Many universities have warned that students whose A-level grades are worse than AAB risk not entering institutions providing higher education in 2012.
In respond to a recent announcement of possibility to recruit unlimited number of students, universities claim that schools are more likely to predict AAB results.
Universities will be happy to accept as many students with AAB and above results as possible as they will be a "safe bet" and would not be counted as universities' limits on undergraduate places. This means that students who do not meet the predicted places are likely to miss their chances of gaining a place at university. The reason is that these students might not have a lower offer and taking into account the sharp competition it can be difficult to them to have one through clearing.
The concerns are highlighted in the report published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England about its consultation on teaching funding for 2012-13.
This paper says universities are concerned that the AAB policy could "leave high-grade non-AAB+ students without preferred offers". Moreover, there was "concern that the system will encourage schools to predict AAB+ grades for increasing numbers of students, and that AAB+ offers will be a safe bet for institutions. Those students who ultimately achieved ABB might be at risk of missing out."
