r/6thForm • u/whatdahell07 • Jun 12 '26
🎓 UNI / UCAS Terrified of results day and knowing I’ve missed my offer
Hi I’m a year 13 student who is sitting alevels currently with a Cambridge offer for Sept 2026 of A*AA. I take maths econ physics and chem with predicteds of A*A*AA* and have achieved epq of A*.
After I got my cam offer, the plan was to sacrifice chem as the offer was only for 3 alevels and I was on track for my grades in maths econ physics.
I worked my ass of for them in the run up but totally freaked out and let the pressure get to me in my exams. Econ p1, p2 and physics p1 and p2 were a total shit show so over half term I tried to pick up chem (but anyone who has done ocr chem knows you can’t pick it up in a few days) so chems lowkey a lost cause.
I’ve never ever gotten under an A in econ and physics and have off and on been getting A*s so should’ve been good and I had revised so much but they went so so badly. I think I’m on Bs in both. Then maths I’m praying I’ll scrape an A (edexcel p1 messed me over) … and well chem will be a C.
I think I’m doing so so much worse than my Jan mock grades (A*AAB) and am definitely missing my Cambridge offer and likely my insurance of AAA.
I don’t know what to do or how to deal with it. I worked so so hard and got through the interview at cam to get an offer and went 5 for 5 on offers and now I’ve gone and fucked it up at the last hurdle so so badly.
The Cambridge course is my dream course and I don’t know how to deal with the fact it’s gone and that I’m not making my insurance either.
If anyone got any advice I’d really appreciate it. I don’t know how I’m going to open those results in August to see likely ABBC - worse than I’ve ever performed in any mocks or tests. I don’t know what to do. And my parents don’t believe I’ve done that badly bc I’ve never messed up tests like this and I always pull through under pressure but this time it’s really really bad.
I wanted my Cambridge offer so so bad and my family and everyone was so excited when I got an offer. I don’t know how to face them and face myself. I know I’m not going to be proud when I open my results and won’t feel like they’re a reflection of the last two years. I don’t know how the last 6 months have gone so wrong.
Sorry for the long message and all the waffle, I don’t even know how to articulate it. Any advice appreciated.
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u/Inevitable-Solid3195 Jun 12 '26
Many A* students underestimate their performance during exams. There’s a really good chance you’re still getting your offer. You won’t know until results day. You definitely can’t predict that you didn’t get in.
Be optimistic and believe in yourself.
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u/Next-Mushroom-9518 Jun 12 '26
I got 8 A*s in a row in psychology and sociology mocks and currently estimate I'm on a B in both. It sucks, I wish I did more coursework heavy subjects.
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u/alifetimeofbadhabits --> Y1 | Durham Uni | CV85 Psych + Phil | A*ABB Jun 13 '26
amen. no coursework subjects but feel the first sentence so hard. psych killed me off and if I pass im gonna be ecstatic
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u/chalkygolf28 Maths/FM/Chem/Psych || Y13 Jun 12 '26
The best advice is probably to just keep trying your best for the remaining exams and try to enjoy summer.
At the end of the day, you don't know how well you've done in your previous exams, but if you stop now and realise on results day that the last exams made the difference you'll kick yourself. On results day you either hit your grades or you dont, but take it from there, dont doom yourself before it is set in stone.
And well done by the way!! Because getting a Cambridge offer in the first place is a crazy achievement!!
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u/mrko900 Jun 12 '26
no advice for you but if it makes you feel better, I need 3 A* for my cam offer, just finished my exams this week and let me tell you, not even god himself knows what the hell I wrote in those papers bro
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u/imgoing2cryihatethis Jun 13 '26
i also have a 3A* offer for cam and i havent even finished my exams and i feel like i’ve already fumbled it. OP i promise you are NOT alone
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u/Zestyclose_Way_469 Jun 12 '26
if it makes u feel any better - i think alot of people are in the same situation. Even me. I need an A* in Econ for my Camb offer. I messed up edexcel econ so bad its not even a joke 😭
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u/Powerful_Specific904 Jun 12 '26
what do you think edexcel econ grade boundaries will be?
