Aftermath of the U-Turn: Chaos in Finance and Anxiety in Students

Protesters outside of Westminster 15/07/20

Following the government’s U-turn of exam grades last week, there is a misconception that the problem has been fixed, and students have got the justice they deserve. However, lack of communication between the government and UCAS (a university application service) means universities and students are in disarray. 

Universities are asking for financial support

With students receiving their correct grades, many have accepted their first choice thereby leaving their insurance options. As a result, there has been a higher intake of students into prestigious universities and a lower intake into less prestigious universities. This means less money directed to these institutions, thereby are crippling these universities financial situations who have already suffered from a lack of international student intake as well as a student cap introduced by the education secretary Gavin Williamson this year. With so much financial uncertainty, Universities UK has written to Williamson requesting ‘significant financial support from the government to stabilise their finances.’ 

Where some universities are suffering from lower student intake, others are suffering from oversubscribed courses-proving costly to these institutions. Vocational courses such as nursing and midwifery would struggle to accommodate a rise in eligible students, according to a number of universities. To teach trainee doctors, the government would need to support the creation of new hospital placements and training facilities such as dissection rooms. There would be a need to increase subsidise of medical training to £175,000 per student over a five-year course. While universities are trying to honour places as much as possible, the financial cost of accepting students is high, and with little government support, this means some students are having to defer their places to 2021.

The negative impact on students wellbeing 

Students are suffering from anxiety due to so much uncertainty with their future. The miscommunication between UCAS and universities meant institutions were not accessing new grades, and thereby could not confirm places for students (UCAS has since updated the grades). This left many students in limbo, having rejected their insurance offer for their first choice but now uncertain whether these universities will accept them. Some universities have been forced to defer students until next year due to no capacity. It’s a horrible situation to be placed in and has negatively impacted students mental health.  

Some students have used university admission services as helplines. Karen Brough, assistant director of students and academic services at the University of Greenwich, says they have been providing pastoral care for students who are calling to say "I haven't got a clue what my options are, I need some support". This demonstrates one of two things- first that students have been suffering from increasing levels of anxiety due to the mishandling of grades. And secondly, there has been little help provided to these students,  both in terms of clarification of information and psychological help. 

Speaking to Thea Everette, member of the Socialist Party, she identified a silver lining in this grey cloud, acknowledging that while ‘algorithm-generated grades...would have affected both self-esteem and faith in the system’ the U-turn itself shows what students ‘are capable of when they fight together.’ There is a lot of weight to the latter part of her comments-that is, while a lot needs to be sorted out (such as the financial states of universities or providing help to students) the mere fact that students bought out the u-turn through solidary and protesting is a reminder of their powerful capabilities and strength. It’s a reminder that these students are not to be messed with.