By Emily Caulkett-
A level students looking for courses in clearing have been warned the number of courses has dropped due to an “administrative blip”.
One university blamed the error for showing more than 500 places as being available when they should not have been.
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The availability of courses for those who do not get into their first choices was down on last week, particularly at the University of Liverpool.
Following A levels results day on Thursday, the total number of students accepted onto degree courses in Britain fell by 2 per cent on the same point last year , with 425,830 taking up places so far, initial figures from admissions service Ucas revealed today.
Ucas expects record or near-record numbers of students to get onto their first-choice courses this year, the process will not be ‘pain-free’ for all, because some students will be left disappointed. Only those who secured the top grades they expected would be fully celebrating their A level results this weekend.
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Top A level grades took their highest drop in the 70-year history of the advanced exams for hardworking and intelligent pupils, falling by more than 80,000.
Many pupils are particular about the university they attend, given the employment advantages for graduates that accompany attending a good university, and the expected higher level of education offered by good universities, as well as the intellectual stimulus that accompanies being in a university filled with top achievers.
All universities in the Uk generally offer good education in terms of the curriculum and the availability of academic materials available in text books and online journals, but teaching standards many times vary.
Lower ranked universities are not as overwhelmed as elite universities have extra places given the lower grade entry requirements, their ambitions to grow, and a fall in part-time and mature student applications.
Discontented A level students in the past often repeat the exams the next year in a bid to get into the university of their choice, but experts have warned against students doing that because of the increasing competitive levels of applications expected next year.
The University of Liverpool had shown 529 courses as available in clearing on the Ucas website last week but it is understood this should not have been the case and was an “administrative blip”.
A spokeswoman for the university said: “The University of Liverpool will be in clearing for a small number of high-quality candidates in a range of subjects, but we are unable to be more specific until results day tomorrow, when we will know exactly which courses might have spaces available.
“The Ucas clearing pages were live for a period of time for pre-qualified applicants, as is the case each year. We removed the pages while we determine which courses are available in advance of results day tomorrow, when we will advertise any vacancies.”
The change saw options at the Russell Group universities – of which Liverpool University is a member – dwindle compared to last week, with 1,785 courses at 15 of the 24 elite institutions as of Wednesday morning, compared with 2,358 courses at 17 of them on Friday.
This is expected to be one of the most competitive years for university places and admissions service Ucas has acknowledged universities have been more cautious in their offer-making.
The organisation’s chief executive, Clare Marchant, said they have seen a rise in interest in apprenticeship content on their website this year and that apprenticeships have therefore been highlighted “more prominently” to students.
She said: “For students without an offer, Ucas emails them suggested matches via Clearing Plus and signposts Career Finder, which includes apprenticeships, giving them visibility of their many options.
“We’ve highlighted apprenticeship opportunities more prominently to applicants in our communications this year because this summer we have seen a 43% increase in unique page views of our apprenticeship content on ucas.com.”
On Friday, 6,640 UK school-leavers had found places through clearing, a 33% increase on last year. A third more students – 23,640 – accepted their insurance choices after missing the grades for their top choice.
University admissions directors reported unprecedented levels of demand in clearing, with phone lines busier than ever, including from students with top grades.
Image:thestudentroom.co.uk
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