5 Tips For Surviving Results Week
With GCSE results coming in this week, and A Levels next, it’s a stressful time for many a teen who is unsure of where life will go come September. Whether you’re waiting on results yourself or desperately trying to stay calm in front of your anxious child, Belle About Town’s tips on surviving the stress of results week can help ease the pain, and the nerves, at this crucial time.
- Have a plan for results day
From how you’re getting your results – online or at school – to who you’ll be with when you get your results – friends, parents or both? Decide on a game plan for the day and stick to it. Just because everyone else is opening their results at school, it doesn’t mean you have to. Put yourself first and do what works for you.
- Know career paths aren’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’
Whether you think you want to work in advertising, or make a living as a mechanic, look up your dream job and understand all the different ways you could get there. Ahead of getting your results, know all your options.
- Understand university isn’t the only route
Nowadays you can become a lawyer or an engineer and get a degree entirely through an apprenticeship, so don’t assume that university is the best and only path for you. There are currently thousands of apprenticeship vacancies listed online. You never know , your dream employer may be looking for an apprentice to start right now. Why not let that be you?
- Get your head around how Clearing works
If you’re awaiting A-levels exam results and planning to go to university, it’s important that you get your head around the Clearing process, even if you’re confident you’ll get the results you want. 64,300 students obtained places through Clearing last summer in subjects from Law to Microbiology, so make sure you’re clued up and prepared for Clearing just in case.
- Seek advice from the experts
Families, friends and teachers can often be quite emotionally invested in your exam results, so it’s smart to seek out an expert’s opinion on your next steps. A great place to go for advice is the Exam Results Helpline – the official service set up especially for those who have received their results and want to talk through their options. When you call, the Helpline’s careers advisers will chat through your situation and work with you to develop a plan. The Exam Results Helpline is a free service and will be open 8am – 10pm 7 days a week. You can call them on 0800 100 900.
Key links for information during exam results time:
To find out more about jobs and the types of: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/job-profiles/home
To find out more about apprenticeships go to: https://www.getingofar.gov.uk/
Browse current apprenticeship vacancies by visiting: https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch
