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150,000 students won’t find a place at university despite A* grades
Tim Ross, Education Correspondent19 Aug 2010
The most intense scramble for university courses ever seen was under way today with 180,000 candidates chasing an estimated 30,000 spare places.
Another year of record A-level results saw more than a quarter of all university applicants without a confirmed place on a degree course. The intense competition means about 150,000 will be left without a place at all.
One in 12 entrants was awarded the new elite A* grade as the pass rate rose for the 28th year in a row.
Admissions service Ucas said an unprecedented 661,000 candidates applied for university this year. More than 379,000 candidates have had their university courses confirmed but 180,600 were left to fight for the remaining places in clearing. Last year nearly 48,000 students found courses through clearing but the number is expected to be far lower this summer.
One pupil achieved three A* grades and three As but has not been offered a place anywhere. Benedict Scheffer, 18, applied to Oxford, the LSE, University College London, Warwick and Bristol. “It's great I've got the grades,” he said. “But it feels a little unfair that I don't have a university place.”
Benedict, whose family lives in Germany and who is a boarder at Brighton College, said: “I'm not going through clearing this year because there are so few places, so I will reapply next year with my grades.” Students were being advised not to be so ambitious and to consider re-applying to less competitive universities next year. An unprecedented 661,000 candidates applied for university places this year.
Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said 2010 was proving “perhaps the most competitive year for admissions” in the last 10 years. More candidates than ever had got the grades they needed, meaning fewer places were available through the clearing system for those who just missed out.
A Ucas spokesman said: “Competition will be harder than it has been for the last few years because of the record increase in applications. We're advising people if they can't find a place through clearing that there are alternative options like gap years, part-time study or apprenticeships.”
Thames Valley University employed an army of volunteers to cope with the demand for clearing places. Nicola Miller, head of communications, said: “Within 15 seconds of our phone lines opening at 8am they were full. By 10am we'd had 1,200 calls and just tried to get through them as fast as we could.”
There were around 800 clearing places available at Thames Valley last year but today only 300.
Vice-chancellors suggested that some students may have been too ambitious in their choice. Nicola Dandridge, of Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, said: “With such pressure on places, it's vital that potential applicants receive high-quality advice on applying to university.
“If advice is poor, applicants may end up applying to the wrong courses and ultimately, not getting a place.” Reforms such as the new A* grade were intended to make the exams harder and to help leading universities choose the best students from soaring numbers who achieve straight As. The number of modules was cut in most subjects from six to four. Only 8.1 per cent were given the new A*, awarded for pupils who score 90 per cent or more.
Exams expert Professor Alan Smithers, from the University of Buckingham, said: “The A* puts the clock back to 1965. We need that level of differentiation. The results of young people just got too good.”
Privately educated teenagers dominated the new top grade. John Bangs, from the National Union of Teachers, said: “This is going to advantage independent schools over state schools and that is a massive concern.”
Teachers condemned the Government's decision to limit the number of extra university places. Labour had planned to fund another 20,000 places but the Coalition cut it to 10,000.
Nansi Ellis, of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: “It is shameful that for many highly capable students the hard slog will not be rewarded with a university place. As well as being a waste of talent it is totally demotivating for students and teachers.”
Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Ministers need to explain to those frustrated applicants what on earth they expect them to do. To abandon people in the midst of a perfect storm would be a personal tragedy for many but a national catastrophe.”
How six London pupils fared
Offered places at some of the world's most prestigious universities after receiving five A* grades in maths, further maths, economics, history and chemistry, Dominic said: “Overall I'm very pleased with my five A* but I'm a little disappointed by my French grade.”
St Paul's school is sending that exam — he got an A — for re-marking, expecting an A*. The Ealing teenager will study at Wharton business school at the University of Pennsylvania but was also offered places at Oxford, Harvard and Princeton.
A top violinist who was unable to speak English when he arrived from Japan 10 years ago, Eigo received four A* grades in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry from Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet. He will study maths at St John's College, Cambridge.
