Many young islanders will be bracing themselves today as they receive their A level results.
For the 18-year-old students receiving their results today, this will be the first time they have taken formal exams with Covid impacting their GCSEs.
Gail Corrin, the higher education manager at UCM (University College Isle of Man), spoke to the Manx Independent with her advice to students.
She said: ‘I know it can be daunting to receive your results when you’ve been working hard towards these exams and you’ve spent many years preparing for this moment.
important
‘The exam results can feel like the most important thing that’s ever going to happen in your life, and whilst they are important, you always have options if you don’t get the results that you want.
‘If the results are not what you expect, and if you’re concerned that they’re not going to get you on the course that you’ve applied for, whether that be your GCSEs, A Levels or Level 3 courses, contact the institution you have applied to, so that you can immediately have a conversation about what your options are.
‘The biggest advice is don’t panic, and get in touch, there will always be another option.
‘For some it may be a resit, it could be a different course for others, it may be going to work, and for some they may find that the course may still be willing to take them, so a conversation to talk about the options is really the guidance because we are on your side, we want to help you succeed.
‘If you’ve applied for a course with us then make sure you upload your results, whatever they are, to the learner portal as soon as you can.
‘If you haven’t applied to us but now want to join a course go to our website and apply online or contact our admissions team, who are available throughout the summer to offer information, advice and guidance.’
Ms Corrin added: ‘The pandemic, the associated lockdowns and the disruption that altered the way we live, the way we work and the way we educate had an impact on everybody.
‘We’re confident in the support that we gave students during lockdown and students, for the most part, responded well.
‘Having said that, we also understand that it was really quite disruptive and it was an added pressure, not just attending school and doing things the way that people have normally done things.
‘Students are undertaking assessments that are back to what they were pre-pandemic, so perhaps doing exams when in the past they did coursework or where teachers had offered predicted grades is difficult.
‘It is arguably a tough year and all the students getting their results this week and next week should remain proud of what they’ve achieved no matter what the result is because they have come through a tough time.
story
‘At UCM, we try to look at the individual, and whilst your exam results are a big part of the story, they are not the only part of the story.’
Around 750 full-time students are expected to join UCM this year.
Details of additional help for education leavers is available on the Department of Education, Sport and Culture’s Signposts website.