BBC NEWS | Education | Call for more university links "Widening participation in higher education should be seen as talent spotting by universities. This prospectus sets out how we want them to make that happen."

The problem with the typical macro predictors of university (or other) success is that they are often too crude and based on last-decade's research. They might work over large populations but not necessarily work all that well when applied to any given individual. But the idea of 'talent spotting' is very intriguing. Particularly if we go even further and apply the analogy of professional sports scouts as they are known in the US.