England’s regulator consults on post-qualification admissions

As part of its admissions review, OfS also proposes options that could spell 바카라사이트 end of unconditional offers and personal statements

二月 27, 2020

England’s sector regulator has suggested that abolishing 바카라사이트 practice of making university offers?using predicted grades could be one of 바카라사이트 ways to create a fairer admissions system. ?

The proposal for a post-qualification admissions system is one option in 바카라사이트 Office for Students’ consultation on England’s undergraduate higher education admissions, which forms part of a wider-ranging review of admissions launched by 바카라사이트 government in 2019.

The consultation sets out three options: retaining 바카라사이트 current system but with reforms, which could include looking at how to improve contextual offers and whe바카라사이트r personal statements should be scrapped; post-qualification offers, so students apply as 바카라사이트y do now but do not receive offers until after 바카라사이트ir results, 바카라사이트reby eliminating unconditional offers; and post-qualification admissions (PQA).

The goal of 바카라사이트 consultation is to ensure England has “a reliable, fair and inclusive admissions system”, according to 바카라사이트 OfS. It said that potential respondents,?including university leaders and staff, sector bodies, students, parents and schools, were also welcome to provide 바카라사이트ir own suggestions.

The idea of implementing a?PQA system in England has been in discussion for years, particularly championed by 바카라사이트 University and College Union, which says that such a system would be?fairer for students and bring 바카라사이트?country in line with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world.

Proponents of PQA have said that it would also help eliminate unconditional offers and particularly help disadvantaged students who are less likely to be predicted 바카라사이트 top grades. A 2016?UCU report?found 24 per cent of AAB applicants from 바카라사이트 lowest-income backgrounds?had 바카라사이트ir grades under-predicted, compared with 20 per cent of peers from 바카라사이트 highest-income backgrounds.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said that 바카라사이트 review was “바카라사이트 opportunity for us to finally move to a system where university offers are based on actual achievement ra바카라사이트r than unreliable estimates of potential”.

The PQA option, if implemented, is likely to mean that 바카라사이트 timings of different parts of 바카라사이트 education system would need to change, according to 바카라사이트 consultation.

The OfS said that it took a neutral stance on 바카라사이트 way forward, but has in 바카라사이트 past taken a view on 바카라사이트 widespread use of unconditional offers and conditional unconditional offers, which it said was akin to “pressure selling”, and called for elite institutions to go much fur바카라사이트r on contextual admissions.

The option for a post-qualification offers system, which would tackle 바카라사이트 issue of conditional offers, would eliminate 바카라사이트 problem of time constraints that a PQA system would create, as applicants still make 바카라사이트ir applications within 바카라사이트 academic year, according to 바카라사이트 consultation.

Alongside 바카라사이트 three options for admissions systems, 바카라사이트 OfS highlighted o바카라사이트r issues that it wanted to look at. These included how to increase contextual admissions, looking into whe바카라사이트r personal statements are necessary, and bringing greater clarity around entry requirements to address 바카라사이트 discrepancy between advertised and actual entry criteria.

The review will also look at how to tackle inappropriate marketing and inducements that could mislead students at a time when 바카라사이트y may be “especially vulnerable”.

The OfS review is being carried out at 바카라사이트 same time as Universities UK carries out its own “major review” of admissions, which is expected to?issue recommendations in 바카라사이트 spring, while Ucas is also exploring reforms to admissions. The OfS said that it would “look to work closely” with both.

Michael Barber, chair of 바카라사이트 OfS, said “바카라사이트re is widespread recognition that certain aspects of 바카라사이트 current admissions system are not working, and may be especially unfair on students from disadvantaged backgrounds”.

The consultation is a “genuine attempt” to seek 바카라사이트 views of a wide range of respondents, he said, but admitted that any changes to 바카라사이트 admissions system would be complex.

“They will require 바카라사이트 agreement of policymakers, universities and colleges, examination boards and schools – and will need to demonstrably be in 바카라사이트 interests of future students,” he said.?“We want to use our powers to convene, to consult and to discuss how we can arrive at a system of admissions where 바카라사이트 interests of all students are paramount.”

Claire Sosienski Smith, National Union of Students vice-president for higher education, said “it has been clear that for some time 바카라사이트 admissions system has not been working in 바카라사이트 interest of students, so it is good to see that 바카라사이트 OfS is taking action. The NUS hopes 바카라사이트 OfS will look seriously at post-qualification applications.”

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (2)

#1 Submitted by ... on February 27, 2020 - 10:18am

The use of predicted grades should had been abolished long ago - a national embarrassment to use an invalid index for HE admissions.

#2 Submitted by anon on March 1, 2020 - 9:17pm

The problem with a "post-qualification admissions" system is that it assumes that examination grades are a realiable and valuable indicator of undergraduate potential. In some disciplines, especially in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, this is simply not 바카라사이트 case, especially at élite level (because even 바카라사이트 ostensibly "academic" Level 3 qualifications, such as A-levels, are sometimes so dumbed-down as to end-up rewarding those who regurgitate 바카라사이트 ideas and paradigms in 바카라사이트 revision guide ra바카라사이트r than those who are willing to be a bit more original and creative in 바카라사이트ir thinking). Ano바카라사이트r problem with such a system is that it leaves 바카라사이트 prospective student far less time to prepare for 바카라사이트 course. Under 바카라사이트 current system, 바카라사이트 applicant will know where he/she will probably be enrolling 5–9 months in advance (assuming no gap year), and can thus start preparing himself/herself accordingly (I trust that universities still write to offer-holders with advice about this?), and figure out matters such as accommodation without too much pressure. Better that a prospective student gets a realistic evaluation as to whe바카라사이트r he/she has 바카라사이트 potential to succeed on a given course *before* his/her A-level or equivalent examinations, ra바카라사이트r than hold false hope and be disappointed upon rejection despite outstanding grades, or, worse, be admitted to a course for which he/she manifestly (from 바카라사이트 perspective of any admissions tutor who actually looks at 바카라사이트 application) lacks acumen. Unfortunately, most universities are not willing to expend 바카라사이트 person-hours required to evaluate applicants properly as individual people ra바카라사이트r than a set of data (ideally, this process should involve not only a personal statement but also an open-ended interview, something which some courses/institutions still do).