The day has finally arrived after many years of patience and hard work. Your family and friends were ready to support you and celebrate, but when your exam results finally dropped they weren't as good as you were expecting.
Sometimes you can receive a mark that is lower than you anticipated because you had a horrible exam day, the exam was difficult, or your least favourite subject was covered. Not everyone always receives the marks they desired, required, or felt they merited. These things happen and they are not the end of the world! It might feel like your world is crumbling right now, but a bad grade does not define you and it certainly will not stop you from building a great career! But for now, let’s look at your options.
Consider alternative opportunities
If you don't get the grades needed for both your firm and insurance offers, UCAS will let you enrol in Clearing. By doing this, you might still be able to attend university in the coming school year, even if it's someplace you hadn't previously considered.
It may be intimidating to choose a university at the final minute during clearing, but don't choose any university just because your grades met their standards! Make sure the universities are a good fit for you by doing some research on them before contacting them through clearance.
If your grades do not allow you to pursue your chosen subject, do not completely rule out university. There will still be plenty of other courses that might fit your profile and bring you loads of wonderful opportunities.
Register for Retests/Appeal
If a student feels there has been an error with this year's results, they can file an appeal through the school or institution. In the autumn, you will also have the opportunity to retake GCSE, AS, and A-Level exams if they are unable to acquire a calculated result or if they just want to raise their scores.
Take a year off
There is always the option of delaying one year while awaiting the upcoming UCAS application cycle. Make sure to optimise your time if you want to take a gap year to strengthen your CV! Since companies are constantly looking for a distinctive applicant, having interesting gap year activities will help your applications stand out.
Work & internships
Internships are a terrific first step toward your dream job, much like an apprenticeship. Although many internships are intended for recent graduates, certain companies do hire interns with less experience. If getting an internship in your preferred field following GCSE or A level seems difficult, look for a local business and ask for work experience. This frequently results in new opportunities. If you perform well, for instance, there's a chance that you'll be offered an apprentice position or a job with sponsored online learning. These are fantastic career-building steps and are more typical than you may imagine.
Look into apprenticeships
There are many reasons why the government has recently supported apprenticeships. Because they aid in the development of both practical and academic abilities, apprenticeships are highly valued by many business owners.
You might be better suited for an apprenticeship if you didn't receive the A levels you were hoping for. For instance, you may choose an accountancy apprenticeship instead if you registered for a university course in accounting that required three B's but only received three C's. The majority of Level 3 apprenticeships demand A levels at a C grade, however many will accept other qualifications.
Even if you didn't take the examinations or had a complete failure at your A levels, you can still apply for apprenticeships. Most likely, you'll have to begin with a Level 2 apprenticeship. These are excellent career entry points and typically progress to higher positions. Since apprenticeships now go all the way up to level 7, they are a fantastic option for people who had trouble passing their sixth-form exams.
Additionally, you'll receive a salary and won't be required to pay any exorbitant fees. This is so that they can be sponsored and operate under rigorous guidelines. The current minimum wage for an apprentice is £3.90 per hour, and as you advance through the various stages of apprenticeship, this wage will often rise.
If you are interested in apprenticeship but do not know how to find one or where to start, check out our website to find all the help you need to kick start your apprenticeship journey!