A-Level Results Day: My Experience, Clearing Process, and Top Tips

• Author: Mark Pawlak

Prior to results day I remember feeling uneasy and anxious. I had a lot of uncertainty about what to do in the future, and I didn’t really know anything about university. Due to several factors, I’d had a tough time during school and knew my A-Level results would not be as good as they could be.

I applied to university close to the UCAS deadline out of pressure and had accepted an offer to study Biology at Brighton, however it didn’t feel like the right thing to do moving forward. When I opened my results, I had not done as badly as I thought I would and upon checking my UCAS I had been accepted to university as well. 

Effective tips for managing nerves on A-Level results day

Something I find helpful when managing nerves is remembering that everything happens for a reason and things always work out in the end. Not getting perfect grades is not the end of the world and will not determine the rest of your life.

Another thing to try to remember is that you have done all the hard work you can to secure your grades in your current education, and no amount of worrying will change how you did in your coursework or exams. Sometimes we just need to have faith in ourselves, and it is likely that you will have a pleasant surprise when you open your results. 

If you have not got the grades for your first choice university or course there are plenty of other options. If you still want to go to university some options may include integrated foundation years, access courses, and clearing.

Changing my mind on results day – applying through Clearing

I remember waking up on results day still thinking that a degree in Biology wasn’t for me. I applied as everyone told me to apply to a course in my favourite A-Level subject, and whilst Biology was my favourite school subject I really didn’t enjoy the human biology parts of it.

In a last attempt to try to persuade myself to go to university I looked at the BSc (Hons) Biology course page online, and under related courses saw BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation. Ecology was the part of Biology I really enjoyed, and I had interests in the natural world outside of education. I clicked on the course content and found myself connecting with the modules covered.

Whilst I still didn’t know much about university, I did know that this was a course I would enjoy and that it would have the potential to set me up for a career I would be interested in. 

My Clearing Experience 

When I came home from collecting my A-Level results, I called up the University of Brighton to see if there was a way to change courses. I didn’t even know that clearing was a thing, and I was nervous as to whether I would be able to transfer and what the process would look like.

However it was a simple and straightforward process, which for me was completed within the hour. When I called up I was put through to the admissions tutor for my course who had a chat with me about my interests and why I thought the course was for me. It was actually quite enjoyable being able to talk about the course area and this eased my nerves.

The tutor then said she had to review my UCAS application and that she would call me back once they had made a decision. Half an hour later she called me back saying they were happy to accept me on the course. A few weeks later I moved into halls and now 2 years later I am about to enter my final year! 

My Clearing advice

My biggest tip for applying through clearing is to do your research in advance as it alleviates some of the stress on the day. I would have been a lot less anxious if I would have known that clearing was an option. My other top tip is to remember that the universities do want to help you get into university and will be trying to make the process as simple as possible.