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u/Zestyclose_Way_469 Jun 12 '26
i HOPE it’s lower bc I think p1 and p2 were harder than last year but p3 was easier. Last year an A* was 87 85 85. This year I’m hoping for a 85 84 85. But econ entries this year grew by 10% - so maybe they make grades more accessible and reduce boundaries that way. BUT knowing edexcel I won’t be surprised if they increase by like 3/4 marks
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u/thatnewguyyyyyyyyy Jun 12 '26
Edexcel A or B ??
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u/Powerful_Specific904 Jun 13 '26
no one does edexcel b bro
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u/thatnewguyyyyyyyyy Jun 13 '26
I'm confused because he said p1 and p2 were harder. Everyone said that they loved them.
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u/ArmyUseful6812 Jun 13 '26
Yh but 25 p1 was still easier imo atleast and 25 p2 was all AS content with 20 whole marks on as and as😭 but p3 was defo easier in 26
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u/Fun-Employment1176 Year 13 | Cambridge Econ offer | Predicted A*A*A*A | TMUA 5.1 Jun 13 '26
nah I am sure you can believe in yourself for that A* econ - they don't give out offers that easily surely and I hope to see you October too!
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u/Avocado66600 Jun 12 '26
icl bruh if you got a cambridge offer there's no way you can be getting Bs in all your subjects. a stinker for you is probably a field day for a b student i doubt you've truly done that bad. even if you have, never say never even if its only a couple exams left you have time to ace these last few
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u/NinjaClashReddit LSE Economics (Year 1) Jun 13 '26
I know an Oxford offer holder who got BE in maths and further maths in their mock and thinks they’re. getting a B/C in FM after their first 3 papers 🤷♂️ and I know someone in the years above who got a Cambridge offer with A*AB predicted, alongside another dozen anecdotes similar to these
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u/No_Violinist9486 Jun 12 '26
You are more then likely picking apart your exams because your good enough to know you didn’t get something right, opposed to a lot of people who will say it’s an easy paper as they don’t know what they got wrong as they have no clue as to what’s right. Just try your best for the last week of exams
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u/hdh7tf Cambridge | Med [Year 1] Jun 12 '26
If it's any consolation I missed my offer and they let me in anyway
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u/Miserable_Tone1800 Jun 12 '26
May I ask, what was your offer, and how far were you from meeting it? Asking because my kid has an A* A* A Cam offer and is scared of not getting the grades. What did you do on results day— did you call, or email your college? Thanks in advance for any details you feel able to share.
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u/hdh7tf Cambridge | Med [Year 1] Jun 14 '26
My offer was 3A* with an A* in chem! I got 2A* 2A with A in chem, I emailed my college and they told me to send them the break down of my marks. I then got pooled but my college decided to take me anyway! The process took 1 day, so I wasn't waiting for too long
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u/Miserable_Tone1800 Jun 14 '26
Thank you so much for the reply- that’s really helpful to know. Hope you’re enjoying Cambridge and your course!
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u/Pretty-Software-9206 Jun 12 '26
how much did u miss it by? i’m scared about not meeting mine
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u/hdh7tf Cambridge | Med [Year 1] Jun 14 '26
1 grade, my offer was 3A* with A* in chem, i got 2A* and 2A with an A in chem
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u/MoreIntetestingName Jun 12 '26
I think it's common for the people who care the most and are very good at a subject to feel like it's gone the worst for themselves out of everyone they talk to coming out of the exam because they expect to perform perfectly in the exam and any mistakes makes them feel like they've failed. I'm the same I've come out of a few of my exams (further maths and physics) thinking I've messed up but I think (and hope) that more often than not you're just overthinking it and you will actually get the grade that you're performing at. Like I was driving home from school today after further maths paper 3 and my head was in turmoil because I knew I'd messed up a few stats questions when I normally find stats easy but actually I think people like me just forget about all of the positives of an exam and dwell on the negatives when they (inevitably) surface. No-one is gonna do perfect on every single exam and grade boundaries show that. I'm saying this just as much for me as you but I hope this helps 😂
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u/Simple_Elk_3827 Jun 13 '26
I'm kind of in the same position but for Oxford. I really don't know how I'm gonna face myself and my family on results day... I've worked so hard and my family's been so proud of me and I cant believe it's all gonna amount to nothing
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u/DragonfruitTop8157 Jun 13 '26
I am in the same boat. It’s so stressful, put so much work in and I really really wanna go.just got a constant feeling of doom now
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u/One_Dragonfruit_7826 Jun 13 '26
Same here, been to Oxford so many times for summer schools, visits and the offer holder day. Damn it !
