For many people, August is a month synonymous with exam results. This can be a particularly stressful time for pupils (and tutors!). Tutors’ Alliance is here to give you some top tips about what to do after your exam results.

• On results day, I know it is difficult but please, try to stay calm. Most people prefer not to open their university results in front of others but it is entirely up to you.

• If you have an unconditional university offer, there is no need to worry. You have your university place, irrespective of your exam results. Congratulations!

• If you were waiting for results for a conditional offer, on the day of results, wait for the university to contact you if you have achieved the grades you need. Congratulations!

• If you did not meet the requirements, get in touch with the advisor at your school who will be able to advise you of the best action to take.

• It is important to remember that with conditional results, there is still an element of flexibility. Depending on the university and course, you might still get a place even if you have not met the original offer.

• If you don’t meet the requirements and your first choice of university has rejected you, look at your options. Get online to the UCAS website and check the clearing lists or have a think about taking a gap year instead. The worst thing you can do is to sit in your room and cry for days on end! With the job market and the limited number of university places there currently are, there will be a lot of people in a similar boat to you and so it is important that you act quickly to make sure that you get to do what you want to.

• If you still have a year of school left and your exam results were not as good as you would have liked, have a good think about what you can do next year to make sure that you do get a place at university if that is what you want to do. If you would like a tutor, it is important to find one quickly. Not only will you get the greatest benefit from starting early, you will also know that you have help available to you right through the academic year. Wait until later in the year and the chances of finding a tutor become much smaller. 

• If you already have a tutor, keep him or her up-to-date with your exam results. We get as nervous as you do about your results and we want to know please!

•  Remember, with all the above advice, it is important to discuss all the options with your parents/guardians.

Finally, a piece of advice for parents/guardians.  It is easy to feel disappointed if your child does not meet the requirements of his or her university offer. However, it is important to act positively and not dwell on it. Look to the future and the plethora of other options open to your child. Speak to the school for further advice.

There is lots more help out there for you on the UCAS website, the exam boards’ websites and other organisations such as the BBC. They are well worth looking at.