Exam results day is only a couple of weeks away. Parents and pupils are waiting in anticipation as well as fear of the unknown. Not only is it stressful as you have to rely on the predictions of your teachers, but it recently emerged that many initial grades were over-inflated and are therefore likely to be downgraded. With that being said, how can you enjoy the rest of your summer and what should you expect on the day?
1. The results are out of your control
My favourite strategy for dealing with exam stress is to say: “I have done everything to the best of my ability, so whatever happens in the exams happens”. If you worked diligently towards your exams, you have done it to the best of your ability in the given time. On the other hand, if you know you haven’t fully applied yourself to your studies, then you should address this going forwards. Either way there is no point stressing about it. This strategy worked wonders for me during my finals at Cambridge. The same applies to the prolonged wait for your results. You have done everything you can this year to prove your desired grades to your teachers and now you can only wait.
2. Getting your results on the day
A-level results will be released electronically on 13 August and GCSE results on 20 August. Once you receive your results, it is important to take your time to process them emotionally. After all, you worked hard and waited a long time for them. Do refrain from messaging your friends straight away (more about this in the next section).
If you are happy with your grades, then you might decide to do some extra preparation towards the next stage of your education, whether this is going on to A-levels or university. On the other hand, if you are not satisfied with your results, you will need to make some important decisions:
If you don’t get your desired GCSE grades, then decide whether they will affect your A-levels or future studies. You might decide to retake them to boost your future CV or UCAS, or simply carry on to the next stage of your education.
If you don’t get your desired A-level grades, it is important to remember that your university might still give you a place. You should contact the university straight away. If this is not successful, then you might choose to go to your second-choice university or to go through the clearing process. Your school should assist you with this. If you are not happy with any of these choices, consider taking a year out. You could use this year to gain some work experience, retake your A-levels and re-apply to universities.
But remember, no matter what happens on the day, there are many students who will be in the same situation as you and there is always an action plan. There is no need to ruminate and worry about your exam results. Decide on what you are going to do and enjoy the rest of your summer break.
3. Be mindful of your peers
It might be tempting to share your exam results immediately with your peers. It is understandable that you would love to share your achievements with friends, but remember they may not have done as well as you and may be upset. I would recommend not sharing your news for a couple of days, unless someone contacts you first.
Alternatively, you may be unhappy with your own results and prefer not to respond to your friends’ messages for some time. This is absolutely fine and is your choice. Remember that people have a tendency to share their good news but not the bad. It is important to keep this in mind on results day and avoid any unhealthy competition with your peers. Remember that everyone goes through their own personal educational journey, so there is no point comparing yourself to others.
4. Learn from your results
A couple of weeks after receiving your results, it is important to take some time to reflect on your grades - what has worked well and what has not. This is an incredibly useful experience and will allow you to analyse your strengths and areas for improvement. For example, in future you may decide to do more past papers, take school tests more seriously, create a revision plan or work on your study skills. Remember that everyone has setbacks in their education path, but it is important to learn from these and move forward to become an even better student!
Feel free to contact me to discuss any of these points further. I wish you best of luck on results day!
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