The disaster of A levels - and the creation of a British Ivy League?

It emerged today that 14 percent of universities now use entrance tests - and not only on high demand courses. Now, doesn't this raise a couple of very interesting points...?

Today's report, from the UUK, follows last month's news that, from 2010, Imperial College will have a university wide entrance exam for all students. It's not the only UK university to have a test. Many medical schools have them, and so do others, for specific courses. But Imperial is the first to announce that the test will apply to everyone who applies.

Some will rejoice at this news, not least those academics who despair of falling standards and being able to pick out the most able pupil from the multitude predicted very high grades. Perhaps tests do have their place, but this isn't simply a good news story.

Having to introduce tests is a reflection of what's gone wrong with A levels. It's also a way for a nice new cottage industry - in tutors and practice papers - which may well disadvantage many. And you have to wonder how long it will be before we have a new British Ivy League, charging for their entrance tests and perhaps soon to be charging higher fees too.

(picture from faceymcface1 on flickr.com)

Comments

[Albert]

I agree with Mr Goodwin about the informal Brit Ivy League university system.

However, I think the problem of entry to the better universities is less social than institutional.

The best way to increase educational opportunity would be to

1. ASAP, scrap the comprehensive secondary system by allowing pupil selection.
2. Stop levellers from indulging their fantasy of replicating the comprehensive secondary school tragedy in a comprehensive university system.
3. Longer term, dissolve the financial, spiritual, intellectual and educational black hole that is the state 'education' system, and replace it with direct grant, secular schools that have control over entry. Deal separately with those children who don't fit in. Allow some religious schools, but monitor them carefully.
4. Fire all state system teachers, but let them apply for new jobs in the reconstituted schools - there are many good state school teachers out there (Imagine the NUT Conference!).

[Tom Goodwin]

The UK has always had an Ivy League of Universities...whats happening now is we are seeing the formalization of that status.

Look at the social makeup of the top UK universities - roughly 40-50% of intake comes from the private sector (7% of total pop.)with the residual composed of state grammars & 'middle class colonized' comprehensives.

We must have higher standards that is true but don't ignore widespread inequality of (educational) oppurunity also.

[Bill]

for anyone with children at educational age, the current system offers nothing but heartache and the certain knowledge that ones children are getting a worse educational start in life than the parent. A feeling that goes against all normal parental aspirations. The Govt's social engneering experiments have reduced the educational standard to so much rubble by ignoring the maxim that a convoy travels at the speed of the slowest ship. It will take years to correct the rank stupidy of this Gvt and allow a new generation of properly educated and insentivised teachers to fliter thru the system. An ivy league would at least protect some universities and ensure that a high level of further education exists somewhere in the UK. And in the meantime sack all the liberal namby pambys and lefty apologists and lets both educate our children and examine them properly and to the highest possible standards so they are not working so hard only to acheive mediocrity. They deserve better, and so, as a nation, do we.

[Elinor]

I've worked extremely hard for my A-levels this year and my university place rests on my getting 3 As. It's very disheartening to know, therefore, that these grades and 2 years of solid hard work will be considered "not worth the paper they are on".

[Arthur Van Der Lae]

About time too

We have all known for ages that A levels are not worth the paper they are written on

[Alan Ramsey]

Giving everyone A grades is not only pointless but stupid too. Kids (and adults) know perfectly well what they are good at and what they are not. I for example am great at Maths and rubbish at History. Did it harm me to get a C for O level history? About as much as not winning the 400m on sports day.

What gives people pleasure is recognition for doing something very well. If everyone gets As then no-one is happy.

[Yetta]

Britain is losing more & more of the finest students, domestic & international, with this blind regard for dubious exam scores at the end of Yr 13.

Scenario 1: confirmed, unconditional acceptance, by winter or spring,to a North American or other university, based on a 4 year high school record of academics, sports and/or community service. (Some, with university acceptance in hand, choose not to even bother writing the final external exams!)

Scenario 2: a big fat maybe from a UK university, your fate revealed in August, all hinging on those flawed, incompetently graded A-level exams. And if you make it, that great last minute scramble for housing with everyone else.

Which would you choose, if you're blessed with great riches or scholarship talent?

[MarkS]

The obvious answer to this is to return the examinations system to the universities rather than having private companies and public sector quangos costing us millions of pound of public money operating a system for which they have little rationale other than financial profit or political objectives.

[maddison]

It is precisely examination under pressure that often presents an erroneous impression of a students ability. Since the word "Stress" became so ubiquitous in our vocabulary we have learnt that exams are often not the best way to decide whether a pupil is worthy or not of a University place. Surely overall consistent achievement would better demonstrate the capabilities of our young people plus written reports from teachers and of course, finally, the most telling of all inventions, the interview!

[Henry Weiss]

"...but this isn't simply a good news story..."

That's an understatement. It's a disgrace.

Although I think there is something to be said for an all must have prizes menatlity in terms of developing children's self esteem etc an exam system is not necessarily the best place to adopt such an approach. It goes to the heart of what an exam system is for. Learning or making kids feel good?