Cambridge Admissions

The Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge, who is chairman of the university's admissions research working party has argued against the government's proposal that, in order to improve access, the university should admit students from the worse comprehensive schools with lower grades than their private and grammar school counterparts. This suggestion comes as part of a plan to encourage those universities charging £9000 in tuition fees to take a larger percentage of its students from the state sector.

Richard Partington said there was no evidence that students from poor performing state schools who were admitted with lower grades did better in their Cambridge degrees. The research indicates that sixth form exam grades are 'overwhelmingly' the best indicator of final degree marks.

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