June 21, 2022
Top A-Grade Students to Miss Out on University Offers?
A According to news sources, over 10,000 school leavers, expected to receive three Bs in their A-levels this summer, have received no formal offers from any university, as competition for spaces at elite schools rises.
According to experts, school leavers have been entering a "buyer's market" for university spots in recent years, with candidates having a decent chance of negotiating their way into a reputable university even if they lost a grade. However, this summer seems to be different. In 2002, competition was tight, with leading colleges fearing over-recruitment after being compelled to take more students than usual, during the epidemic.
…UCAS hasn’t released any official data yet, but I have been told that over 10,000 applicants with predicted grades of BBB are not holding a firm offer at any university… that is really shocking…
According to Andrew Hargreave, “UCAS hasn’t released any official data yet, but I have been told that over 10,000 applicants with predicted grades of BBB are not holding a firm offer at any university. That is really shocking.” He further added, “We’ve been saying for the past decade that it is a buyer’s market, but the environment has now changed, and UCAS and advisers in schools really need to be stressing that.”
After hundreds of extra students received the high A-level marks they required to guarantee their place, some prestigious colleges were left scurrying to locate beds, seminar space, and staff last summer.
The number of applicants to so-called "higher-tariff" institutions that result in an offer has declined from 60.5 percent in 2021 to 55.1 percent this year, according to Clare Marchant, the UCAS chief executive.
Disappointed candidates should think twice before opting to postpone the process until next year, according to experts. "If this year's candidates believe they've got it bad, next year's pressure might well be worse, since there will be more 18-year-olds again," said Nick Hillman, head of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank. He also suggested to students to opt for good courses throughout the sector, and not just at the most prestigious universities.
Posted in News and tagged News, UCAS, A-Level Marks, Higher-Tariff Institutions, Higher Education Policy Institute, HEPI
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