If you didn't get the grades for uni, consider trying an apprenticeship, a trades course, or a gap year. Read on for more options!
Didn't get the grades for university? Don't panic. Step one is to ask yourself: are there other options if you don't get the grades you need for uni? The answer is yes! This means that you don't need to worry too much just because you failed your exams, or didn't get the grades. You've got lots of opportunities ahead of you.
Missing out on university may feel like a tough blow, but the best thing is to keep moving and start planning. If you didn't get the grades for uni, there are still several other routes you can take, from apprenticeships to training courses. Even though it might feel like the end of the world, your life has only just begun.
If you failed your exams, or are worried you might, read on for some ideas on what to do.
What Happens if You Don’t Get the Grades for University?
If you don't get the grades for university, here's what happens next: you make a plan. Scroll or click one of the quick links below to discover some of the opportunities that are waiting for you.
- Apply for an apprenticeship
- Contact universities
- Take a gap year
- Find a job
- Enrol for private training
Apply for an Apprenticeship
If you didn't get the grades for university, there are still plenty of great educational opportunities available to you. Applying for an apprenticeship can be the perfect way to start a successful and rewarding career. Some employers even prefer apprenticeships because they come with more practical experience.
Apprenticeships involve practical learning, which means you're learning on the job with hands-on skills. You also receive a salary while you're doing this, which may be a lot less stressful than watching your bank account run empty while you study at university.
Apprenticeships often end with employment opportunities and offer a promising, secure career. You can learn more about the benefits of apprenticeships here.
Contact Universities
If you're determined to go despite not getting the grades for uni, you should contact your first-choice and see how your grades have affected your offer. Universities sometimes accept students who narrowly missed their entry requirements. This may be unlikely if the grades you received were not close to the grades you needed for uni. However, perhaps you had a very strong interview or a great personal statement?
If you aren't too concerned about which university you go to, then you can try to secure a uni place through clearing. University clearing pairs up students who didn't get the grades for university with universities who didn't get enough students. If you find on results day that you didn't get the grades you needed, you might still have a second chance at getting in through this system.
It's also worth considering if this is really the best option for you. Don't go to university just for the sake of going if you can't find a good university to take you. You might end up regretting wasting time and money on a degree at a university that you never really liked. In this case, it's sometimes better to go with one of the alternatives on this list, like apprenticeships.
Take a Gap Year
Some time off can be valuable if you didn't get into university. Suddenly discovering you aren't going to university can feel like a shock, and disrupt your plans. A gap year gives you an opportunity to:
- Re-evaluate your options
- Consider university alternatives
- Begin the re-application process ready for next year
- Study and improve
Whether you spend the time travelling, working, or learning, a gap year will provide the time and space needed to really think about what you want to do with your life. However, you should be aware that this time off can be expensive, and you may lose out on experience that your peers are getting. A gap year can be more valuable if you spend some of it learning a skill or getting experience. You could take up a new hobby, or even learn a trade!
Find a Job
It's perfectly natural to feel impatient with education by now. After 13 years or so of schooling, you may well want to call it a day with your A levels in the rear-view mirror.
It might be that you were only going to university to please your parents, or maybe because you simply didn't know what else to do. If that's the case, then not getting the grades for uni could actually be a golden opportunity to dive straight into the world of employment.
Experience and independence are huge benefits of employment, but money is also a big factor. It's very freeing to have your own salary so that you don't have to rely on anyone else. If this is what interests you most about employment, then you may also consider an "Earn While You Learn" opportunity. This is where you get work experience and training alongside a salary. We have opportunities like this for plumbers, gas engineers, and electricians.
Enrol for Private Training
University isn't the only way to learn! There are plenty of private training opportunities out there to help you join the industry of your dreams.
Getting training from a private college can help you to find a new career and employment opportunities. You may think that private education is too expensive, but there are plenty of affordable training opportunities and funding options. This can be a worthwhile investment in your future.
Access Training is a private college that specialises in trades training. Whereas apprenticeships and university courses take a number of years to complete and come with strict entry requirements, Access Training has fast-track courses, which take far less time to complete. You could become an employed plumber, electrician or gas engineer and start earning a living much sooner than if you were to attend university.
A tradesperson's career is secure, rewarding, and currently in high-demand. A growing population and rapidly expanding cities and towns, plus thousands of houses, hospitals, schools and buildings of all kinds need maintenance.
What To Do If You Fail Your Exams
In summary, if you fail your exams and don't get into university, the best thing you can do is move forward. There are plenty of other opportunities out there. Making a plan and taking action will save you a lot of stress in the long run. As we've seen, you can apply for an apprenticeship, get a job, or even take a gap year! The world's your oyster.
If you didn't get the grades you needed to go to university, consider a future at Access Training. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our course advisors. They can provide you with information about how to join our courses, even with failed exams.
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