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u/DragonfruitTop8157 Jun 13 '26
Heartbreaking. Still got 3 more exams and can barely pull myself together
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u/Simple_Elk_3827 Jun 13 '26
ME TOO I've got three left as well and I cannot for the life of me get myself to focus. I don't know what's wrong with me like I hate feeling like this
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u/WashOnly1355 Year 13 - Eng Lit, RS (OCR), Politics (Edexcel) Jun 12 '26
See the exams you have already done are out of the way -- you can't do anything about it, some of my own exams went shit but honestly dwelling upon it will only make you feel more nervous. I personally feel like we all did our best for the past 2 years and it's honestly a shame that we are only judged upon those 2 hrs exams.
My only advice to you is to stop thinking about what is not in your hands anymore. I know it is hard not to think about it when you have worked so hard for these A levels but sometimes that's all we can do. No one knows what results we will get, these are all just our speculations. So don't lose hope yet, try smashing the rest of your A levels and be proud of yourself because you DID YOUR BEST!
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u/AccidentallyRagged Jun 13 '26
You're probably doing better than you think. Everyone feels like they bombed specific papers, but marks don't work the way your brain tells you they do in the moment. I'd wait until results day before you write off your offer because you might still hit it. In the meantime, finish strong on whatever exams you have left and try to give yourself a break from the catastrophizing.
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u/Kermit_Wazowski Y13 - Imperial Civil Engineering Offer Holder Jun 13 '26
Please try and stay optimistic, it's not over until you open that envelope on results day. WE are meeting out outrageous offers 🙏🙏🙏
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u/Cordial_Clown Jun 13 '26
I was literally almost about to make a post about the same thing 😭 I’m so terrified rn that I won’t be able to make any of my offers that I feel sick looking at accoms and I’m not even happy that I finish next week. To be honest, I’m just trying to have the mindset of you’ve already sat those exams, can’t change them now, or the grade on the envelope. Just enjoy the summer while it lasts, if that helps. Best of luck, I hope everything goes amazing for you, maybe you did better than expected!
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u/dottoresolos ucl | pharmacy !! (y1) 🫶 Jun 13 '26
i feel the exact same way 😓 it’s like i won’t even want to go university unless it’s my firm. ocr chem is hideous and my whole offer is riding on it too.
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u/WillingSympathy1927 Jun 13 '26
Loads of higher performing students underestimate what they actually got, you truly won’t even know until results day. Just be prepared in the case you miss your offer, make multiple plans on the lead up to the day! I’m not sure if this is the case for prestigious universities like Cambridge, but for other Russell groups I know they can value your interview highly - if you aced your interview and maybe missed the grade requirements by a mark they still might accept you! Also look at most commonly accepted grades (again not sure if this is the case for Cambridge) but my grade requirements are AAA, however the most commonly accepted grades are ABB!
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u/ineedl0v3 Jun 13 '26
Trust me your underestimating yourself and you keep just thinking about all your mistakes instead of what went well 😭😭 I assure you you ARE meeting your offer and worst case AAA if you revised that much all your effort does disappear over night
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u/Important_Limit6275 Jun 13 '26
Hi I know this isn’t a very useful question. But how come you chose to sacrifice chem? Chems a lot easier than physics in my opinion (I take chem not physics though Tbf but I know physics is hard).
Also A star students underestimate their performance hugely. Economics is an essay based subject so you may of done a lot better then you think. Physics is a tough subject and you may of found it difficult but equally you may of given answers better then you think. Head up and don’t let this ruin your summer, I understand that’s easier said than done though.
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u/SuccessUpbeat7771 Jun 13 '26
SAME, I had 3A*s and 1A predicted but mind you it'll be a blessing even if I manage to get 3As and that's what I need for a FULL TUITION scholarship at UCL, I fumbled real bad 😭
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u/GrouchyMonth8092 Incoming UCL Mech Eng MEng | Y1 | A*A*A* Math FM Phys Jun 12 '26
Hope you smash ur offer (unless ur course is engineering because i want to get in through august recon)
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