Principal's advice for A-level students (From Times Series)

Principal's advice for A-level students

2:14pm Friday 10th August 2007 in News By Ruth Holmes

With A-level results being announced this week it's a stressful time for students anxious to make the grade.

Bernard Canetti, principal of Brampton College, on Lodge Road, Hendon, is very familiar with the issues pupils face at this time of year.

He believes students who fail to get the A level results needed for their first-choice university are often panicked into accepting an alternative through clearing.

He advises them to explore other options as soon as possible to avoid the 'clearing frenzy'.

"Embarking on a university course is a major commitment - personal, professional and financial - and shouldn't be rushed whatever the circumstances," Mr Canetti said.

"Clearing forces students who don't achieve the grades they need to make hurried decisions. For some an alternative university course is the right approach while for others a period of reflection to consider options, such as resitting their A-levels, a gap year, or a complete rethink of the chosen subject, may well be more beneficial in the long run."

The college principal has put together some guidelines for anyone who doesn't get the grades they hoped for:

• Contact your first choice university the minute you know your results - just to make sure that your lower than expected grades are indeed a barrier.

• Retaking A-levels is an option but it's important to determine your desired university's attitude towards this. Establish and maintain a dialogue with the university admissions office and make sure you are clear on future options available to avoid further disappointment.

• Motivation is everything when considering retakes. For some competitive university courses, grades are cast in stone and retakes are the only option. But students must be sure they are willing to put the work in, even if it means earning to pay for tutoring to get their studies on track.

• Be realistic about your academic abilities. Did you get lower grades because you didn't work hard enough, or were the exams always going to be a struggle, in which case you may need to question your choices; on the other hand, at Brampton we see enormous improvements in grades with a further year's study, provided the motivation is there.

• Students should explore mitigating factors that may have contributed to their lower grades such as illness, emotional or hardship issues. Students must be honest with themselves as to whether such issues are still a barrier.

• Ask if you truly wanted to do the planned course. When counselling students for retakes we often find that lower grades can indicate a dissatisfaction with the subject matter, and perhaps a rethink of the subject is called for.

• Often individuals are simply not ready for university, and this is reflected in their results. An extra year's A-level study, relevant work experience, or time out to travel and earn some money can set the individual up well for university study further on.

• Timing of retakes is important. While an immediate reaction might be to resit as soon as possible, perhaps in the following January, if retakes in several subjects are required, a longer period of study may be more beneficial.

• Instigate a year's plan of action quickly to avoid feeling left behind and losing confidence when friends go off to university. Planning in advance will facilitate this and boost confidence and motivation levels.