While it can be a particularly stressful time for young people and their families with decisions to be made about college and course choices in the wake of results that may or may not hav met expectations. The advice, as always, is to stay calm, take whatever guidance you can and give yourself the time and space to make the right decisions.

New St Michael’s principal, Mark Henry, urges students not to panic, stay calm and seek advice. 

“If students do not get the results they are hoping for, there are no closed doors. There are a lot of alternatives and different pathways to get to where you want to be so do not panic. 

“I would urge that students do not just go to college or university for the sake of it. There is a temptation for young boys and girls just to jump up and go off because all their friends are going but ultimately these students will in time drop out and will have to face debt. Now is the time to look at all options before deciding what to do.” 

This time of year is always a nerve-racking time for those involved but if you are feeling overwhelmed by receiving your results, The Department for Education’s Exam Results Helpline opens again on 18th August this year. Last year the support service helped a record breaking 9,500 people. 

Enniskillen Royal Grammar School principal, Elizabeth Armstrong urges students to take their time and avail of help when making the important decisions they will be facing over the next couple of weeks.

“While they need time and space to consider their next step at what can be a very emotional time and we do not want them to make a hasty reaction, it is also important that they act promptly to identify their options and to make the necessary contacts in a timely fashion. We would encourage them to avail of the support for them in school. It is the students who must make the key decisions for themselves but we as staff are there to help and advise and to support both them and their parents in the situation.”

If a student is reconsidering their options based on results they have or have not achieved, they should contact the Exam Results Helpline on 0808 100 8000 from 18 August.

If a student has a specific query about their university application, they should contact the UCAS Contact Centre on 0871 468 0468.

For further information, visit www.ucas.com/examresultshelpline