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IF YOU'VE been mugging hard to get the minimum three As at next
year's A levels to get into Cambridge University, you may have to
work harder.
One of those grades will have to be an A*, according to BBC
News.
The A* is a new grade that will be introduced for marks that are
over 90 per cent.
The increase in the minimum cut-off grades is subject to
review.
British media reports did not state if the requirement will include
foreign students applying for places in the prestigious
university.
According to BBC, of last year's A-level entries, an average of 26
per cent were awarded A across all subjects.
Top universities in the UK have argued for some time that they find
it hard to distinguish between the best candidates.
Last year, Cambridge had so many applicants with at least three As
that it had to reject more than 5,400 of them, reported the
BBC.
The university's decision is likely to fuel arguments about whether
the A levels have been dumbed down in recent years.
According to The Times, other universities, including Oxford, may
follow Cambridge's lead and raise the bar on admissions.
But UK's National Committee for Educational Excellence last October
urged universities to ignore the A* grade for the first few years
after its launch until the benchmark has been tested.
At that time, Cambridge indicated it would follow this line,
reported the Press Association.
U-turn
But with this latest announcement, Cambridge appears to have
reversed its decision.
Dr Geoff Parks, the university's director of admissions, told The
Times that the present grades could not 'differentiate enough
between the top end of the ability range'.
He said: 'Our current level of offer is not actually a meaningful
hurdle. We want to test the water.'
The head of the Association of School and College Leaders, Mr John
Dunford, said: 'We are disappointed that Cambridge has gone down
this route, especially since other universities are likely to
follow...
'The inevitable consequence is that it will devalue A and B grades
and increase stress and anxiety among bright 17 and
18-year-olds.'
While independent schools welcomed the move, Labour MPs, teaching
unions and education experts expressed concern that Cambridge's
move would be used to 'fillet out' state school pupils.
In 2007, 59 per cent of its intake were from state schools.
Mr Barry Sheerman, the chairman of the Commons' Children, Schools
and Families Committee, told The Times: 'I'm very concerned that
some of our greatest universities are becoming no-go zones for
children from normal backgrounds.'
But Dr Parks Dunford assured: 'It's important to recognise that the
usual checks and balances will be in place to ensure that all
Cambridge applicants will be given careful, detailed consideration
and that this decision won't disadvantage students from any one
given background over another.'
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