By Katherine Sellgren BBC News Online education staff

Will they meet their predictions?

A government taskforce, led by Professor Steven Schwartz, recommends the introduction of post-qualifications applications, or PQA.

This would mean students' being offered places on the basis of their actual rather than predicted exam grades.

But admissions staff say this will fail to address concerns about equal access.

Professor Schwartz - with the backing of the education secretary - suggests PQA will make the university admissions procedure fairer and more transparent.

It is hoped the system would encourage bright students from "non-traditional backgrounds" - those without a history of going to university - to apply for prestigious universities, already armed with high grades.

It would involve A-levels being brought forward and the start of the university year being put back, possibly as far as January.

But the head of undergraduate admissions at Durham University, Matthew Andrews, believes many problems concerning PQA are being overlooked.

Prof Schwartz says universities should select post-A-levels

Mr Andrews - secretary of the Admissions Practitioners' Group, which represents admissions tutors from across the higher education sector - says PQA would be less fair.

"We'll be driven to look purely at grades rather than taking account of the broader application," he said.

"We won't have time to do that and, in fact, we won't have any reason to because we'll have the students' actual grades.

"It'll be a quantitative rather than a qualitative decision."

Universities where the competition for places is fierce may find they get even more applicants, all with achieved grades rather than predictions, he added.

The National Union of Students fears the proposals will keep the focus on A-level results rather than other factors.

Vice-President Education Hannah Essex said: "NUS believes applicants should be assessed on their potential rather than simply grades," said vice-president Hannah Essex.

"Students' abilities often stretch beyond the grade, and we believe that a more holistic approach should be taken when assessing student ability in order to improve access for those from less traditional backgrounds."

But the Independent Schools Council broadly welcomed what was proposed.

"We remain convinced that A-levels are the best predictor of success in higher education; at the age of 18, it is not enough to show potential," it said.

Getting to know you

The Admissions Practitioners' Group - part of the Academic Registrars' Council - says changes to the admissions process would also give universities less time to build up a relationship with prospective students.

"It gives us mush less time to 'work on' students - for example, through open days where applicants can talk through the possibilities open to them," said Mr Andrews.

"With PQA it may be more likely that students from non-traditional backgrounds will stay and home to go to university rather than aiming for a specific university or course."

January start

The group is concerned that if the first university term were to be delayed - perhaps until January - students might be tempted to abandon plans to go.

"Once students, especially non-traditional students, go out to work and once they start earning money, luring them back out to come to university could be quite difficult," said Mr Andrews.

Such a move would also put UK universities out of line with other international education systems.

"Most international education systems start with an autumn term and if we moved out of sync with that, we'd miss out on taking students from overseas."

Mr Andrews admits the PQA system appears sensible, but says this is a false assumption.

"At first sight, it's attractive and it seems very logical - there would be advantages to having actual grades.

"But the pragmatics involved in making it work would cause more problems."

Admissions process 'a game'

But the group's concerns are not echoed by university vice-chancellors, who welcome Professor Schwartz's report.

"We look forward to working with this group to ensure that a PQA system is developed which is practical both for potential students and universities - as well as for other education stakeholders," Professor Ivor Crewe, president of the umbrella group Universities UK.

"Universities UK will be discussing this important issue in more detail with its members over the coming weeks," he added.

Head teachers also welcome the Schwartz recommendations.

The Secondary Heads Association hopes PQA will now be implemented by British universities.

"It is possible to overcome the practical difficulties that previously blocked the introduction of PQA," said general secretary Dr John Dunford.

"I welcome Professor Schwartz's recommendation that universities should set out more clearly the criteria on which offers will be made. At present the admissions process is a game, in which the applicants are not told all the rules."