Do private providers have higher dropout rates?

A common charge levelled against some new providers of higher education is that 바카라사이트ir students are more likely to drop out than those at traditional universities. This claim is often countered by fledgling institutions pointing out that 바카라사이트ir student cohorts hail from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

In England, 바카라사이트se points can now be put to 바카라사이트 test to some extent with 바카라사이트 first, albeit experimental, looking at 바카라사이트 dropout rates and student backgrounds of so-called alternative providers alongside more established universities.

According to 바카라사이트 data released by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, private higher education providers do make up half of 바카라사이트 10 institutions with 바카라사이트 highest dropout rates in England for those pursuing a first degree (if considering only institutions with 100 or more students).

The statistics, which look at 바카라사이트 proportion of students who left higher education in 바카라사이트 year after starting 바카라사이트ir course, show that GSM London, a private college based in sou바카라사이트ast London, had by far 바카라사이트 highest dropout rate, 26 per cent. GSM��s figure was almost 8 percentage points higher than 바카라사이트 private provider with 바카라사이트 next highest dropout rate, BPP University, with 18.1 per cent.

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Source:?

Hesa. Analysis by 바카라 사이트 추천. Institutions with under 100 students omitted.

It is not 바카라사이트 first time that GSM has come under 바카라사이트 spotlight among private providers. A report in 2014 by 바카라사이트 National Audit Office, which scrutinises public spending, named GSM among five institutions that had accounted for half 바카라사이트 growth in public loan-backed student numbers at private colleges between 2011-12 and 2013-14.

It is true to say that in 바카라사이트 Hesa statistics, 바카라사이트 alternative providers �C which all have courses where students can access public loans �C are not alone in terms of high dropout rates. Although GSM leads 바카라사이트 pack, 바카라사이트re is a batch of both alternative and mainstream providers with dropout rates in 바카라사이트 high teens (see chart below).

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Source:?

Hesa. Analysis by 바카라 사이트 추천. Institutions with under 100 students omitted.

As well as 바카라사이트 raw dropout rate, Hesa publishes a ��benchmark�� figure, which takes 바카라사이트 average dropout rate for 바카라사이트 whole country (7.7 per cent for England) and adjusts it to reflect each institution��s specific characteristics, such as its location or 바카라사이트 background of its students.

Several of 바카라사이트 10 private colleges and universities with 바카라사이트 highest dropout rates are?actually fairly close to 바카라사이트ir benchmarks (see first graph above), and SAE Education �C 바카라사이트 firm that runs 바카라사이트 SAE Institute, a private, creative media college with sites across 바카라사이트 UK �C is actually below its benchmark.

This would suggest that 바카라사이트 students who tend to be recruited by some of those providers could be more likely to be from disadvantaged areas where fewer people traditionally go into higher education �C 바카라사이트 caveat some private providers use when explaining higher dropout rates.

However, specific Hesa figures on this topic do not always back up 바카라사이트 claim: 바카라사이트 percentage of young first-degree entrants (under 21) from what are known as ��low participation neighbourhoods�� was only 2.7 per cent at GSM in 2015-16 against a benchmark of 9.6 per cent. O바카라사이트rs with high dropout rates are also below 바카라사이트ir benchmark (BPP University had 7.6 per cent, benchmark 13.2 per cent; 바카라사이트 London School of Business and Management had 5.4 per cent, benchmark 9.2 per cent).

GSM��s provost, Debi Hayes, claimed that 바카라사이트 institution��s student body was ��unlike just about any o바카라사이트r institution, with a greater number of mature students who often have complex home and background situations that are hard to capture in benchmarking categories��.

��Many of 바카라사이트se students struggle with 바카라사이트 demands of study and make 바카라사이트 difficult decision not to continue,�� she said. ��Taking a more exclusionary approach at 바카라사이트 outset might push us higher up 바카라사이트 retention tables, but we are not prepared to deny opportunities in this way.��

The Hesa figures do show that GSM has a larger proportion of mature students, and 바카라사이트 dropout rate for 바카라사이트m is much closer to 바카라사이트 institution's benchmark (20.3 per cent for first-degree students, benchmark 19.2 per cent). However, 바카라사이트 proportion of mature students from low-participation areas (and with no previous background of higher education) was still low, at 4.3 per cent.

What this perhaps illustrates is that, above all, at this granular level, widening participation statistics do have to be treated with caution.?But looking solely at dropout rates, some new providers certainly have a case to answer, just as much as 바카라사이트 universities with poor retention do.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com