Colleges turn thousands of hopefuls away
The Lib Dems contacted each of Scotland's 43 colleges to ask about take-up of their places. Edinburgh's Stevenson College turned away 1,326 students in 2009-10, compared with 323 the previous year. Oatridge College in West Lothian, which has previously never refused admission, saw a 74 per cent increase in applications and was forced to turn away 300 people in 2009-10.
West Lothian College had a 41 per cent increase in applications.
Mr Scott said: "So many young peoples' career paths have been dashed. They're being hit twice. They can't get a job with record unemployment and now they can't get a college place."