16 August 2022
When A level results are opened on Thursday this week, some young people will find that they have not received the grades required to study at their first-choice university. Grade inflation, stretched university resources and a higher number of deferred entries caused by the Covid 19 pandemic have conspired to reduce the options available to school leavers this year.
How are A levels different this year?
A level grades from the last two years were at an all-time high. Why was that? Public exams were cancelled as a result of the pandemic and so for two years in succession, schools, universities and the government had to figure out alternative ways to grade school leavers. The resulting methods (involving teachers’ own assessments, occasionally algorithms, and a mishmash of school-set tests and exams) resulted in unusually good outcomes. In 2020, 38.5% grades received were A*s or As and in 2021, the figure was 44.8%. To put this in context, in 2019, the year before covid, only 25.2% of grades received were A*s or As.
The government has decided that this ‘grade inflation’ must now be reversed so that by 2023, we’re back to the levels and distribution of grades seen before the pandemic. In order to avoid grades falling off a cliff edge, 2022’s results are to stand as a midway point; worse than 2021 but still more generous than 2019. The required shift in grade boundaries means that the numbers of A*s and As being awarded this year will be around 35% - significantly lower than last year.
That on its own might not be enough to concern this year’s cohort of university applicants but add to the mix a reduction in university places due to stretched resources and an unprecedented number of entries deferred from 2021, and it’s clear that more young people than usual are going to have to rethink their plans.
What are the alternatives to university?
What can you do if you miss out on your university offer? The Good Schools Guide’s editor-in-chief, Ralph Lucas, suggests looking at alternatives. “There are many and varied routes to a successful career, and although not achieving the grades required by your first-choice university can seem like a devastating blow on results day, the class of 2022 has the opportunity to turn the situation to their advantage.”
More university applicants than usual will find themselves in this position and uncertainty over the coming weeks will be common. Reapplying to university in 2023 will likely be a popular option but Lord Lucas points towards positives which can be found away from formal education. “Here is a chance to follow a high-risk passion – make a movie, get stuck into the music business, create a product and sell it online - if it does not work out, the university option is not going to vanish. Tony Blair spent a year as a music promoter before returning to full-time education and it didn’t appear to hold him back! And if your A levels are not good enough or in the wrong subjects, a foundation degree could get you to where you want to be.
“An enforced break in full-time education can also provide a chance to develop transferable skills while earning some money. A customer-facing job where you are part of a team will stand you in very good stead whenever you come to launch your real career – you will have all sorts of experience that those who have only known academia will not. I remember one young man who had spent his gap year doing the accounting for a tin mine in South America: straight to the top of the employment queue when he left university. Some of the volunteering gap years are also really excellent although they can be costly. Working hard, wherever you do it, certainly won’t hurt when it comes to university, and nor will having some money in the bank. In the end, having spent some time out in the world, you may well have a much clearer idea of what degree you want and why.”
As 2022’s A level cohort will receive comparatively lower grades than in recent years, The Good Schools Guide recommends the following on results day:
- Be prepared. On the day, pick up your results equipped with pens, a notepad, phone numbers of the admissions teams at your preferred universities and a fully charged phone. If you haven’t quite met your offer, call your first-choice university immediately to negotiate your position. Your enthusiasm for their course will count – everyone likes to be liked.
- Keep a level head. Most schools and sixth form colleges will have staff on hand to offer calming and constructive advice if students miss their offers. Focus on what’s really important to you. If starting university in 2022 is essential then be open-minded and prepared to consider lower-tariff universities and different courses.
- Contemplate clearing. With top universities having set extra high offer grades for this year’s applicants, pupils who have done better than expected may find more quality options in clearing than usual, presenting the opportunity to ‘upgrade’ their university place. Things move very fast so scope out the website before results day and make sure you understand the process. If you would rather take stock and give yourself longer to assess options, then there’s nothing to stop you reapplying next year with your grades already in the bag.
- Appeals and retakes. Appealing a grade is a possibility and should be done in consultation with your school. You may think you deserve a higher grade but with appeals there’s always a risk that your grade could go down too, and they don’t come for free either. Resits also cost money and, with January exams no longer available, you have to ask yourself, what would you do in the intervening nine months to make sure your exam performance was better next time around. A foundation degree is a fresh start in a new place and is an option which should not be overlooked if it can propel you towards qualifications which match your ambitions.
- Protect your mental health. Until you know exactly what you’re doing and you’re happy with the plans you’ve made, try and keep off social media. You don’t need to see people bragging about their success and glittering future. If you are really disappointed in your grades, give yourself some time to see the positives in your own situation before you join up with friends to honour the landmarks of the day.
- Give yourself some time. Think things over. Imagine that your results are a disaster. You’ll be far from alone this year, with lots of young people badly hit by Covid in one way or another. What would you want your year out to be? Do some research so that you can move quickly from disappointment to action.
Photo credit: Magdalen College School, Oxford
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