Asking the cards

Will I get the offer?

You have refreshed Track so many times that you know it by heart. Your friends have heard back, one of your five is still "awaiting decision", and the question is sitting on your chest every time you open your phone. A deck of cards cannot see an admissions tutor's inbox. It can help with the part you control: how you are coping with waiting, and what you do next.

How to ask it

"Will I get the offer?" is a weak question because the decision belongs to a university and your tarot cards cannot reach it. A yes will not stop you refreshing, and a no will feel like a verdict on you, not on one application. Try these instead:

• What is this wait doing to me, and what would help?
• Which of my choices do I actually want, once I look past the names?
• If the answer is not what I hoped, what is my next move?

That last one matters: a "no" from one uni is rarely the end of the story.

A three-card spread for it

Try this layout:

1. Where you stand. How the application is landing, and how you are feeling about it.
2. What is out of your hands. The part you cannot speed up: other people's timelines, grade boundaries.
3. What to do while you wait. One thing within your reach, like drafting a reply or revising.

The three-card spread guide explains how to read them as a single sentence. If you would like company with it, Melissa can read this spread for you.

Cards that usually mean yes

Six of Wands shows a rider wearing a laurel wreath on a white horse, a crowd cheering. It is public recognition. For an offer question, it is as close to "well done" as the deck gets, and it fits a conditional offer you have worked towards.

The World has a dancer inside a laurel wreath, four figures in the corners. It is completion and arrival. Sometimes it appears around results day, when the wait closes.

Three of Wands is a figure on a cliff, back to us, watching ships sail out. You have sent your work out and it is moving. It is the card of looking ahead to places far away.

Cards that usually mean no

Five of Pentacles shows two cold figures walking past a lit church window. It is feeling shut out. A rejection stings in the moment, but notice the lit window: there is another door.

Four of Cups has a figure under a tree, arms folded, ignoring a hand that offers a fourth cup. You may be so fixed on one uni that you overlook another. Your insurance choice might be better than you think.

The Tower has lightning striking a tall building. It is a sudden change of plan, like missing a grade or an unexpected decision. It also clears the ground for Clearing or a different route.

Cards that usually mean wait

Seven of Pentacles shows a gardener leaning on a hoe, looking at what he has grown. You have done the work. Now the university has to decide, and that takes as long as it takes.

Two of Wands is a figure on a battlement with a globe in hand. You are weighing where you could go. Wait with your options open instead of putting everything on one choice.

The Hanged Man hangs upside down, calm, with a halo. It is a pause that asks for a new perspective. Much of this process is waiting for other people.

For a quick lean on a single choice, there is yes or no tarot.

What to do with the answer

Use the card for the plan, not the prediction. If you got a yes card, keep your grades on track, because most offers are conditional, and conditional means your results still count. If it was a no card, remember that an unconditional offer, a conditional offer, an unsuccessful application and Clearing are all part of the same system, and many people end up somewhere they love. If it was a wait card, decide which of your firm and insurance choices you would pick today and say why. That clarity helps when the decisions come. Then take an evening off.

Frequently asked questions

Can tarot tell me if I will get an offer?

No. Admissions decisions are made by universities, and no card can see them. Tarot can help you work out how you feel about the wait and which course you want, which is useful before any reply arrives.

What should I pick as my firm and insurance choice?

Choose a firm choice you would be happy to attend if you meet the conditions, and an insurance with lower entry requirements you would still be glad to go to. Cards can help you notice which one your gut leans towards, but check the grades, the course and the city first.

What if I do not get my grades on results day?

It is a rough morning, but it is not the end. You can use Clearing to find a place, or talk to the university about whether they will still accept you. Lean on a teacher or careers adviser that day.