On Wednesday this week Mary Curnock Cook, the Chief Executive of UCAS confirmed that as many as 50,000 students with good A’ level grades will miss out on places at UK universities this year. This is the first acknowledgement that it is the “better” students who are likely to be unsuccessful in their application or disappointed in the type of university that will accept them.
The only advice offered by UCAS is to defer entry for at least one year before reapplying, or think about going to university later in life. Aside from the fact that the UK job market makes it almost impossible to enter many professions without a degree, does asking students to wait until universities are ‘ready’ for them qualify as sensible careers advice?
While this will undoubtedly prove a boon to the GAP year industry it is unlikely to assist students who are increasingly conscious of the financial impact of higher education or the difficulty of finding employment as a young person in today’s economy.
For many students there is another option: going to university abroad. Many high quality universities around the world are ready and able to accept applications from British students. While there is still likely to be a high level of competition for places at the best international universities, many students will find that they are able to get on with their life plans without an unintended and unwished-for hiatus.
British universities are not the only route open to British students. There are plenty of alternatives in countries as nearby as France, Ireland and the Netherlands or further afield in USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
A Star Future has been advising schools and students about such opportunities since 2006 and we anticipate a busy few months.
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