What if…
You decide you want to take your A-levels?
Students in England will have the option to take exams in October. Those who do will not have to worry about getting lower than their predicted grades as the highest grade of the two will be their final result. Previous coursework will not count, though this excludes practical science and geology work.
In the case of Art and Design, students will be judged on a new task set and marked by the exam board and taken under normal supervised conditions. According to Universities UK, if you decide to take your exams, in most cases it will be too late to start a university course in 2021/22 (unless your course starts in January). “As autumn A-level exams in England are taking place in October, results will not be available until after the first university term has started. This means in many cases it will be too late to start a course in 2021-22. Applicants should speak to their university about the impact of taking exams this autumn,” a spokesperson says, noting that university courses start in January.
What if…
You suddenly decide on a gap year?
Get in touch with your university. If you have had your place confirmed, you can ask if it can be deferred. Theoretically, you can do it right up until the start date. A word of warning: your university may not agree to it if you leave it too late. If they don’t, you can withdraw your application and reapply next year. According to UCAS, fewer students are deferring this year.
What if…
You miss your grades and want to appeal?
Speak to your teacher, exams officer, exam centre or the National Exam Results Helpline (0808 100 8000) regarding options before making any decisions. Talk to the university and ask if they are willing to hold the place for you (if possible, get it in writing). Stage one of the appeals process – a review by your school or college – the deadline for a priority appeal (students who weren’t accepted by their firm choice university as a result of their grades) is August 16, 2021. For stage two of the appeals process – an appeal to the exam board – the deadline for a priority appeal is August 23, 2021.