With three D grades at A-level, 80% got university places

This article really outlines the problem of predicted grades. Universities advertise their entrance requirements in grades or UCAS tariff points on their websites, and students often feel that they can achieve the required grade in the end (or hope the grade will be discounted once results are out). This puts pressure on schools to predict a student so he or she can receive an offer.

Predicted grades which are lower than the advertised grade will almost always receive a rejection, but as the article notes, students can still find a university place with low grades. Schools ordinarily wouldn’t predict a student D/D/D despite knowing that grade is sufficient at some universities; instead grades are often predicted which place the student in the best possible light.

Perhaps a different system, which does not place so much emphasis on predicted grades, needs to be developed. 

What do you think?