Chloe’s dream dashed

Chloe Livesey with the results that kept her out of university

Three A-grades — but no place at university

TOP student Chloe Livesey’s dreams of going to university have been shattered — despite achieving three As and a B in her A-level results.

The Shaw student was left disappointed after her outstanding success was not enough to secure a place at university in a sign of how tough the competition has become.

The teenager accepted the 1.5 per cent by which she fell short of getting a grade A in chemistry had cost her the offer of a place at the University of Birmingham to study medicine.

But she was gutted to find the unprecedented scramble for university places prompted by the prospect of fees trebling from £3,000 to £9,000 a year from 2012, left her out in the cold when she tried to go through clearing — the process which matches students with courses still available.

Crompton House School pupil Chloe was featured in the Chronicle as a high achiever when she gained 11 A* and an A in her GCSEs.

But she is now left with the prospect of her education going to waste, as she works part-time in a restaurant.

“There are no jobs for graduates, never mind under-graduates,” said the 18-year-old.

Chloe added: “I have sent my papers back for re-marking because I was so close to getting a grade A in chemistry.

“I did get three As, but one was in general studies and the university won’t accept that.”

“I thought with those sort of grades I can get something worthwhile and suitable through clearing, but there was absolutely nothing.

“Courses are only available at not very prestigious institutions such as techs and mets, and you are unlikely to get a job afterwards so what’s the point.”

Chloe, who lives in Manor Road, got As in biology, English literature and general studies, to go with the B in chemistry.

She said: “This is all because the fees are going up, and I am very upset that it is my generation which is going to suffer.

“I will hopefully apply for university next year, but the fees will have risen by then, and as medicine is a five-year course I would be leaving with at least £70,000 debt.

“I’m not sure what to do. I will just have to wait for my papers to be re-marked and hope for the best.”

Chloe is among almost 675,000 students who have applied for places in a bid to beat the hike in tuition fees.

Over 192,000 students were eligible for clearing, but just 29,000 places were up for grabs — down on last year’s 33,000 vacancies.

Councillor Hugh McDonald, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said the full data was still being gathered but figures suggested this could be the 11th consecutive year A-level results have improved in the borough.

He added: “These results are the product of many years’ hard work, dedication and commitment.

“I wish all our students the very best of luck for the future in whatever path they take next and hope these results are enabling them to make positive choices.

“Our local students can rightly be proud of their achievements and I congratulate them all.”




Results panic was fuelled yesterday as unprecedented traffic caused the UCAS website to be closed down.



Students should have been able to log on to the tracker section of the website to see whether or not they had secured their university place.

But it had to be shut for over an hour after four times more people scrambled to access it.




The overall national pass rate for A-levels rose slightly.



Creeping from 97.6 per cent to 97.8 per cent, it is the 29th year in a row such a trend has been noted.

The number of those getting A* or an A remained unchanged at 27 per cent.




Thousands of students missed out on university places yesterday as the frantic clearing process got under way.



Three London universities refused to take part in the process, in which remaining places are allocated, as all their course vacancies had already been filled.

A record 673,000 students applied for only 350,000 available nationally.




We have been asked to point out that Oldham Sixth Form A-level student Rebecca Curley earned 3 C grades, and not one as was reported in last night’s Chronicle, due to incorrect information received.