Sir, The statistic that one in three 18-year-olds applying to university this year received an unconditional offer is no less shocking for being unsurprising; the rapid growth of such offers mirrors the rapid expansion of universities (“ ‘Disturbing’ surge in unconditional offers as universities chase students”, News, Nov 29). All but the most prestigious universities are engaged in a bitter fight for students to provide funds for research or indeed stay open. The reasons given by universities for unconditional offers, such as reducing stress on students, are disingenuous at best. The proliferation of “unconditional if first choice” offers show the need to persuade youngsters to accept less attractive courses. “Bursaries” for those who meet predicted grades are a blatant acknowledgment of the demotivating effect of such…

Source: The Times December 01, 2018 00:00 UTC