The hard work has been done, you’ve had time to unwind and now, it’s Results Day.
Thousands of students across Northern Ireland will be getting their A-Level results today.
For some that can be a joyous occasion, but for others it can be a nerve-wracking time.
There’s no doubt that the pressure of making big decisions for your future can leave you feeling a bit lost.
But it’s important not to worry.
There are a variety of options available to students who aren’t happy with their grades or unsure if going on to study at university is the right move for them.
To help guide you through Results Day 2019, Nicola Davidson from the careers team at Northern Regional College explains what happens next and shares some of her top tips.
Get your results
It’s important you are available to get your results. From 08:00, UCAS Track will tell you if you have been accepted to your uni course of choice. If your UCAS Track hasn’t updated at this time, this may mean you haven’t achieved the grades needed and your university of choice is still making a decision. It’s important not to rush into any decisions just yet – keep in touch with the university via their admissions helpline until you receive a final answer. If you’ve narrowly missed your grades, you may still be accepted.
Explore your options
After chatting about the different options available to you, the choice is yours. If you haven’t been offered a course of your choice, it’s worth checking out UCAS Clearing for courses still available. It’s possible to take a technical and professional exams at college, which means you can still pursue a career of your choosing.
Feeling confused? Try not to panic!
First of all, talk to a parent, guardian or friend – they can help reassure you and provide a sense of direction. Next, chat to your school and teachers – they know you well and will outline options available to you. If you’ve just missed out on your grades, you might still be offered the course of your choice, be offered an alternative or have your insurance choice confirmed.
You don’t have to go to uni
“What’s that you say?!” Yes, it’s true: you don’t have to go to university after your A-Levels. You may want to travel; you may wish to have a rethink about what subjects you want to study; you may want to be an engineer instead of a doctor. But it’s important to recognise that what suits everyone else may not be the best fit for you.
You can still go to uni if you didn’t do as well as expected at school
Nicola explains how Northern Regional College’s Foundation Degrees allow you to progress on to university. “We offer a range of courses that are stepping stones to university. It doesn’t mean that if you come to college that you can’t move on to university: quite often we find students attending college are often able to progress into second or third year of university courses.”
Student Helen McCallum, who undertook an Extended Diploma in Business, says leaving school after her AS-Levels was “the best decision ever”.
“I always wanted to specialise in business but also be able to progress to university. My diploma has allowed me to do just that,” she says.
Consider an apprenticeship
All manner of companies offer apprentices. Whether you’re interested in manufacturing, creative and digital media, engineering, accountancy, construction or computing, there’s definitely an option for you. Apprenticeships are usually delivered through a further and higher education college and are a fantastic way to learn and earn at the same time.
Give it another go
You don’t have to stick with the result you’ve been given. There’s nothing to stop you from doing your exams again if you know you could do better.
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