October 22, 2018

Were your A-Level results not as good as you’d hoped? Don’t fear – here are five reasons to keep your chin up.

Five reasons to stay upbeat if your A-Level results weren’t as good as you’d hoped:

If you took the final year of your A-Levels this year, the results day in August is probably still fresh in your mind. Understandably, it can be disheartening to receive lower grades than you’d hoped for – and you’re not alone! Many thousands of young people end up feeling disappointed with their grades – but all is not lost!

Why people don’t always get the grades they wanted

You may have lost track of time and didn’t finish an exam
You may not have studied as much as you could have
You may have felt unwell during the exam
You may have misread some of the exam questions

Often, an A-Level grade will be determined by just one or two exams – so that’s a few hours to cover a year’s worth of work. As you can imagine, this puts a lot of pressure on young people – especially if they’re depending on achieving a particular grade to do an apprenticeship.

However, it’s not the end of the world!

Why you should stay optimistic if you didn’t get the A-Level results you wanted:

1. You can still get work experience

Whether it’s voluntary work or an internship, work experience will help you acquire essential skills like time management, teamwork, good communication and planning. All you need is motivation, a good work ethic, and a willingness to learn.

2. You can resit your exams

You have the right to resit any of your exams or coursework assessments to improve your grade. You don’t need to spend the whole year retaking the course, although it may be worthwhile attending some study sessions at least a few weeks before the exams begin in May/June.

3. You can work abroad for a while

Get experience working abroad by registering for a work abroad programme. For example, every year, thousands of UK school leavers participate in summer camp programmes in North America, while others teach English in the Far East or work as hotel assistants at Alpine ski resorts.

4. You can do an apprenticeship

An apprenticeship can offer the best of both worlds: you can get valuable work experience while gaining a recognised qualification. Plus, you won’t be riddled with tens of thousands of pounds of student debt like many university graduates.

5. As time goes by, your A-Level results will matter less and less

By the time you have several years of professional experience, your academic background won’t be so important to future employers. For example, a recent study from the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) found that 49 percent of employers surveyed preferred to see candidates with apprenticeship or work experience, while only 24 percent said they preferred a relevant degree qualification.

Last – but not least – don’t forget to register your CV with us