By Sean Coughlan BBC News Online education staff

"It's gutting. I feel really let down. I don't see how this is meant to be fair."

Until Tuesday morning, Tom Underwood still thought that he would be getting a higher grade in his history A-level.

But when the re-grading confirmed an E grade in his coursework, he realised that his place at Cambridge was fading away.

This isn't over. It still isn't finished

Tom Underwood, history student

"All I wanted to do was go to Cambridge and study history. I went to the interview, I was offered a place. And now I feel cheated."

Tom Underwood had been told by his teachers that his coursework was worth a much higher grade than an E.

And an independent marker who checked the coursework, also concluded the grade was too low.

'Disgusted'

But the re-grading process, which did not check the quality of marking, has left him without the better grade that he believes he deserves.

He has already scored two A grades in this year's A-levels.

But without an upgrade in his coursework, the history grade is stuck on B, which means he is unable to take up the offer to study the subject at Selwyn College, Cambridge.

He is now studying history at Sheffield University - and says that he is enjoying his time there.

But his experiences of this summer results, drawn out over a couple of months, have left him feeling "pretty disgusted. There is something obviously wrong here".

"No one should be put through what we've been put through this year."

The weeks of waiting are now likely to stretch into months. Because schools are now beginning to prepare appeals against these re-graded results.

Tom has been told that his school in Stourbridge is lodging an appeal with the exam board over his history grade.

But this appeal might not be concluded until next Spring, at which point he might finally discover whether he will be able to take up a place at Cambridge.

"This isn't over. It still isn't finished," he said.