Students get their A-level results. Library picture

by Jess Banham

Champagne corks will be popping today as thousands of students open those crucial A level envelopes.

But among those celebrating will be some who didn't get the results they expected.

For students hoping to go to university Clearing is the first option.

Bev Woodhams, who is manning the lines at the University of Greenwich, which has a campus in Medway, said: “Get up early, as there will be lots of people in Clearing for lots of different reasons - not just because they didn’t get the grades they expected.

"Some people will get much better grades than they expected and they may want to change universities.

“Find out some alternative courses, find out their entry criteria to make sure you’re near as you have an idea what you’re going to get.

"Once you’ve identified the universities you’re interested in, call them up.”

Around 10,000 fewer students have applied to go to university in Kent this year.

It comes after the government tripled tuition fees for some courses, meaning students faced having to pay as much as £9,000 a year.

But the University of Greenwich is still expecting up to 7,000 students to attempt to get through to the Clearing phone lines.

Ms Woodhams, who is also head of central recruitment at the university, added: “People didn’t understand how the system ran and what the re-payments were like.

"It was perceived to be a huge debt, but it is still a good investment in your future. Some students have realised that and are now deciding 'well, actually I do want to go to university'.”

Yet it is not the only option available for students. There are also many vocational courses and apprenticeships on offer.

Lisa Elsworth, 21, is an accountancy trainee from Ramsgate. She chose to do an apprenticeship at Kent County Council rather than attend university.

She said: “I went to an accountancy firm for two weeks for work experience and they said to me there’s so many different routes into it, use the resources around you to look at other options apart from university.

“It’s the cost for me - it was only £3,000 then, it is £9,000 now. That’s
a big decision to make.

"There’s not as many graduate jobs out there now, you’re not guaranteed one anymore and apprenticeships are good, you get great work experience.”

• Are you getting your A level results today? How did you do? Do you want to congratulate someone who did well, or cheer up someone whose results weren't as good as they'd hoped? Join the debate below.