Appeal – Ten Steps on How to Appeal Your Grades This Summer College, University

1. Do Not Panic

If your results are not what you had hoped or expected, then do not panic. For any student receiving exam results this year, COVID-19 and everything that came after it are still likely to be a factor in your education and how well you have performed, and colleges and universities are aware of this and likely to be sympathetic.

It is not the end of the world if your exam results are not what you expected, were predicted or need to accept your university offer. There are plenty of things you can do

2. Consider Your Predictions

Before you do anything, consider honestly whether the grades you got are a true reflection of the work you put in. Remember that these grades came from the school you studied in so will be a view of what your teachers felt you could achieve.

It is definitely worth considering whether you did, in fact, put in the work to get a higher grade or if perhaps you decided to rest on your laurels and coast for the second year, feeling that you could scrape by with minimum work.

That being said, it is not unheard of for predicted grades to be off, and it is worth speaking to your classmates to get a feel for how they did in comparison to their predictions. If several of you are in the same boat then perhaps you have recourse to speak to your department head.

3. Appeal to Your School

If you think your school has made an error, you should immediately flag this up with school staff, who can contact the exam board and rectify the situation. Some human errors are expected when schools submit the Centre Assessment Grades. 

This is only likely, though, if you honestly know that you put in all the work needed to achieve a higher mark. Think about your coursework. Was the mark from this alone high enough to ensure that the final marks you were issued are likely wrong?

 

4. Consider the Integrity of Your Results

If you are worried that the grades your school submitted were unfair, then you can consider contacting the exam board to discuss your results and ask them for advice on what to do next. If they feel a school has behaved without integrity, then they have systems in place they can use to consider the validity of the grades issued.

This should usually only be a last option, though; speak to the school first to find out if there has been a problem or if they have any concerns. They may already be aware of an issue or error occurring.

 

5. Reflect on Your Grades

If no school-based error has been made, then there is no way to appeal your grades this year as the exam regulators feel that it would be unfair to all candidates to reconsider grades. This may be a time that you need to be honest with yourself and consider if the grades you have achieved reflect where you are at.

6. Consider Resitting

Resitting your A-levels is always an option. It is best to speak to a teacher or advisor at your school first to find out what they suggest, but circumstances may allow you to resit the exam. 

If you cannot do this through your existing school, you can always complete it via a college or online route. However, this option will come at a cost, so it should only be considered if you have explored the other options first. There is an individual cost for the module and one for the exams, so make sure you do your research and plan for each section financially. 

 

7. Get Advice On Your Next Steps

When you have your results, then it is a good time to seek advice on your next steps if your original plans look unlikely to work out. Tap into the expertise of the teachers and careers advisors at your school or college on what action to take next. Remember that these people know you well and will be able to give you personalised advice.

If a university place is off the cards with these results then there are plenty of other options; perhaps you should look to resit, take an access course, agree to a foundation year, take a gap year to consider your options or perhaps change your expectations of what the next few years will have in store. 

But before you do any of those things, there are still options available. 

 

8. Speak to Your College or University

Now more than ever, universities and colleges will be more open to discussing your application if you have not achieved the required grades. Get in touch with your first choice as soon as your results arrive and put your case forward for consideration. The admissions team and academic staff will review your results and the discussions you have had before giving you a decision on whether you can proceed with your first choice or not.

They may come back with a counteroffer, perhaps insisting you take a foundation year or change to a different course in the same subject. It is worth exploring these options and taking the time to consider if they would work for you.

 

9. Use Contingency Systems

 The UCAS Clearing system is designed for this scenario. Log into your account and you can look for new course options that are open to you with the grades you have. UCAS will already know your grades and if you haven’t been accepted at your first choice, it will place you into clearing and allow you to browse available courses.

Clearing Plus is also now available. This will match you with courses that meet your initial specifications, and for which you match the entry criteria. This option could save you hours of time as well as disappointment trawling through courses you are unlikely to be eligible for.

Courses are added to clearing regularly, so just because you don’t find a match the first time doesn’t mean you won’t find one. Clearing doesn’t end till October 21st, which gives you plenty of time to make your decision. If you do find a course you like, do make sure you jump on it quickly, though. The first few days after results day are the busiest time for clearing, and courses are likely to go fast.

Try to see this as an exciting choice rather than a negative situation and challenge yourself to find a course that suits your interests and abilities. There are plenty out there.

 

10. Plan A New Direction

Finally, see this as a process that will help you get to university rather than punishment because you did not get the grades you wanted. Changing direction is not always a bad thing, and you may find that the course you end up on is a better fit than your original choice anyway!

 

For more advice, hints and tips about exam results, university placements and much more then head over to our website today or head over to the next post Clearing – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.