Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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Mamma Mia – Students tell their Mums exam results first
They’re also the person that most students ask for advice about university (22.3%) and which career path to choose (21.2%). Dads are the least likely to be asked, beaten into third place by teachers.
The independent survey questioned 1070 A-Level, Advanced Higher and BTEC students from across the country about the run up and aftermath of exam results day.
Speaking about the results, Dr Caroline Bligh, an expert in Education at Leeds Beckett University, said: “With mothers tending to be the primary carer of children from birth, it may be that children build closer and more trusting relationships with their mothers and therefore feel that their mothers are more likely to accept the results whether they are good or bad. Children might be concerned about their father’s reactions if they do not achieve the results anticipated. Interestingly, research suggests that mothers are the stronger academic role models for their children, with the educational achievements of fathers having a less significant impact on their children’s academic aspirations and outcomes.”
It revealed that students from the North East were the least confident about their exam results (59.5%) whilst those in Northern Ireland were the most confident (88%). The results also showed that males are generally more confident about their exam results than females.
When it comes to rewards for good exam results, males lead the way as well, with 51.9% being offered an incentive for passing their exams compared to 43.3% of females, and again males led the way for the average amount of money they were offered for an A* grade in A-Levels - £448 compared to £259 for females.
The survey results also seem to suggest that the British economy is on the up as students are nearly three times more likely to be offered money for good grades than they were two years ago, nearly four times more likely to be given a laptop and over three times more likely to receive a smartphone, which is good news as phones and laptops are the most important items most students will take with them to university with photos of loved ones in third place.
The top five incentives offered for good grades are:
- Money – 58.6%
- Laptop – 20.1%
- Meal – 19.8%
- Holiday – 14.1%
- Mobile phone / Smartphone – 13.2%
The top concern that students have about going to university is still budgeting, although compared to two years ago the number of those worried has dropped considerably to 19.6% from 33%. Students in the East of England and Yorkshire are the most worried about budgeting whilst at university. Making friends is the next concern on students’ lists with those in Scotland most worried about it. However, making friends is also on the list of things students are most looking forward to along with studying a subject they’re passionate about and progressing career aspirations. Surprisingly, despite the reputation for partying, only 9% of students surveyed chose nightlife as the thing they were most looking forward to about going to university.
When it comes to who they’re going to miss when they come to university, it’s good news for parents but bad news for siblings – 49.1% will miss their parents most, but only 9% choose their siblings!