Brilliant A-level results?

Advice for the astonished.

Act fast

Avoid getting ratted to celebrate until you've sorted out your next step. You'll need to act swiftly in the scrum that always kicks in post-results, but your excellent results can only help you through it.

Speak up

Talk to your form tutor at school or college or your careers advisor. They can clap you on the back, and then help you to review your options.

Phone around

It's always worth taking matters into your hands, even if it's frowned upon in some circles. If you know where you'd like to be heading, ring around and see if you qualify for any available spaces. Just be aware that if you've already lined something up for the lower results you were expecting, you'll need to speak to the university that offered you the place first as the offer you accepted is like a contract that you have agreed to.

You may be able to make an arrangement to cancel this place and try to find something better, but universities treat each case individually. This is not always a simple procedure, so if you need advice beyond what your school or college can offer, dig out your UCAS application number and call the UCAS helpline (tel: 0870 112 2211) or the The Surgery exam results helpline (tel: 0808 100 8000), which has careers advisors on hand to help you with your next step.

Take a breather

This is a good option if you need time to regroup, and apply for the right course next year through UCAS. Use your time off wisely, with a gap year or getting a new job, and it'll give you a chance to build up your CV with travel and work experience.