So, last Thursday was results day, a very nervy time for everyone, whatever the outcome!

Of course, there’s a lot of pressure surrounding your A-level results, especially if you’re hoping on going to your chosen university.

Whilst some of you may have had a few bevs to celebrate your results, others may have felt a little disappointed and disheartened.

We’re here to reassure you that whatever may have happened, it isn’t the end of the world, although it may feel like it right now.

There are plenty of options you can take if you didn’t get the results you wanted, and some of these may end up being the best choices you’ve ever made!

We’ve gathered 8 tips for any extra guidance you may need, just remember not to panic, and stay positive!

1. Clearing

Although you may not have got the marks you require for your first or reserve choice at university, that doesn’t mean that uni is completely off the cards!

Why not register for UCAS clearing? Running from 6^th July- 20^th October, clearing allows you to see which university courses have remaining spaces.

Don’t worry though, you won’t be on your own! Thousands of students go through clearing, and it’s a super simple and reassuring process.

You can apply for clearing if:

You’re applying after 30^th June
You didn’t receive any offers (or any you wanted to accept)
You didn’t meet the conditions of your offers
You’ve declined your firm place using the ‘decline my place’ button in Track

A new snazzy feature this year is ‘Clearing Plus’, where UCAS will personally match you to courses that you may be interested in, using what they know from your application, pretty cool right?

Click on ‘my matches’ in Track, and this will take you to over 50 course matches, you can then tell each uni if you’re interested in their course.

Don’t worry if you still fancy something different though, you can still find courses available in the clearing search tool!

2. Gap Year

You may not have gotten the results you wanted, and we get that you’re probs super gutted right now, but have you ever thought about taking a gap year?

A gap year gives you the chance to gain skills and experiences, as well as the time to focus on what you want to do next.

Of course, a year out doesn’t suit everyone, but it’s definitely an option if you feel like you’re not quite ready for uni life.

You could also use this time to gain relevant work experience for a particular career or subject you plan on studying in the future!

The best part is, in some cases, work experience can lead to a potential full-time career if you play your cards right.

3. Resit

You could resit your A-levels if you you didn’t quite do as well as you’d hoped!

Unfortunately, the administrative cost of retaking A-level exams can be around £85, which is pretty expensive.

A cheaper alternative is to usually take them at your old college or exam centre, but you’ll have to wait until the summer to resit the whole A-level.

The good news is, you can submit old coursework, and in some instances even request the coursework grade to be carried over!

Once you’ve decided to resit you’re A-levels, you have to officially decline any university offers by September 20^th.

4. Get A Professional Qualification

Recently, there’s been a rise in the number of vocational courses being taken, which provide a much more hands on experience as opposed to just theory.

There are thousands of vocational qualifications such as nursing, plumbing, and gardening, the more experience you have, the more chance you have at being hired!

5. Learn On The Job

Work experience is key when bagging yourself a full-time job! You need to remember, there’s many types of careers that you don’t actually need a degree for.

It’s definitely worth investigating a field you’re interested in, to see if there are any entry-level openings!

6. Become An Apprentice

Apprenticeships are also super handy, because they let you get on the job training as well as studying for qualifications at the same time.

They usually take between one and three years to complete, and are made up of three parts, all completed on the job, online, or in a classroom!

Each apprenticeship trains you for a specific job, so it’s really worth finding out as much as you can about the job as well as career progression so you can level up, right?

Did you know? Your apprenticeships should work at least 30 hours a week, alongside experienced staff, gaining job specific skills and earning a wage.

7. Go Travelling

*Please be cautious when planning any form of travelling due to the COVID-19 global pandemic*

Why not use this time to go and see the world? Whether you go alone, or with your pals, travelling is always an amazing experience!

Firstly, you need to plan where you’d like to go, and double check on the government’s foreign travel advice for specific countries.

It’s also worth checking the best time of year to travel, do your research to discover whether there are any seasonal weather conditions you’ll need to account for.

Whether you opt for classical backpacking with your mates and plan it all yourself, or go for a complete package that offers the trip off the shelf, you’re still bound to have loads of fun!

8. Remain Positive!

We know this may sound super cliché, but the most important thing to do is stay as positive as possible.

Just because you didn’t get the A-level results you were hoping, doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world, although it may feel like it.

Obviously things haven’t totally gone to plan, but that’s okay, because whatever you decide to do, it’s all a learning curve.

Clearing

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