With less than a week to go until A-level results, students all over the country are preparing to find out the decision which will effectively shape the next years of their lives. However, unfortunately for 220,000 students across the UK it will not be a happy day

With university costs rising in 2012 there has been an increase of 9,000 applications in 2011 compared with the previous year and Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said she expected that number to increase this year.

There is a second chance for those students who don’t get in to apply via clearing. Many universities offer up places where other students failed to get their grades. The number of places varies from each university, Lyn Holder, head of outreach and enquiry management at Birmingham City University, said the final number of places available was yet to be confirmed but urged students to “not to panic” if they don’t get the grades they have been expecting. She said: “Clearing can be a difficult time for students and their families.

It is important to remember however that you shouldn’t take a place based on the rising costs. There are many other opportunities to use the coming year for. Using it effectively can not only increase your chances of getting an even better place next year but also to go and experience something new. Lyn added “Of course, there will be an element where people will be worried about the higher fees in 2012, but it is more important that students choose the right course rather than taking a place up for this year.

The perfect and most popular way to spend that year is to go abroad. Many students use it as an opportunity to get away from the stress of getting their exam results but also to travel, gain new experiences and boost their CV. Inspire Volunteering have a whole range of opportunities and projects that can not only allow you to get away and enjoy different cultures but also add volunteering to you CV. Take a look around and see what inspires you. Don’t forget you can talk directly to one of our team at the bottom of this screen.