Exam results

If these exam results were for A levels and you needed certain grades to get onto the course you want, the first thing to do is call your university or college.  You might not have lost your place, especially if you only slipped by a grade or two.  Give them a call and ask them if you still have a place.  They will be very busy so keep trying until you get through. 

If you get through and have not got a place, don’t despair.  There is a chance that you could get a place at a different university through the clearing process.  Think about other universities or colleges you liked, and see if they have any free places on a course you want. 

If you can’t get a place there are other options such as:

• Retake your exams – You will have to wait a year until going to university or college, but you would have another chance to retake your exams and get the grades you need.
• Take a year out – Do something different for a year such as travelling, getting a job or doing some voluntary work for something you believe in.  Then, if you still want to, you can reapply next year for university or college and get a place with the grades you already have.

If you don’t feel that talking with your teachers or your mum or dad is helping you get the advice you need, there are other organisations geared up to helping young people that ChildLine can put you in touch with. You can always talk to ChildLine.  We are here for you by phone on 0800 1111 or online. 

If these were your GCSE results, talk to one of your teachers about your options.  It’s their job to support you and help you plan what to do next. You should be able to re-sit any exams you want to and your teacher can help you with this.  If you don’t want to retake the exams, then your school can help you decide what else you can do. 

It might be hard telling your parents about exam results you are disappointed with but hopefully talking to them will help, and they will try to support you and help you make the decisions you need to. However, it can take a while for parents to come to terms with disappointing results because it feels as if it is something that’s happened to them as well as you. It can help to allow for this but don’t be put off having a conversation about what’s happened because you think your mum or dad will be angry or upset.

Try to have the conversation so they know what you are dealing with. However that conversation goes, remember you can talk to ChildLine about any worry you have about exams or your future.  Call us on 0800 1111 or talk to us online.