So, here you are. The big day has arrived, and you’re probably feeling a lot of emotions right now.
Whatever the result, this week marks the end (or at least the beginning of the end) of all those stressful exams, hours revising and all the worrying, so take a few minutes to breathe, make yourself a cuppa and a nice breakfast, log on or head to your college and get your results!
Now for the important bits. Whatever your results, you’ve got stuff to do. Before we start, make sure you’ve got the following bits handy:
- Your UCAS ID
- A notepad and pen
- The phone numbers of your firm and insurance choice universities
- A fully charged phone.
We’ve also made a handy results day planner for you to print and jot the important stuff down.
So, where are you?
I need to make some phone calls
Okay, first up, remember that breathing thing we mentioned before? Do a little more of that. Don’t panic – all is not lost!
If your UCAS Track isn’t giving you the status of your application, you’ll need to ring your chosen university's admissions team.
The number should be found on their website, although if you call clearing you should also be able to get through to admissions from there. FYI, Solent’s admissions team can be contacted on 023 8201 5066.
If you didn’t meet the entry requirements for your firm choice, but did for your insurance, you’ll automatically be placed – woohoo! However, you’ll still need to update your Student Finance application and sort out accommodation, so keep reading.
If your UCAS Track status is unsuccessful, you’ll have automatically been placed into Clearing. Hopefully you’ll have seen our previous two-parter on this a few weeks ago – Clearing Part 1 will help you with making another choice, and Clearing Part 2 goes through how to handle the call.
If you get anxious on the phone, a lot of universities now handle Clearing applications via other means. As an example, these are all the ways you can apply through Clearing with Solent:
If your results have taken you by surprise and/or you have no idea where to apply, don’t feel like this needs to be done today. Clearing is open until 20 September so, while it’s advisable to apply sooner rather than later, don’t go making any hasty decisions.
Many universities offer Clearing open days a few days after results day, so you can always head over for a look. There should be plenty of student ambassadors around to tell you about what life there is like.
I got higher grades than I needed
Congratulations, clever clogs! You’ve now got a really nice choice to make: you can stick with your firm choice university, or you can apply to a different one whose entry requirements you now meet.
To do the latter, you need to register for adjustment on UCAS Track and call the universities you’re interested in to see if they have any places available.
You’ll have five days from when your offer was confirmed to make a choice, but try not to be too hasty. Think about the things that mattered to you when choosing your current choice – does the new university and course tick those boxes? Do your research carefully.
I'm going to uni!
Congratulations! In a few weeks you’ll be beginning the next chapter of your life, and we have no doubt you’ll love it!
Everybody coming to uni will need to make sure they have funding and accommodation in place before they can start. If you’re going to the university you originally applied to, chances are you’ve got all of this sorted.
If not, no drama. You can update your Student Finance application with your new uni here, and we recommend doing this as soon as your place has been confirmed.
As for accommodation, contact your uni’s accommodation team. They’ll be able to advise on whether there are any spaces left in the halls of residences, or point you towards accredited and vetted landlords.
The most important thing we haven’t mentioned yet is… CELEBRATE! You’ve worked really hard, and it’s paid off.
Tasks for this week
- If you need to go through Clearing or adjustment, research the universities you're applying to.
- Update your Student Finance application and check out accommodation if you're going to a different uni than you expected.
- Celebrate!