Results Day might just be the two most dreaded words in existence for the majority of GCSE and A-level students every August. It is the day when you find out where all your hard work has gotten you and, for many, it’s a nerve-wracking day.
There are things you can do to prepare yourself for receiving your results and make sure that you’re feeling calm and ready.
General preparation
- Sleep. It’s easier said than done, but try to get some sleep the night before. If you struggle to sleep due to nerves, then pass the time by doing something that you enjoy and that won’t make you too tired. For example, try reading a book, watching a film or playing a game.
- Make sure that you are hydrated and have eaten something. Eating with nerves can be difficult, but Results Day can be a long one, so eating beforehand will help you to get through the day.
- If you’re very anxious about getting your results, talk to someone about it. Student forums can be great places to do this, for example over social media, but they can also just remind you about your nerves. It’s okay to step away from being online if it’s only making you more anxious!
- General things to bring with you include: a fully-charged phone, a friend/parent/guardian and a water bottle.
GCSE
- If you need particular grades to get into your sixth form or into a job, then make sure that you have the number for your college or potential workplace on hand in case you miss out on a certain grade.
- Make sure that you know what the appeals process is – which can usually be found on the exam board websites – for each subject that you have taken.
A-level
- Bring the numbers for the admissions departments of your firm and insurance choices.
- If you find yourself going through Clearing, don’t panic. Your school or college will likely have staff who have experience with helping students through Clearing. Take your time, do a little bit of research and ask for help where you can if you go through Clearing.
- Make sure you that you have a plan beforehand of what you will do if you miss out on your offer – will you go through Clearing or reapply? You don’t have to have a set plan, but an idea will make that eventually less stressful.
- Know how to access your results. Most schools have online portals where you can access results, but some still ask you to go in. Know what time your results are coming out or what time you can go in. Leave with plenty of time and meet a friend if you can.
- Make sure to bring: details of your offers, something with a calculator (either a calculator or a phone), and a notebook so that you can jot down anything that you need to know regarding uni admissions.
You also need to remember, as difficult as it is, not to compare your results to others. Everyone’s best is different and, even if you think you could have done better, you worked hard and that’s a wonderful achievement. It can be hard, but try to think long-term on results day – unexpected results don’t have to close doors for you.
Bristol Achieve 