Experts had long warned that competition for university places this year will be tougher than before and now having had their results, students who want to get a place through clearing can begin their hunt.
Clearing is the Ucas admissions service process which matches universities’ empty places with students looking for courses. Last year more than 50,000 students found university places through clearing across the UK. Competition is expected to be harder this year as many students are expected to miss out on the A level grades they need after the first sat exams for two years due to the pandemic. Exam boards are calibrating results between pre-pandemic and 2021 after what has been viewed by some as inflated results when results were awarded under teacher assessed grades.
Exams regulator Qualifications Wales has said exam subjects which saw the biggest changes in results during teacher assessed grades included sciences and maths and this could mean those subjects see the furthest drop in grades overall.
