The 16th of August is keyed into many of your calendars and, with the day looming, now is the perfect time to start preparing for the big results day.

Track – UCAS

Four years later, I still have my UCAS account and log in details in my Notes on my phone- somewhere I knew I couldn’t lose them as they were on the cloud also. Having these details to hand wherever I was made it easier to manage my application journey and will be very useful on results day. According to Graduate Prospects, “UCAS will receive your A-level results directly and update Track accordingly – this is typically around 8am. As the system’s going to be busy with other students eager to find out if they’ve received offers, you may need to be patient”. This means you can check university offers before even going into your college or sixth form, so take some pressure off yourself and see how you did.

Positive Thinking

I’d like to point out here that positive thinking will help you no matter what the outcome. You have done your very best to get here and what’s done is done, you have so many options and it is your choice how you deal with everything. With some good night sleep and a good support system in friends and family, you will feel ready for the big day so don’t stay up worrying and instead focus on your own mental health. Talk to friends, get excited and if it doesn’t go so well, don’t let it faze you. While us uni students and graduates couldn’t have had a better four years, I also know just as many people that didn’t make university and have still had an amazingly rewarding career thus far. It’s not all to lose anyway, there’s still clearing if you really want a degree!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…

So sometimes we make choices that turn out differently to what we originally thought. THIS IS OK. University is a big step in everyone’s lives so you need to make sure you do it right and are happy with your choice. Maybe you received higher than expected grades (wow well done!)? If this is the case, prepare to have the ‘adjustments‘ talk where you can “‘trade off’ your current uni choice for a uni with higher grade requirements, without losing your current place”, according to the Downing Blog. Or perhaps you have decided you don’t want to go straight into uni this September? Well, as long as you can explain your desire to travel or work for a year to your university of choice, deferring is still an option for you. Don’t worry, you won’t just lose your place for enquiring!

There are so many online blogs and vlogs about the big day because you deserve to have the most stress-free and exciting day, so get organised, think positively and consider your choices because this is just the start. I hope you get everything you deserve – good luck!