping anything!

Personal Statement
PS: I almost left out this section entirely! Now that you’ve decided which universities to apply for and what degree to study, you must write your perfect PS. Ideally, you should have started already, but if not, then better get going! Check out the UCAS website for advise on how to write your PS: http://www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/

Other options other than university?
Do not fret if you believe university isn’t for you. Depending on the profession or career you want to go into, you may be better off doing apprenticeships or other courses! I’m not an expert on this, so I would advise you to contact Connexions – they’re here to help! Also, browse around the Connexions website – they have a lot of good information for you.

Leon Man
Member of Youth Parliament for South Bucks and Chiltern
Member of Bucks Youth Cabinet
Member of Young National Children's Bureau Advisory Group
Buckinghamshire Connexions Young Trustee
NCVYS National ENVOY Member