He plays for the National Children's Chamber Orchestra and the English Schools Orchestra, but said: “I wasn't tempted to take music because I wanted to study further maths. I'm so relieved and excited to have got into Cambridge. It's going to be a responsibility studying there but I'm incredibly excited.”
After refusing a record deal because there “wasn't enough intellectual stimulation”, Rachel is now set to study medicine at Cambridge. The pianist, guitarist and singer left Lebanon aged 16, and was accepted into a music college in Guildford. She said: “I'm so glad I didn't do it. There wasn't enough intellectual stimulation, I wouldn't have felt fulfilled.”
She received As in maths and biology and a B in physics after an intensive year-long course at the City of Westminster College.
A narcolepsy sufferer, Kelly was determined to finish her A-levels at Havering Sixth Form College despite her illness. She received an A* in business and A for history and sociology. She said: “I'm absolutely thrilled, it's more than I ever imagined! I am lucky to have a lot of support from my family and friends. Just this week I fell in Sainsbury's. To most people it would have looked like I fainted.”
Kelly received a Jack Petchey Award, which recognises young people making a contribution to society, for her academic achievements.
Given a conditional offer to study English at Mansfield College, Oxford, she gained four A*s in English, history, philosophy and sociology and said: “It's brilliant, I'm so amazed. I can't believe I've got in.”
Emma, who was at William Morris Sixth Form College, lives in a council tower block near Notting Hill Gate. She lived on a canal boat until she was 10 and said it gave her a love of studying English. She said: “We had no electricity. But because we had no telly, I got really into reading. It was a creative environment to live in.”
The teenager will go to Trinity College, Oxford, to study medicine after getting five A* grades for biology, chemistry, French, German and maths — despite finding time to watch the World Cup.
He said: “It's all good. I'm feeling very, very relieved that I got in. Anything more than the three As I needed for my place is a big bonus. I'm looking forward to going to the pub with my friends to celebrate.”
Pierre also played water polo for his school and said the World Cup was “a good break from revision”.
Reader views (36)
"Go to Europe and see how smart they are there. The absence of tattooed, face-junked young people is quite refreshing.- Dave, Devon, 20/08/2010 00:52
Well siad dave, I notice this every year on holiday. And they speak better English than our lot who can't even wear a tie with dignity.
- Don, Sheen, 20/08/2010 11:20
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When studying for my GCSE'S I was given past paper's from 5 years before as practice. They were far, far harder. Friends and colleagues agree with me. It's easy to see the standards have dropped so the past Government's figures looked better. Is that so suprising to people considering the last parties history of spin?
- Sean Sexton, London, 19/08/2010 14:44
Clearly you didn't pass English grammar - spelling - punctuation.
- Don, Sheen, 20/08/2010 11:15
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No A* for English. One in 12 WERE, not one in 12 WAS. One in 12 refers to a quantity greater than one. B+ for effort. See me. - Conspiracy Factualist, London, 19/08/2010 11:39
I'm going to diasgree. The Was refers to the one, singular. That still applies whether there are 12 or 120 or 1,200. If it was "120 in 1,200" you would be correct.
- Don, Sheen, 20/08/2010 11:13
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Mike from Reading: your spelling and grammar need sharpening up. I don't hate youth. I have children and grandchildren, and I'm not an old fogey. Nevertheless, most young people certainly are grunting, monosyllabic semi-literates who leave school each day looking like Wurzel Gummidge. Go to Europe and see how smart they are there. The absence of tattooed, face-junked young people is quite refreshing.
