A-Level Results: Record Numbers Head to University

London, United Kingdom, August 15, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Congratulations to the 409,410 students that had been accepted onto a higher education course! It is officially the largest number ever recorded on A-level results day, according to UCAS.

Hundreds of thousands of young students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results Today on Thursday the 13th of August, 2015.

Rising overall pass rates should always be celebrated. And this year they are made all the more remarkable seeing as the number of exams taken has increased by 2% compared to 2014 - with a total of 850,749 entries recorded.

The UCAS university admissions service says 409,410 places have been confirmed, an increase of 3% on the previous year, an equivalent of about 13,000 students.

"The over-riding message from this year's figures is one of stability. There have been no significant changes to the system," said Michael Turner, director of the Joint Council for Qualifications.

Initial figures from UCAS show a 5% increase in places for 18 year olds in the UK, but few among older age groups. Additionally, the number of international students and students from the European Union has also increased.

This year’s increase in student numbers brings about a second wave of celebrations as Student Property Investors see the demand for their properties rise even further. Aspen Woolf, a leading Property Investment Group, has seen enquiries flow through as a result of today’s news. According to Knight Frank, the demand for student property has far surpassed the supply for many years already. And it will be clear to see that with the increase in this year’s student numbers comes an increase in student accommodation requests.

As the Government abolished a cap on the number of places that institutions can offer a while ago, it means even more students are likely to find a place to study through clearing.

Mary Curnock Cook, the chief executive of UCAS, has told students who didn't get the grades they were hoping for not to panic.

"Most universities will want to talk to you - but remember to prepare and do your research before discussing your options with them," she said.

Last year, 512,000 people secured a place at university or college through UCAS, with 61,300 students being accepted through the clearing process alone.

While a record number of people have applied to university this year, an increasing number are looking for alternatives like apprenticeships and training schemes. The Government has started preparing for this new wave of students as it has pledged to create three million apprenticeship schemes by the end of this parliament.

With no fixed limit on the number of places universities are permitted to offer, there is likely to be more competition between students. With the removal on limits on student numbers it has prompted speculation that universities will try to attract more students at the last minute.

In the run-up to results day, some universities have been attempting to secure students on to courses by revising conditional offers into unconditional ones.

Pam Tatlow, of University Think Tank Million Plus, said Clearing would not be too different from previous years, despite the removal of the cap on student numbers, "A lot of activity has gone on before clearing in terms of unconditional offers, and as usual there will be competition and students will have choices to make," she said.

"Students will have to keep calm and think about what is the right course for them."

This is a great year for students as they get to weigh out their choices for future studies, and it’s also a great year for property investors as they see the demand for their investments rise to new levels. For more up to date student property information you can contact Aspen Woolf through their website at www.aspenwoolf.co.uk. They have already released a new development in the sought after city of Chester, just to mark this year’s occasion.