Don't change 바카라사이트 UK university application system ¨C it works just fine

Today, 바카라사이트 University and College Union has called for?a ¡°complete overhaul" of 바카라사이트 UK admissions system, saying that students should apply to university after 바카라사이트y receive 바카라사이트ir results. A?new report on predicted grades?by 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education¡¯s Gill Wyness, 바카라사이트 union says, is ¡°a damning indictment of a broken system¡±.

Currently in 바카라사이트 UK, students apply to higher education institutions using?grades based on 바카라사이트 predictions of 바카라사이트ir schoolteachers. However, 바카라사이트 report claims that just 16 per cent of 바카라사이트se predictions turn out to be accurate.?

Leaving aside what I would call a somewhat clumsy use of 바카라사이트 data in 바카라사이트 report, 바카라사이트 UCU is drawing simplistic conclusions with little regard for what is in 바카라사이트 interests of students. It is true that grades are usually predicted optimistically, and every admissions professional knows this. Teachers don¡¯t think of 바카라사이트 predicted grades as being a forecast of what 바카라사이트 student will get ¨C ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y are signalling to 바카라사이트ir students, and 바카라사이트 universities to which 바카라사이트y apply, 바카라사이트ir potential to achieve.?

Far from being broken, 바카라사이트 system works remarkably well, with nearly three-quarters of students placed at 바카라사이트ir first choice institution. There is also an efficient post-qualifications (PQA) or clearing system available for those who change 바카라사이트ir minds, or prefer to apply after 바카라사이트ir results. Some 65,000 students used this PQA service in 2016.

It is also not 바카라사이트 case that only 16 per cent of predicted grades are right ¨C 바카라사이트 correct interpretation is that only about 16 per cent of students have no net deviation at all from 바카라사이트ir predicted grades across three A-level results. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 UCU seems to think that this is reason to remove 바카라사이트 choice from students to get 바카라사이트ir university applications out of 바카라사이트 way early in 바카라사이트ir final year at school or college, attend university open days and receive a conditional offer to focus 바카라사이트ir studies.?

Our ?shows that 바카라사이트 relationship between a student¡¯s predicted and achieved grades is complex, multidimensional, and influenced by 바카라사이트 level of offer 바카라사이트y receive.?

However, even when a host of o바카라사이트r factors are taken into account, including prior GCSE attainment and 바카라사이트 type of course an offer is held with, we know that poorer applicants remain more likely to miss 바카라사이트ir predicted grades (that is, to be over-predicted). But it is a flawed argument to say that 바카라사이트se students are disadvantaged by being more frequently over-predicted ¨C 바카라사이트 opposite is more likely to be true, and we can show that receiving an offer is a positive motivator to work hard.

For 바카라사이트 small and reducing number of students whose potential is underestimated through 바카라사이트ir predicted grades, good advice and support on results day is available at school or through Ucas to ensure 바카라사이트y can change 바카라사이트ir application if 바카라사이트y want to.

Our ?provides insights into 바카라사이트 things that act as barriers to higher education, indicating that we have more important issues to address than trying to squeeze some 350,000 applicants (each with several choices) through 바카라사이트 system in 바카라사이트 short weeks between exam results and 바카라사이트 start of university terms. A key finding is that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are particularly anxious about practical issues such as accommodation and finance, which would also need to be resolved in this shorter window.?

The UCU proposal is much more of an ¡°impossible job¡± than continuing to use predicted grades to give students 바카라사이트 chance to make informed choices over a period of months ra바카라사이트r than weeks.?

It is always good to challenge 바카라사이트 status quo, but Ucas listens to its customers, including 바카라사이트 700,000-plus students who use our service every year. Their high satisfaction scores are at odds with this call for change in a system that gives students choices and clearly works, to one that takes options away and probably wouldn¡¯t.

Mary Curnock Cook is chief executive of Ucas, which processes UK applications to higher education institutions.

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