6th October 2010 9:00
By Blue Tutors
Head-teachers of private schools have expressed concern that some very bright students are at risk when applying to university if they drop a grade in their A-levels. 474,746 students achieved university places after the A-level results, this is from 685,070 who actually applied to university.
The concern is because of the increasingly tough competition to attend the top universities. Students who were considered able enough to apply to some of the best universities commonly received offers of AAA or even A*AA in their A-levels, but dropping just one grade, say AAB, meant that they did not achieve the grades needed to apply to the first or second choice institution. However, a student who was predicted BBB in their A-levels, and applied to the second tier of universities, may find them self with a good university place, while their higher flying peer takes an enforced gap year.
In past years those students not quite achieving the top grades needed would still find places through clearing, but this is no longer so, and it appears to be quite tough on bright students who just miss out on the top grade in one A-level. Tim Hands, the master of Magdalene College, Oxford, said there is "anxiety through lack of knowledge" about the basis on which universities will decide to make offers.