In the 60s only a tiny percentage of the top students went to university and so the standard at university was much higher. A-levels are university entrance ex

In the 60s only a tiny percentage of the top students went to university and so the standard at university was much higher. A-levels are university entrance exams and so similarly were only taken by the best. Even the old O-levels, taken at age 16, were equivalent to university level courses today. This fact is often used as proof that kids today aren't as smart at kids in the 60s, but in fact most kids in the 60s didn't take any exams whatsoever and just left school at age 15 with no qualifications.