While many claim that unconditional offers are lowering student expectations, university insiders claim they incentivise learning for the right reasons. Elizabeth Ivens finds out more
Universities have hit back at criticism of the rise in unconditional offers they make, after reports nearly one in four students now receives one when applying to university in England.
In the wake of recent UCAS figures showing around 23 per cent of applicants now receive at least one unconditional offer, many lined up to slate universities.
Universities Minister Sam Gyimah was one such critic, claiming the rise in unconditional offers was ?completely irresponsible to students?.
And Mike Buchanan, of the Headmasters? and Headmistresses? Conference (HMC), claimed that pupils ?take their foot off the gas? after accepting offers that don?t require specific A-Level grades. Why did universities start introducing unconditional offers"
Cathy Gilbert of the University of Birmingham, one of the first to pioneer unconditional offers five years ago, said that making an unconditional offer was one of a range of admissions strategies to ensure the university was attracting the right students.
She said the idea was first introduced as it became ?more difficult to know that we were making the right offer on predicted grades which became less predictable? and that unconditional offers were made on GCSE results, personal statements and references.
And she claimed the first cohort through since the uncond...