The total number of students accepted onto degree courses in Britain has fallen by 2 per cent on the same point last year - with 425,830 taking up places so far, initial figures from admissions service Ucas revealed today.
Ucas has already said that while it expects record or near-record numbers of students to get onto their first-choice courses this year, the process will not be 'pain-free' for all because some students will be left disappointed.
And A-level pupils face devastation this morning as top grades take the biggest plunge ever registered in the 70-year history of the qualification – with a record 80,000 fewer entries awarded A or A* compared with last year.
