A 22-year-old student claims he lost a place at university because his college was too slow in getting his A-level results to him.
On Thursday morning Aaron Eudell, 22, was waiting for the result of his philosophy exam at the Oxford College of Further Education.
Aaron EudellMr Eudell, of Bertie Place, Oxford, needed the result to gain a place at Bristol, Cardiff or Nottingham Universities through clearing.
He has been working in Oxford for the charity Focus, which helps disadvantaged teenagers and adults with learning difficulties, for the past eight years and now wants to turn his mind to study philosophy or politics.
But students at the college in Oxpens had to wait until 1pm and then join long queues to collect the envelopes containing their results.
By the time Mr Eudell had his, all the places on the philosophy and politics courses he had his eye on had been snapped up.
Mr Eudell, who got the C-grade he says he needed, blames the college for giving his competitors a head start.
He said: "For me it was absolutely vital to get the results as soon as possible.
"I spoke to the universities and they said I would definitely have got a place if I'd called earlier but there were none left.
"I feel cheated. This is my whole future at stake and I might have to take a year out now and apply again next year or go somewhere much worse."
Hilda McNeil, the director of curriculum quality at the college, said the results had been processed as quickly as possible.
"We did our best and said that 1pm was the latest we would give the results out but it took us until then to process and sort them.
"Clearing is an ongoing process.
"We will help any student who is having problems finding a place."
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