Before looking at the alternative progression routes available, take a moment to figure out how to cope with the feelings of disappointment on a personal level.

Here is some advice from professional guidance counsellors:

1. Express and acknowledge your thoughts & feelings

The Leaving Cert results day and CAO Round 1 offers can be a difficult time for some students as they watch others celebrate their success while they feel disappointment at their own results. But if that is how you are feeling, you’re not alone.

Allow yourself to be disappointed and upset. Perhaps you feel like all your dreams have been shattered, and you may need to just pour out those feelings and thoughts as they come.

While it’s encouraged to express and acknowledge your feelings, it is equally important to find a way to move on so that you don’t end up dwelling and self-pitying.

If you see yourself like a victim in this situation, the risk is that you lose any feelings of empowerment and control. We need to feel that we have some level of control over our lives – and we always have to some degree.

One really useful practical thing you can do is to write down your feelings. Writing and reading about your own feelings can help you get over the disappointment faster, and allow you to move on.

You should also starting thinking about making new plans. But first use this opportunity to reflect on what has happened.

2. Reflect on Your Leaving Cert Results & Your Experience

Be honest with yourself. Consider it an analysis of your approach rather than a criticism of your ability. Take some time to reflect and ask yourself why you have received the grades you received. You probably know the truth behind your performance but you need to have an honest conversation with yourself.

It is important to analyse your previous approach to your studies in order to prevent it happening again in the next phase of your life. Ask yourself things like:

• Did you apply yourself enough during the school year?
• Did you have good routines and study habits?
• Were you organised?
• Did you eat and sleep well and take care of yourself?
• Do you really want to go to college?
• Do you want to try again and repeat?
• How motivated are you to achieve academically?

3. Re-focus and make a new plan

With time, you’ll gain a new perspective and a realisation that something that seemed very big at one point in your life, wasn’t that big in the grand scheme of things.

It is easier said than done to develop that perspective without the benefit of time, but it is useful to at least try to ‘reframe’ how you look at this event. Try to focus on the larger picture of your life and remind yourself of all the things that are going well and for which you can be grateful.

Consider what it is you hope to achieve and what career you dream of; and then research all the different ways of getting there. If you talk to five professionals in your dream career, you will most likely find that they have all taken different routes to get there! You can also use the CareerExplorer to read about different entry routes for over a thousand different careers.

So what are your options?

Remember that there are many ways to get to where you want to go, some of which are often overlooked. The Leaving Cert is certainly not the only way!

Here are some excellent options you could consider:

• PLC courses - A huge variety of PLC courses are available and some many may still be open for applications. Many of these courses offer a progression route to Higher Education the following year.
• Tertiary Degree Programmes - A tertiary course is joint degree programme that commences in further education with the Education and Training Board (ETB) with guaranteed continuation in Higher Education.
• Work – Gives you a chance to earn a living, try out different types of work and figure out what you enjoy, and what you don’t.
• Apprenticeships –There are almost 60 different apprenticeship programmes. These include craft apprenticeships as well as degree-level programmes, all allowing you to ‘earn and learn’. 
• Available places (CAO) - If you are really set on studying at third level this year there are still options available to you under Available Places. These are courses which are still accepting applications and are published by the CAO on a daily basis over the next few weeks. 
• Study abroad – Opportunities may still exist to study abroad, read about what, how and where to study in Northern Ireland and overseas.
• Private colleges and course providers - Entry requirements can be lower and fees can sometimes be claimed against tax.
• Entrepreneurship – Set up your own business - contact your local enterprise board.

Supports

You can avail of supports at results time by ringing the National Parents Council’s Leaving Cert helpline 1800 265 165 where qualified guidance counsellors give advice and support to both students and their parents. Most colleges will also offer a helpline service around this time.

A student can speak with their Post-Primary School Guidance counsellor or contact an Adult Guidance Counsellor. See more information and contact details for professional support and advice here.

Remember - If a student is still struggling to cope and is suffering mentally, a guidance professional can refer the student to a mental health service or other appropriate support services.

For all information and supports available for Leaving Cert results, CAO offers and College life, check out the Leaving Cert What's Next Guide here.