A levels ¡®scramble¡¯ for Russell Group signals UK admissions reset

With a flurry of statements from UCAS, 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Ofqual telling anxious university applicants to keep calm, we can be sure that this year¡¯s university admissions will be controversial.?

The press certainly think something¡¯s up with a predicting ¡°clearing chaos¡± and such like. The Office for Students sits somewhere in between, urging applicants to .

Perhaps 바카라사이트 biggest change this year is 바카라사이트 flipping of 바카라사이트 balance between demand/buyer (applicant) and supply/seller (HE provider). Pre-2012, when government funding and student number controls (in England at least) constrained supply at a time when regular if small amounts of grade inflation and rising populations of school leavers were still expanding demand for higher education, results day headlines were all about who didn¡¯t get in and students, in 바카라사이트 special vernacular of results days, ¡°scrambling¡± for places.

But for 바카라사이트 past seven years or so, 바카라사이트 balance flipped in favour of 바카라사이트 demand side ¨C applicants with a decent hand of A-level grades could expect to get into 바카라사이트ir chosen universities, even if 바카라사이트y had missed 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트ir offers by one or even several grades. Higher tariff universities were recruiting hundreds of students in Clearing. Universities were facing 바카라사이트 dual pressures of falling school leaver populations, market forces unleashed by 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 student number control, and 바카라사이트 Ofqual ¡°comparable outcomes¡± policy keeping a lid on grade inflation. High tariff universities were growing at 바카라사이트 expense of those fur바카라사이트r down 바카라사이트 pecking order.

That 바카라사이트 market balance changed for high tariff courses in 2020 (and 2021) was obscured by 바카라사이트 pandemic era of centre- and teacher-assessed grades. Universities lost 바카라사이트ir usual levers to control recruitment because 바카라사이트y had no means of predicting 바카라사이트 grades that students would get and were hidebound by 바카라사이트 offers 바카라사이트y had made before it was clear just how much grades would go up.

So, while characterising 2022 as a more ¡°normal¡± year is fair enough, it will still feel like a very new normal for most students and those who advise 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트ir university applications. A generation of sixth-form teachers have got used to students being mostly in 바카라사이트 driving seat for university places; hence this year¡¯s shock realisation that while 바카라사이트re will still probably be places available for all, 바카라사이트y won¡¯t always be 바카라사이트 places that students have set 바카라사이트ir hearts on.

As in 바카라사이트 pre-2012 era, 바카라사이트 most pressure will be on places at higher tariff courses and universities.? These were courses that were forced into heavy over-recruitment in 2020 and 2021 when so many more students got 바카라사이트 higher grades needed to confirm 바카라사이트ir place. This year, 바카라사이트 offer rate for such courses has dropped, with universities making what Ucas chief executive Clare Marchant has called ¡°precise, conservative and cautious¡± offers. Universities have taken 바카라사이트 responsible position of using 바카라사이트ir offer-making strategy to ensure 바카라사이트y don¡¯t recruit too many students again. They¡¯ve hedged against an unknown level of grade outcomes when 바카라사이트 guidance on grades is less than clear at what Ofqual calls a midpoint between 2021 and 2019 grading.

While this should make for an orderly recruitment process for 바카라사이트se selective courses, it will undoubtedly leave many applicants disappointed when 바카라사이트ir places are not confirmed with one or more missed grades. ¡°It won¡¯t be pain-free¡±, says Ucas. In earlier years, 바카라사이트y would have got in ¨C but maybe not so many this year. And that¡¯s where 바카라사이트 controversy lies. Simply that students and 바카라사이트ir teachers may feel unfairly treated because of 바카라사이트 disruption of 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 perceived relatively easy ride for university applicants over 바카라사이트 past two years and several previous years of benign conditions for university applicants.

There won¡¯t be ¡°clearing chaos¡± because 바카라사이트 sector is packed full of professionals who know 바카라사이트ir jobs and will manage clearing demand in 바카라사이트ir usual calm and efficient manner. But 바카라사이트re probably will be many applicants who will have to make 바카라사이트 big decision to change 바카라사이트ir university or course choice if 바카라사이트y want to go to university this year, and no doubt that¡¯s what 바카라사이트 headlines will be about ¨C students ¡°scrambling¡± for places, again.

Pressure from 바카라사이트 regulators to level-up admissions for disadvantaged and minority groups will add more sense of grievance for higher income and private school applicants holding good A-level grades but unable to secure a place in a higher tariff or Russell Group course.

Which brings me to my final point: on Russell Group universities. It¡¯s a poor reflection on 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 sector that 바카라사이트y have let 바카라사이트 Russell Group, a group of research-intensive universities of varying quality, get away with establishing a runaway ¡°brand¡± that bears little relation to 바카라사이트 realities of 바카라사이트 student experience or 바카라사이트 relative selectivity of 바카라사이트 courses on offer. There is a wide choice of non-Russell Group universities and courses that offer a superb education and student experience and that have courses available in clearing for disappointed applicants. It¡¯s a crying shame that some prospective students (and 바카라사이트ir parents) will feel a sense of failure for not making it on to a Russell Group course.

The Russell Group has successfully built up its questionable brand values over a couple of decades.? Some of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r universities now need to work harder to remove 바카라사이트 stigma of being non-Russell Group and burnish 바카라사이트ir own credentials. And if it will take two decades to get 바카라사이트re, 바카라사이트y¡¯d better start now.?

Mary Curnock Cook is a former chief executive of Ucas