- Dave, Devon, 20/08/2010 00:52
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RE Steve, Brentford: Independent schools are actually businesses that are reliant upon student success, to attract further clients (students). Due to this, in my opinion, they are very exam orientated and focus a lot more on their students achieving high grades. Thus most of them are able to secure places at the top universities in the UK. Even though there are high achievers at comprehensive schools, there are fewer of them in comparison to the independant schools. In my opinion, the grading system causes the bias of students from upper classes being able to attend the top universities, or just universities for that matter. Some people argue that universities should be reserved for the most 'academically able': but who is academically able? not everyone has mummy and daddy holding their hands and a happy life, but in contrast, have broken families and a lot of other issues that they have to deal with whilst also studying, so do they not have a right to go to a good university? grades and assessments are not the only things which represent a person's academic abilities and I think universities and the government do need to consider this in all fairness.
- Hassam Saleem Mir, London, 19/08/2010 23:47
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Dave, from Devon. The golden years were always 20 years ago, and your showing your age old bean. These kids worked damn hard for the grades they got. You should of asked your group of 50= not to pass a test for a 16 year old (a child) and quitly think your smart whilst picking up litter, you should get your guys to get A*s unless your just full of it, as i suspect you are. Your comments Quote: grunt-maintained youthdom can tie its own laces. What are the degree courses offered these days? Critical analysis of Iggle Piggle and Dora the Explorer?. Sound really dumb and ignorent, even ageism, its a two way street 'i hate young people, untill they pick me up in an amberlance' dave
- Mike, Reading, 19/08/2010 23:42
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It's the large number of antiracist schmucks who run our government, educational system, and in fact, our whole country, who are deliberately lowering the level of our education, so as to help nonwhites and immigrants, many of whom can barely write proper English. Just one instance of several of the comical laws and systems the schmucks implement in our country. It's high time these schmucks were kicked out of important positions and jobs, and sent to milking cows, cleaning rooms, and waiting tables, and sensible people placed in their positions.
- Brian, London, U.K., 19/08/2010 23:18
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For a short while I worked in a college as a compliance officer. I had three caretakers under me who were all in their late forties and fifties. One day we found a batch of 'O' level examination papers amongst the rubbish during an end-of-term clear out. Before they were shredded I asked the caretakers to have a stab at the papers. I then asked one of the tutors to mark them. All the guys passed with an average 80pct plus. We were astounded how easy they were in comparison to papers set in the 1950s and 1960s. School leavers today are barely literate, as any visitor to a social network site populated by young people will illustrate. Comprehension, grammar and spelling are not up to the standards that were expected of post war children. It's a wonder that today's grunt-maintained youthdom can tie its own laces. What are the degree courses offered these days? Critical analysis of Iggle Piggle and Dora the Explorer?
- Dave, Devon, 19/08/2010 17:15
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Re Graham - as someone who is sifting through CVs today I am not surprised with some of the comments left on this board by others. The standard of the applicants is more than evident in their CVs and application forms, especially when it comes to written English. I may not be perfect, but at least I don't write as if I've slapped an open palm onto the keyboard and hoped for the best!
- IshouldbePM, London compound, EUSSR, 19/08/2010 16:49
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As an employer I always recruit bright hard working school leavers as opposed to any of this endless army of totally unemployable spoilt, incoherent wasters that constitute the majority of so called graduates. 80% of their so called degrees are totally worthless. Most are unable to read or write properly and have no work ethic at all. The vast majority of these brats are three years behind the school leaver as they have been idle, and have little to no work experience apart from propping up a bar in Thailand courtesy of mummy and daddy.
- armstrong, london, 19/08/2010 16:33
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The next generation of A* burger turners. No I do not want fries with that!
- jimbob, kensington, 19/08/2010 16:27
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John Bangs, from the National Union of Teachers, said: “This is going to advantage independent schools over state schools and that is a massive concern.”
WHY and TO WHOM?
- Steve, Brentford, 19/08/2010 16:22
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When studying for my GCSE'S I was given past paper's from 5 years before as practice. They were far, far harder. Friends and colleagues agree with me. It's easy to see the standards have dropped so the past Government's figures looked better. Is that so suprising to people considering the last parties history of spin?
- Sean Sexton, London, 19/08/2010 14:44
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Anyway, I think the Poles have all gone home. I!
