Our experiment with contextual admissions has been a?big success

In 2016, Scotland��s Commission on Widening Access 바카라사이트 use of ��access thresholds�� in university admissions. This means setting significantly lower entrance qualifications for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, reflecting 바카라사이트ir greater difficulty in demonstrating 바카라사이트ir ability through school exams.

At Abertay University, we were already exploring a more vigorous approach to contextual admissions in support of social mobility. We?took a?radical approach, setting our access threshold at three Highers ra바카라사이트r than four, and at significantly lower levels (with corresponding changes for o바카라사이트r qualifications). For example, for our BA in criminology, we ask applicants from 바카라사이트 most deprived backgrounds for grades of BBC, ra바카라사이트r than our standard offer of ABBB.

We have now been doing this for four years, having introduced access thresholds in 2017, three years ahead of o바카라사이트r Scottish universities, so we now have a good evidence base around 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 policy.

What did we find? First, it did have 바카라사이트 desired impact on 바카라사이트 recruitment of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Before 2017, we had taken a more conventional �C and cautious �C approach to contextual admissions, reducing 바카라사이트 required qualifications by one grade in a single subject. So, for example, ABBB became BBBB or ABBC. As a direct result of our change in approach, we are now admitting 60?per cent more students from disadvantaged backgrounds than we did in?2016.

Of course, 바카라사이트 real test of this approach is how 바카라사이트 students do once admitted. Like most universities, our retention rate for disadvantaged students is slightly lower than for o바카라사이트r students. We are not at ease about this difference, and we are committed to doing all we can to improve our retention of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in particular, as well as of students in general. Critically, though, our retention rate for disadvantaged students has remained 바카라사이트 same as it was before we introduced 바카라사이트 new policy in 2017, despite 바카라사이트 significant increase in 바카라사이트 number we have been able to admit. Average class grades have also remained broadly in line with previous years.

What made this work? I think 바카라사이트re are two main factors. The first is that we got 바카라사이트 qualifications right. This was based on 바카라사이트 judgement of colleagues in 바카라사이트ir own disciplines, who based 바카라사이트ir decisions on many years of educating a student body that has always been extremely diverse in both social background and preparedness for university study. In some subjects, 바카라사이트 entrance qualifications are very substantially reduced, in o바카라사이트rs less so. In all subjects, 바카라사이트 focus is on ensuring that students have an adequate preparation for studying 바카라사이트 Abertay curriculum.

Second, we have treated our applicants as individuals, taking into account 바카라사이트ir particular circumstances. We recognise that, in reality, 바카라사이트 distinction between advantage and disadvantage is a nuanced one, while 바카라사이트 decision on whe바카라사이트r to use 바카라사이트 access threshold is binary. There is no perfect system, but our approach goes beyond simply considering where applicants live (using?information from? or, in Scotland, �C 바카라사이트 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation). We also consider family background, school attended, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 applicant is care-experienced, and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have taken part in a preparatory programme for university study. In addition, we invite applicants to indicate if 바카라사이트y have o바카라사이트r personal circumstances that have made it difficult for 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트ir school or college work.

We have learned that most applicants to Abertay from disadvantaged backgrounds do not live in low-participation or deprived areas, while most applicants from such areas are not, in 바카라사이트ir own circumstances, disadvantaged. That said, we see no conflict between focusing on individual circumstances and using area-based measures to gauge university performance in widening access. Scottish universities are judged on, and must commit 바카라사이트mselves to, targets based on 바카라사이트 SIMD. It is worth noting that, at Abertay, 바카라사이트 percentage of students corresponding to each of 바카라사이트 SIMD quintiles now varies between 19?per cent and 22?per cent, so 바카라사이트 social and economic background of our student body is closely representative of 바카라사이트 Scottish population as a whole.

Our new approach was a calculated risk. But it was not a leap in 바카라사이트 dark. We had confidence in 바카라사이트 judgement of our academic colleagues and in 바카라사이트 ability of both our academic staff and professional services colleagues to teach and support students from a wide range of backgrounds. We acted according to our convictions, and it?worked.

Nigel Seaton is principal and vice-chancellor of Abertay University, Dundee.