Results day

Results day can be a really emotional experience. For most it will be a celebration of two years of hard work and securing a place at their first choice university but for a few students their initial plans might have to change and this can be really unnerving. Whatever the outcome the most important thing to remember is to stay calm. There are lots of options available and they can still go on to have a fantastic university experience.

Preparation before the day

Have a positive but honest conversation with your son or daughter to see how they feel they performed in their final exams. If they have genuine concerns then some prior research into alternative options can make a real difference on the day.
Get them to list all of the things that are important to them with regards to university – course, placement opportunities, geographical location etc. It is really important to remember that if they do need to look for a different institution that they still find one that meets the criteria.
If you feel that your son or daughter has been affected by mitigating circumstances (such as illness or bereavement) then it is worth discussing this with their school/college and if necessary contacting their chosen universities in advance of results day. This allows them to take this into consideration when making decisions as to whether or not a student’s application is successful.
Gather all paperwork associated with UCAS together and place it in one folder. If a student needs to contact their university choice they may be asked to quote information such as their UCAS ID number. Having all of this to hand can help speed up conversations.

On the day

The most important thing to remember is for students to stay local. Universities will want to speak directly to applicants and this can prove difficult if they are away on holiday with no access to a computer and/or their UCAS information.

At approximately 8am students will find that their status on the UCAS Hub will change:

Conditional Offer changed to Unconditional Offer: The student has been accepted onto their chosen course. If a student hasn’t met the conditions of their Firm choice they may have done so for their Insurance – in which case this will have updated accordingly.

Conditional Offer changed to Unsuccessful: Unfortunately the student hasn’t met the conditions of their offer and their place has been withdrawn.

No change (Conditional Offer remains a Conditional Offer): Don’t panic – this can be for a few reasons. Most commonly it is because the university hasn’t had all of the student’s results confirmed (for instance, they may be waiting for a GCSE resit) but it may be because a decision is still being made.

Whatever the status on the UCAS Hub, your son or daughter should still collect their results and the associated paperwork. Make sure you find out the opening times in advance.

If a student has been unsuccessful or there is no change to their status on the UCAS Hub try and urge them to remain as calm as possible. Make sure that they have all of their paperwork with them and a fully charged mobile phone to make calls to other universities.

Next steps

Clearing
Preparing for university