- Peter M, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 19/08/2010 10:16
So you have not been to Walthamstow E17 lately.
- Grim Reaper, Hell, 19/08/2010 13:51
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I am sick of 'employers' whinging about their undergraduate recruits. Maybe the problem lies with their inadequate interviewing/selection system rather than the students themselves.
If you offer the best money you will get the best students applying. If you try to get graduates on the cheap then the consequences are clear.
- Graham, London, 19/08/2010 13:36
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It seems that for yet another year the only people who pass A Levels are photogenic girls............
- Andy, Beckenham, 19/08/2010 13:20
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Further proof that standards aren't being raised but exams are being made easier. Irs cross party they are all up to it so lets not get partisan here.
Degrees need to be relevant and the people obtaining them need to pay for them not me. The means and methods are there the joke of peole goioing to Univesity to end up in £15k a year jobs for the rest of their lives in lunacy. We don't need them to go to university. degrees in Social working rubbish its an OTJ learning job in whch their should be relvant assessment njot meaningless clasroom studies usually by people who have never done the job.
Degrees yes but high quality and relevant. It used tio be that ionly 10% went and yest we still had one of teh most innovative manufacturing sectors going the list of world beating inventions that are british produced by people without degrees is testament to this.
What is the point of getting a degree in agricultural sciences to them apply for jobs for banking it staggers me but it still goes on. Cut the poitless universities producing degrees you get with frosties packets with low achievement levels and no incentive to raise them. Greenwich is prime example expended to makes teh senior managements pensions bigger not to improve education.
- Duncan, Kent, 19/08/2010 13:13
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Judging by the photos that always accompany the annual A level and O level results stories in the press, hot-looking teenage girls are performing disproportionately well. Perhaps we should look into why they are doing better than the boys and the ugly girls.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 19/08/2010 13:13
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Shame none of this transpires to decent work performance.
Every year, I see UK born trainees come in straight from University with a lack of character and backbone.
And the quality of the these trainees decreases year upon year.
They have no initiative and expect to be spoon fed, work ethics are generaly very low. Most spend time updating their MyFace page and most of the conversation centre's around how drunk they got last night.
They will give you an answer to the task given, but how the answer came about, they haven't got a scooby doo!
- Decency, London, UK, 19/08/2010 13:04
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Next year the A** introduced, and the following year the A***? Totally farcical. This dumbing down of educational standards benefits no one.
- Phil Jones, London EU, 19/08/2010 12:58
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While the post-school education institutions should not be seen simply as “jobs mills”, there is a terrible mismatch in education and careers guidance. I believe that each year thousands of young people make decisions about their education and careers with little or no guidance.
The government cap on university places in England, with fierce fines of £3,700 a student if universities exceed this are also symptoms of a failing education system, and specifically a breakdown in the link between education and careers.
This breakdown between supply from education and demand for careers leads directly to skills shortages. Education’s broader brief means that it cannot efficiently link courses or plan fully for demand across all careers.
We need to take action to develop relevant responses to this challenge. When leaving an education environment, there is a real sense that you are on your own. Assistance and advice is limited. Where do you start when choosing a career? How can you evolve or change careers? How do you turn a career into a lifelong endeavour, not just a result of pressured decisions at school?
The form of education and its relevance to the careers market needs to improve radically, which is something we are trying to address at wygu.com, information and mentoring will be essential to give students a better understanding of career paths and the way academic studies relate to the world of public services and commerce.
- Alun Baker, London, United Kingdom, 19/08/2010 12:53
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Well Ziggy might play the guitar well but he has a bit of a cheek to assert that "The 100 metres is not getting any shorter but people are running faster and faster," with the implication that students are really just that much better than of yore. If this is indeed the case why do science degree courses now generally spend the first few terms teaching students what they would previously have learnt at 'A' level ?
