Thousands of anxious sixth-formers will be keeping their fingers crossed that they get the grades they want when A-level results are published tomorrow.

A mad scramble for university places is expected due to the abolition of the maintenance grant from next year.

Results are published online by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) service from 8am but a number of schools are also opening their doors early to help students.

The county council youth support service will be running activities in St Albans Civic Centre for young people tomorrow, which range from Smoothie Bikes to informal counselling and advice.

Ellie Appleyard, chair of St Albans Youth Council, said ‘We have been looking into the wellbeing and potential causes of stress and anxiety for local young people for the last five years and the impact of exam stress and results always get brought up.

“There are huge pressures on young people in the district to achieve and this can sometimes be overwhelming.

"These events are really important as they give young people the opportunity to drop into an informal setting after results to relax and get advice and support if they need it.”

David Williams, cabinet member for education at the county council, wished students good luck for Thursday.

He said: “Whatever the outcome when those envelopes were opened, I’d like to reassure you and your parents that there are plenty of options available.

"Dedicated people will be on-hand to give you all the advice you need.

"Schools will have members of staff available to talk through your choices - whether you’ve exceeded your expectations, had a change of heart about what to do next or if the news isn’t what you hoped.”

We will be running a live blog and would love to hear from you. Get in touch with your exam stories and results at editor@london.newsquest.co.uk.

Top tips from Nick Davy at the Association of Colleges (AoC):

Confirm your place: Once you’ve received those all-important results in UCAS Track, make sure you contact the college or university to confirm your place.

Seek out advice: If you haven’t quite got the grades you wanted, don’t panic! There will be more places on offer this year. Talk to your local college and ask for advice about all the options out there or get into the clearing system. You may be able to re-sit exams or find a different university or course which is suitable for you.

Be clear about clearing: Even if you’ve got the grades you want, you can still go through clearing to go to a different university or college. If you’re going through clearing, make sure you have everything you need – namely, a telephone, a clearing guide (use the UCAS website or there will be one in most newspapers) and a notebook and pen. You’ll need them for calling universities and colleges to find out what is on offer depending on your grades. If you have grades above your firm offer you can use UCAS Adjustment to trade up to another course/university-college.

Consider all the options: If you’ve changed your mind about taking the route to university, investigate your local college. They offer technical and professional qualifications at a range of levels such as BTECs, NVQs, City and Guilds and also Foundation Degrees or Higher National Diplomas, for example. These qualifications often include working directly with employers on placements so it is an excellent experience.

Research apprenticeships: If you’re looking for a higher education opportunity but without the university tuition fees, it may be possible to find a Higher Apprenticeship. This is a great way to study for a degree level qualification whilst working in a real workplace environment. Many local and national companies now offer apprenticeships. Colleges can help you find the right one for you and you can search for apprenticeships at www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship.

And finally, don’t get disheartened. Whether you have received the grades you wanted or not, there is something out there that is right for you and will help to get you on your chosen career path. Don’t panic, look at all your options, do your research and get advice from reliable sources such as careers advisers. There’s also the option of taking a gap year and maybe getting some work experience before going on to further study.