‘Record’ numbers of 18-year-olds failing to achieve their predicted high A-level grades could prove a recruitment boost for universities in clearing, or they could decide to walk away from higher education altogether, experts have warned.
Figures show that fewer students gained a place at their preferred university this results day, following an attempt by the regulator Ofqual to return exam grades to pre-pandemic levels in England.
Consultancy dataHE estimates that 55,000 UK 18-year-olds will have missed the high grades they were predicted by teachers – up 22,000 on last year. Nine per cent of applicants were placed in clearing this morning, up from 7 per cent in 2022.
Mark Corver, managing director of dataHE, said this represents the highest level of “applicant disappointment” ever seen, and the clearing process will now depend on how willing this cohort is to reset their aspirations.
