Open this when 💌: You get your exam results

Relieved, excited, exhausted, unsure: You're allowed to feel all of these things 💜

Results day can a weird time because there is a lot going on. There's all the emotion and expectation involved with the exams you did, and the years of school you've gone through. There's also the moment just before you open the letter or the webpage, which in itself can be the most nerve-wracking part.

Whether it's your GCSEs, IGCSEs, BTECs or A-Levels, results have a lot of importance attached to them: for you and your future plans, for your new school or uni, or to your family as well.

But whatever you see on the page or on the screen, I think the most important thing is to be kind to yourself ❤️.

That means celebrating your wins, your effort, and how far you've come in the years since you started your course. You did it! Your out, your free, your done! 🎉

I totally understand, though, that it hurts when what you see isn't what you expected, especially when a lot seems dependent on those grades. And it's ok to acknowledge that hurt too.

But please, don't be hard on yourself 💜

As someone who's finished with Year 11, sixth form and uni, looking back I feel like the truth about results are that they are just a means to an end, not the end goal.

They can open doors and they definitely are things that you can take pride in, and that you've worked hard towards.

But they are simply one of many ways you can get to that next stage, or that new school or climb that next step to where you want to be.

If there is somewhere you are really meant to end up, there is always more than one way of getting there 💜

If these results have made you feel like your plan for the future is suddenly less secure, try to speak to your careers counsellor or your parents about what you could do next.

Below is not professional advice(!), just some hopeful ideas about possible next steps:

If you're going into Sixth Form: this is really dependent on the school, but if your results differ from your conditional offer perhaps you and your parents could contact the admissions team and let them know, first and foremost. Sometimes (and this will probably be a very "case-by-case" thing), there might be opportunities to still join the school for Lower Sixth and just retake the necessary exams in November while you're there.

If you're going into uni: If your grades don't mirror the entry requirements for your course, and you really want this particular uni and course, one option could be to retake those required subjects and reapply next year. This doesn't mean repeating a year of school, of course: you can do November resits or use the year to prepare and write the exams next April. This gap year could also be a chance to get work experience, explore other interests or projects you've always wanted to get into, but didn't have time (plus you can write about those in your updated personal statement 😉).

Alternatively, if you are open to a different course or uni, you might want to explore clearing options. Your careers counsellor will probably know more about the process and about the different courses, so make sure to involve them as you also do your own research too.

💌

At the end of the day, no matter what anyone says, those letters and numbers that make up a grade do not define you. They can't describe what you're really like, or all that you really know. And they definitely cannot stop you from achieving what you want in life, on your own timeline.

It feels like a lot right now, but things will get better. It might not look clear at the moment, but it will all work out. Believe me ❤️

-Jade