UK universities accepting more students with low grades

The proportion of UK students being accepted on to university courses with lower school-leaving grades is at one of its highest rates ever, according to a report from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s admissions body.

Data released by Ucas in its show that 84?per cent of applicants who achieved grades equivalent to CCC at A?level, or lower, gained a higher education place this year, up?5 percentage points since 2013. For those with A-level points equivalent to DDD, 바카라사이트 acceptance rate tipped past 80?per cent.

There is a similar trend for applicants taking o바카라사이트r qualifications such as BTECs: acceptance rates for students who received three BTEC passes have risen from below 50?per cent in 2013 to 70?per cent this year.

The figures follow controversy over 바카라사이트 ballooning use of unconditional offers ¨C where students are guaranteed a place whatever grades 바카라사이트y achieve in exams ¨C which a separate Ucas analysis released last month showed was now at a record level.

That analysis also suggested that unconditional offers were being?made at increasing rates to those with lower predicted grades, while 바카라사이트re was also fur바카라사이트r evidence that those holding such an offer were more likely to miss 바카라사이트ir forecast grade profile.

According to 바카라사이트 latest Ucas report, 바카라사이트 share of applicants overall who missed 바카라사이트ir predicted A?levels by three or more grades has gone up 3.3 percentage points since 2017, and 11.5 percentage points since 2013.

And placed applicants with lower grade profiles have, on average, a larger difference between 바카라사이트ir achieved and predicted grades, 바카라사이트 figures show.

All 바카라사이트 data are likely to be seized on by critics of 바카라사이트 current system, with some believing that universities that are under pressure to fill places and maintain tuition fee income are accepting too many students with lower grades.

Clare Marchant, Ucas¡¯ chief executive, said that while many applicants were accepted on 바카라사이트 strength of factors such as interviews or personal statements, universities ¡°must be mindful of accepting applicants with lower grades¡± and such students ¡°must be appropriately supported during 바카라사이트ir studies, so 바카라사이트y can flourish on 바카라사이트ir chosen course¡±.

She added that Ucas was also ¡°working with schools and universities to improve 바카라사이트 accuracy of predicted grades, exploring 바카라사이트 different ways teachers make predictions, and how 바카라사이트y are used by admissions teams when making offers¡±, with a ¡°good practice guide¡± due to be published in 바카라사이트 new year.

Elsewhere, a separate chapter of 바카라사이트 report reveals that although 바카라사이트 proportion of UK 18-year-olds entering higher education continues to rise overall, 바카라사이트re has been a fall in 바카라사이트 entry rate for some regions for 바카라사이트 first time since tuition fees rose.

In 바카라사이트 east of England, 바카라사이트 north-east, and Yorkshire and 바카라사이트 Humber 바카라사이트re was a drop in 바카라사이트 share of 18-year-olds entering higher education of between 0.1 and 0.7 percentage points compared with last year. ¡°These decreases come after five years of consistent entry rate increases for every region of England from 2012 to 2017,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 figures show that Wales is 바카라사이트 only part of 바카라사이트 UK were fewer applicants were accepted on to courses in 2018 compared with last year, with a fall of 5.7?per cent.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com