A2/AS Results Day Countdown - #BeResultsProud - you've got this!

I recently started researching stuff about my uni and it's the worst thing ever. Now I'm always thinking about it, and actually getting excited about it - it's gonna make it even more crushing if it doesn't go well in 24 days.

Results day can't come quick enough.

Same here, I was looking at societies at my firm uni the other day and I got really exited, then really anxious that I'd miss my offer and they wouldn't let me in, so all of this would be for nothing and will only make me more depressed. Oh well, here's hoping we both get into the place we've set our hearts on!

Exactly the same for me, I've been looking at different societies and the events they had last year to see what I could do. Now I've been looking up stuff every single day - if I don't get in, I'll be pretty devastated (I've seriously gone crazy - I know the bus routes, the taxi firms, restaurants, societies, events, the lot)

We've fallen into the trap of mentally preparing ourselves for our firms only which I swore I wouldn't do!

At least there's only a few weeks left. Whatever happens on results day, I just tell myself that we play the hand we're dealt, and we just gotta make the best of the situation whether that be firm, insurance or clearing (but I still hope it's firm!)

You sound very organised! At least if it is the firm you get into, you're well prepared for starting uni life there

I recently started researching stuff about my uni and it's the worst thing ever. Now I'm always thinking about it, and actually getting excited about it - it's gonna make it even more crushing if it doesn't go well in 24 days.

Results day can't come quick enough.

Yeah it's both a good thing and a problem, once an idea gets into my head (like going to my firm), I become obsessed and research every single pointless detail about it. You're right I'll be prepared if I get my firm, but I just wish I did all that AFTER 17th August and not before

Same here, I have had to force myself to stop researching because I am pretty sure I haven't got in.

Where do you want to go and what do you want to do btw?

1. AS or A2? A2 (retakes )
2. What subjects? Biology, Chemistry and Drama
3. How did your exams go? better than last year, but chemistry was still awful

For Yr 13:
4. What university is your firm/insurance? Aberystwyth
5. Which subject? veterinary biosciences
6. What grades are required? unconditional

For everyone:
7. What grades are you predicted? ABB
8. How are you feeling about results day? I don't really want to know, even though I have a place anyway, I still don't want to know my results because I don't think I've done as well as I could have done

Results day is looming and TSR tradition means we have to have a countdown thread for everyone to get to know each other, talk about their hopes/fears and generally relax (as well as sharing advice and information before the big day).

We'll update this post with pointers to advice and support soon but for now introduce yourselves

Introduce yourself
1. AS or A2?
2. What subjects?
3. How did your exams go?

For Yr 13:
4. What university is your firm/insurance?
5. Which subject?
6. What grades are required?

For everyone:
7. What grades are you predicted?
8. How are you feeling about results day?
9. Anything else to add?

FAQs

Time Sensitive: Changed your mind about university?
It's still possible to swap your firm and insurance choices over (or revive an offer you previously declined) but time is running out. If you have changed your mind then ring UCAS and your universities ASAP (ring don't email) and ask if they'll sort out a swap. You have until THURSDAY to get this all sorted instead of adding stress to results day so don't put it off if you're not happy with a choice.

This also applies if you've got an insurance choice that you're not happy to go to - get on the phone to them and UCAS now and ask them to change your replies so you go straight into Clearing if your Firm reject you. Waiting until the 17 August is setting yourself up for a massive hassle.

Results
When do grade boundaries get released?

These aren't officially released to students prior to results day but some exam boards release them to Exams Officers on the Wednesday before results.

There'll be an official TSR Grade Boundaries thread stickied in the A-levels forum soon which will have links and more details.

So far the release dates (to Exams Officers) are listed below:
AQA: 12:01am Wednesday 16 August on e-AQA
OCR: Wednesday 16 August on Interchange
WJEC: No mention of early release
Edexcel: No mention of grade boundaries in the early release to teachers

Where is this Countdown from? Your days are dodgy!
Is from https://days.to/until/a-level-results-day because I'm lazy
If it's out of kilter with that site then I might have forgotten to edit the thread title - tag me in (@PQ ) and remind me.

When can I collect my results from school/college?
That depends on the arrangements your school/college make - if you don't know the time then ring them up on Wednesday the 17th (there should be someone in that day) and ask.

How do I collect my results online?
Again, this depends on your exam boards and/or your school/college. If you don't know then ask them directly.

