Students hoping to start at Nottingham Trent University this September were disappointed after receiving emails from the university the day before results day revealing that they had not gained the results they needed for their course.
Potential Nottingham Trent students received emails sent by mistake on Wednesday 13th August, the day before the results were published to students. The emails offered them places on similar but alternative courses.
“Sorry you didn’t get your predicted A-level grades. But we can still offer you a place”
One parent told The Guardian newspaper that their son received an email from Nottingham Trent’s admissions office that read: “Sorry you didn’t get your predicted A-level grades. But we can still offer you a place.”
While the emails did not reveal the grades that the students had achieved, they indicated that students had not done as well as they had hoped.
“A small number of emails were unfortunately sent to applicants who have exceeded or slightly missed their required grades”
Many of the students contacted rang Nottingham Trent, and were told by staff that the university had received “quite a few calls” about the emails.
A spokesperson for Nottingham Trent said: “A small number of emails were unfortunately sent to applicants who have exceeded or slightly missed their required grades. The issue was identified and resolved very quickly.
“The emails, which did not disclose any results, were to offer applicants a place on a similar but alternative course.”
Universities are informed of A-level results before they are revealed to applicants, in a bid to allow institutions to make quick decisions and be prepared for results day.
“UCAS takes any breach of the results embargo very seriously and will be following this up with institutions concerned as a matter of urgency”
UCAS, the service that administers undergraduate applications, supplies exam results to universities under the rule that universities must not contact the students until their marks are made available on the morning of results day.
A UCAS spokesperson said: “UCAS wrote to each institution earlier this year reminding them of the importance of maintaining the embargo.
“Each institution returned a signed agreement confirming that they would respect the results embargo. UCAS takes any breach of the results embargo very seriously and will be following this up with institutions concerned as a matter of urgency.”
Beth Rowland
Image: Mr Thinktank via flickr
