EdTalk | ‘Exam Results Season’ – is the stress really necessary?
The small summer gap between final school exams and university entry means that places are often ‘conditional’ on those results
Whether it’s the second week of July (for IB and HKDSE) or the third week of August (for A-levels), students holding conditional offers from universities in Hong Kong or overseas are left in a kind of limbo until they can see their results and have those places confirmed.
In the case of A-levels, this can be worryingly close to the dates for matriculation (starting) and the arrangement of necessary visas.
Most of these students finished their exams and school weeks ago and should be enjoying a long and relaxing summer, were it not for this nagging uncertainty.
In most cases, the news will be good, but what of those who fall short of their conditions?
Many university admissions systems allow for a second, or “insurance”, choice that may kick in in these circumstances and sometimes the top or firm university choice may be flexible enough to confirm a near miss.
If not, students enter what in the UK is known as “Clearing” where they can apply anew to those universities and courses that still have vacancies.