- SqUiz, IslIngton, 19/08/2010 12:18
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Just can't get the material nowadays
- Dave, Leeds, 19/08/2010 12:04
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Gosh our kids are getting more and more briliant as the years go on. Very strange, isn't it. Must be genetic!
- Sue, Kent, 19/08/2010 11:53
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No A* for English. One in 12 WERE, not one in 12 WAS. One in 12 refers to a quantity greater than one. B+ for effort. See me.
- Conspiracy Factualist, London, 19/08/2010 11:39
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@ Paul B
I agree with you last paragraph totally.
I have to say though that we tend to forget how many British have the right to go to Europe and work. So many people have enjoyed the freedom to go live and start bars/restaurants in Spain and the like. In addition our builders took the opportunity to go by the truck load to Germany and take German builders jobs a few decades ago because of the countries economic position. There are more examples.
It can't be one rule for us and another for them.
It's probably true that Chinese amongst other nations have incredible work ethics but as Chinese don't get automatic right to work here it wouldn't happen would it. Also we have employment laws to stop people working like that in the UK.
- Samuel, London, 19/08/2010 11:36
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This is excellent news. Surely we cannot be far away from the year when every 18 year old in the country gets 4 A* grades at A level.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 19/08/2010 11:06
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"Poles won't take their jobs" but people from whatever country who work the hardest, do a full days work and are reliable will get the jobs.
- Samuel, London, 19/08/2010 09:58
So on that reckoning all employers should give jobs to the Chinese. They will work there gut out for a low wage, do ridiculously long hours and sleep on the factory floors in some places so will never be late for work!
Sorry Stan I’m not really into this notion letting everyone in from abroad because it claimed they will work harder. We have huge unemployment and UK citizens should get first crack at any jobs. Only where there is a need for qualified staff that we don’t have should we be looking abroad.
Good luck to this new generation going off to university… you will unfortunately be saddled with massive debts and have far less chance of getting a decent paying job than previous generations. The same generation took away your grants, dumbed down you’re A levels so it impossible for universities to distinguish whose the best student to get a place… and of course made it near impossible for you to get a job at the end of it all as you will be vying with half of Europe and the world due to our ridiculous immigration policies.
- Paul B, London, 19/08/2010 10:58
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Good luck to them all! I hope everyone gets the results that they want, and can move on to uni to study what they wish!
I left education, even though I got A - C grade A - Levels. Oh well, I'm still quite happy as a Train Systems Engineer!
- RailEmployee, London, 19/08/2010 10:29
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Anglo, Sussex
Very good comment, like you I don't think that Media Studies or Social Sciences are the best platform for our once great country to rebuild and re-establish itself as a major player to be taken seriously on the global stage. Some cretin is probably devising a Human Rights degree course as I write this.......
- Andy Woodhead, London, ENGLAND, 19/08/2010 10:18
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Why is Stan picking on the Poles? Why do so many of these postings make racist sterotype comments?
Anyway, I think the Poles have all gone home. I went to a pole dancing club last time I was back in London and I didn't see a single plumber get up on the stage!
- Peter M, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 19/08/2010 10:16
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Stan, is that a question or a statement?
Hopefully those that go to university will become educated enough to realise that "Poles won't take their jobs" but people from whatever country who work the hardest, do a full days work and are reliable will get the jobs.
- Samuel, London, 19/08/2010 09:58
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So Stan, what was your A level in? It certainly wasn't English.
- NJ, London, 19/08/2010 08:44
GEOGRAPHY MATE and he's bang on the money!
- Steve, Brentford, 19/08/2010 09:24
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So Stan, what was your A level in? It certainly wasn't English.
- NJ, London, 19/08/2010 08:44
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What % of the degree course applied for are in subjects that will enable UK plc to earn its keep in the world?
And what % are for 'trinket degrees'?
- Anglo, Sussex England, 19/08/2010 08:21
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There will be little chance of them getting the jobs because the Poles will get them?
- stan white, leeds uk, 19/08/2010 08:18
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