Exam grades not only way to get into Glasgow Uni

Although academic achievement will remain the key method of choosing who will get to study at Glasgow, other attributes and achievements such as work experience will be considered.

A statement released by the university yesterday also said that pupils will not simply be judged on the grades they achieve in Highers sat in S5. Highers passed in S4 and S6 will also be taken into account.

The statement was published in response to the Scottish Government’s Curriculum for Excellence, which has been introduced in an attempt to provide children in Scotland with a broader education. The statement said: “Whilst academic achievement remains a core element of our entry criteria, the university is placing increased emphasis on applicants’ wider achievements.

“The emphasis on this varies by course, however, applicants to all courses are expected to demonstrate through their personal statements and school references, a commitment to the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, through involvement in community projects, charity work, part-time jobs, personal development programmes (such as Duke of Edinburgh Awards) etc.”

Professor Frank Coton, vice principal for learning and teaching at Glasgow, insisted that the new approach was “not a change in entry tariff or a change in the overall standard we are looking for”.

But he said looking at attributes other than academic qualifications helped students get the most for higher education and ultimately the workplace.