When do unis get our results?
UCAS get the results from the exam boards approximately a week before results day. They spend a day or two matching them to your applications and then send them on to universities either overnight Friday or Saturday. Universities then spend Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday MANUALLY comparing every offer to the results to decide whether applicants have met their offers or not (and if not whether they can be accepted with lower grades).

Track on Results Day

When will Track update?
Track will go live between 6am and 8am on results day. UCAS say 8am (and 7:30am for Advisers) - it might go live earlier. It WON'T go live at midnight.

Once it "goes live" EVERYONE will be able to see any decisions that their universities have sent to UCAS.
Just because it's live doesn't mean it will update for everyone. About 100,000 people every year don't get a clear answer from Track first thing on Results Day - they have to collect their results and then ring up their firm/insurance uni.

My Track didn't change - is it worth hitting refresh until it does?
NO - once Track goes live again it then gets re-frozen in that state (because UCAS need to handle everyone and their dog hitting refresh constantly). Track WILL NOT CHANGE between 6am and midday. Hitting refresh just slows things down for everyone else. Give yourself some good karma - get off Track and go and buy the Telegraph(just in case), get together your contact numbers for your unis, top your phone up with credit (and charge it) and get ready to collect your results from School.

My Track didn't change! That means I failed!
NO - Universities have to MANUALLY compare every set of results with the offer conditions - even if it's a simple YES or NO for every one of those that means a lot of data input to put in to their database to send through to UCAS. If Track hasn't changed then that means that either:
a) You've met your offer and your uni knows that and hasn't got round to telling UCAS.
b) You've met your offer and your uni doesn't know that because your results got muddled up so they're waiting to talk to you to check before telling UCAS.
c) You've missed your offer but your uni wants you anyway but hasn't got round to telling UCAS.
d) You've missed your offer but your uni want to make you an offer for a similar but less full course and haven't got round to telling UCAS.
e) You've missed your offer and your uni haven't decided yet whether they can take you or not - they might need to see how many Insurance people they have to take before they know they've got room first.
f) You've missed your offer and your firm uni doesn't want you but hasn't got round to telling UCAS.

In other words - if Track hasn't changed that doesn't give ANY indication as to whether your results are good or bad. In fact in some ways it's good - of those applicants who got a definite answer on results day last year...?....150,000 of them were rejected by both their firm and insurance and placed in Clearing. Being in limbo for a couple of hours is a GOOD thing compared to that.

My Firm place has confirmed me! That means I passed my A levels!
NO - remember - these things are decided MANUALLY....someone somewhere sits down with a pile of UCAS forms and a list of results and ticks off results against offers. If your firm has confirmed you - well done! You're in! BUT don't go into School/College expecting to see a long line of A grades. Just as a lot of unis can be slow in sending decisions to UCAS, some unis are VERY quick and will not only confirm the people who met their offers but will have confirmed a whole BUNCH of people who missed their grades.

Results day stats from last year:
On results day last year:
58% of applicants were unconditional with their FIRM
5% were unconditional with their INSURANCE
1% of applicants were already unconditional with a clearing choice (Scottish/IB/reapplicants who had their results)
15% of applicants were in limbo waiting for a decision from either their firm or insurance.
22% were in clearing (either because they had no offers initially, didn't accept an offer initially or both their firm and insurance had rejected them).

By the end of Clearing last year:
62% of applicants were unconditional with their FIRM
6% were unconditional with their INSURANCE
6% were unconditional with a CLEARING choice
5% were still in limbo (these are usually international students who don't bother sending through their results or cancelling their applications)
0.1% were unconditional with an ADJUSTMENT choice
21% were still in clearing (because they decided to take a gap year or are international and had a place in a university in another country).

So about half the limbo Track people end up with their Firm, about half find a place through clearing and a smidge end up with their insurance.

Results Day Flowchart

Yeah I've tried to say "no more researching until results day" to myself, but every now and then I think of some small thing to search and I can't help myself! Even though I know it'll just make it worse if I don't get in.

My firm is computer science at Southampton uni, the city seems perfect size for me (although I'm sure that's some psychological effect with it being my firm). Insurance is Bristol which I can't complain about, it's just that I know nothing about Bristol (plus I wouldn't be guaranteed halls). What about you?

Let's just hope we get into our firms, and if not I hope we still have a great time at our insurance uni (or clearing!)

Very Nervous despite having a low offer wish I had an Unconditional