How to Communicate with Universities After IB Results Day: Best Practices for Students and Families
Once results are out, how a student communicates with universities can matter almost as much as the results themselves. In the recent TutorsPlus webinar on IB Results Day, university admissions expert Dr Daniele Labriola returned again and again to a consistent theme: it’s the student, not the parent, who should be doing the talking, and how that conversation is handled can shape the outcome.
To watch the complete webinar, please go to this link.
Come Prepared, Not Panicked
Daniele’s starting point was clear: “don’t rush to call universities without a clear plan.” Before picking up the phone, a student needs a coherent account ready, one that explains what happened, whether there were any mitigating circumstances, and why the university should still consider them. Universities, he explained, will expect the student to be the one presenting this case.
That preparation should start before results day even arrives. Daniele advised students to check in with their own school in advance rather than scrambling on the day itself: “your first port of call is going to have to be with the school.” Knowing exactly who to contact and what the school’s own process looks like means a student can move quickly and confidently the moment it matters, rather than losing valuable time figuring out who to call.
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A Real Example of How Persistence Pays Off
To illustrate what effective communication can look like, Daniele shared a case from his own experience. A student fell a few points short of her offer for a law degree and also had a weaker LNAT score than typically expected. Rather than going quiet, she stayed in close contact with the university, sharing everything she had continued to build since applying, including running a society, gaining work experience, and completing her IELTS academic test early to avoid any visa delays later.
The result, in Daniele’s words, was that the university said, “we’re still going to weigh up, take our time here,” and ultimately gave real consideration to everything she had shared. It’s a clear illustration of his broader point: students who stay engaged and keep building their case, even after applications are submitted, put themselves in a noticeably stronger position.
Get Everything in Writing
For students applying to universities in the US, Daniele’s advice was equally direct. Since most American offers aren’t framed as conditional or unconditional the way UK offers are, a student with a lower-than-expected result should simply reach out and ask for clarity. As he put it, students should ask the university to confirm things “even if it’s an email state in writing,” so there’s no ambiguity about where things stand heading into matriculation or the visa process.
He was also clear that this same principle applies to remarks. If a student is pursuing a formal Enquiry Upon Results, universities need to know about it as soon as possible, in both the UK and the US. Leaving a lower grade unaccounted for gives a university nothing to work with. Reaching out early, by contrast, buys valuable time while the remark is processed.
Keep Talking, Even After You’ve Been Accepted
One of Daniele’s more memorable pieces of advice was about staying visible to American universities well beyond the application itself. He encouraged students to keep sharing updates, achievements, and activities to make sure they’re never forgotten.
Whether it’s an updated CV, a leadership role in a club, or an achievement outside academics entirely, staying in touch consistently helps a university see a fuller, more current picture of who a student is, which tends to work in that student’s favor when a difficult results day conversation eventually happens.
Know What You’re Asking For
Communication isn’t only useful when results fall short. Daniele pointed out that students who exceed expectations should also reach out proactively, particularly regarding how strong higher-level results might translate into college credit in the US, or whether new options have opened up through UK Clearing. As he put it, better than expected results can mean real leverage, and universities outside the very top tier are often glad to hear from a strong candidate looking to make a change.
When to Involve the School Before You Involve the University
Not every conversation should start with the university, though. Daniele was firm that decisions like requesting a remark should be made in close consultation with your school first. Remarks can result in a lower mark, not just a higher one, and the level of risk varies significantly by subject.
As he explained, a good school will have a frank conversation about whether the request is actually worth pursuing, and students should generally defer to that judgment rather than pushing ahead alone. In his words, the goal is making sure a student doesn’t “find [themselves] in an even worse situation than you did on results day.”
The Takeaway
Across every scenario Daniele described – UK firm offers, US flexibility, remarks, or better than expected results – the same thread runs through his advice: students who communicate clearly, promptly, and consistently tend to fare better than those who stay silent and hope for the best. Preparation, honesty about what happened, and a willingness to keep the conversation going are, in his experience, what actually move outcomes in a student’s favor.
This post is based on insights shared during the TutorsPlus webinar “IB Results Day: Stay Calm, Know Your Options,” featuring university admissions expert Dr Daniele Labriola.
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