UK: Top grades fail to secure university places

Even with a string of A and A* grades under their belts, some teenagers failed to secure a university place in what was arguably the toughest year yet for A-level students in the UK, write Jessica Shepherd and Helen Carter for the Guardian.

More than five students were competing for each spare university place by midday on Thursday last week, University and College Admissions Service (Ucas) figures showed.

Ben Dawson achieved two A* and an A in maths, further maths and history, but received no offers. The 18-year-old pupil at Northampton School for Boys, an academy, had an exemplary record: he had been head boy, captain of the rugby team and had 10 A*s at GCSE. But he had applied for one of the most competitive degree courses - law - at top universities.
Full report on the Guardian site