More and more A*s

As UCAS closes for 2012 entry applications, it becomes clear that many top universities have not just increased their annual tuition fees, but also their grade requirements.

The A* has extended from a few subjects at Cambridge, Imperial and Warwick to certain courses at Oxford, Nottingham, Bath, York and King's. Universities such as Bristol, Liverpool, Southampton and Queen's also say that they may use the A* grade to distinguish between students.