University admissions: Sharp rise in unconditional offers 'makes institutions look desperate'
The IndependentThe best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The sharp rise in universities giving unconditional offers of places to sixthformers makes institutions look “desperate” and risks making students “sit back and twiddle their thumbs”, a leading headteacher has warned. Peter Hamilton, head of The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School in Hertfordshire, told an education conference that he was concerned at the sharp rise in unconditional offers which saw a 93 per cent increase last year. “Students with unconditional offers can often sit back and be lulled into false sense of security. Students are expected to do so much independent work for their A-levels that if they slack off they will not gain the research skills they need for the future.” Chris Ramsey at King's Chester Chair of HMC’s Universities Committee said: “It does create some unhelpful stresses on schools.
History of this topic
More poorer students could receive no university offers as demand grows – Ucas
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Students will find it harder to get into top universities this year – report
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More universities handing out high number of ‘strings attached’ unconditional offers despite crackdown
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Majority of school leavers receive university offer with an incentive, research suggests
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Universities urged to stop using ‘unethical’ tactics to pressure students into accepting places
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Universities could face fines for offering high number of degree places regardless of exam grades, regulator warns
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More than one in three students offered place on degree regardless of exam grades
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London university stops making unconditional offers in bid to ‘maintain standards’
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A-level results day: Fears grow over unconditional university offers as some students stop attending school
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Ucas warns surge in unconditional university offers means students may take 'foot off the gas'
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Universities 'allow increasing numbers of students in without asking for any grades'
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