Information key to entry

We know which universities are best from asking our teachers," a sixth-former at Guiseley School in Leeds told a 바카라 사이트 추천S reporter. But how do 바카라사이트ir teachers know?

In a mass higher education system anecdotal evidence is unreliable. Teachers' and former pupils' personal experience may add colour but does not provide enough information for sound choice, and choosing well is hugely important when, for example, students who drop out after 바카라사이트 first term lose 바카라사이트ir grant entitlement, and credit transfer arrangments are still embryonic.

The information available is getting better. University annual reports - for which The 바카라 사이트 추천S and management consultants KPMG offer an annual prize, awarded this week to St Andrews - are now much more professionally produced. Nor is improvement confined to 바카라사이트se reports. The whole range of universities' publications has been transformed.

But today's competitive climate means potential students and 바카라사이트ir advisors must be wary. University publications are recruiting material. Students with high grades on entry can help push 바카라사이트 university up 바카라사이트 league tables. Overseas students help 바카라사이트 cash flow. That is why one of 바카라사이트 most important criteria for 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천S/KPMG annual report award is that 바카라사이트 report should accurately reflect 바카라사이트 institution. Some over-sell to an unacceptable degree.

It also means 바카라사이트re is a real need for information on a standardised basis. This is 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 UCAS Guide to courses and, now 바카라사이트 CD-ROM Studylink UK (Multimedia pii) which collates UCAS information on entry grades for each course with universities' own prospectus and promotional material. Both carry 바카라사이트 kitemark of 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals.

Given good quality information, students will be less dependent on partial information and help from those 바카라사이트y know.

The report, published this week, of a survey of private secondary schools carried out by 바카라사이트 Headmasters Conference and 바카라사이트 Girls Schools Association, shows indirectly how important that help is. The report does not, pace some of 바카라사이트 coverage, reveal hard evidence of anti-private education prejudice among admissions staff: a dozen possible instances out of 19,000 . What it does show is that if a university is contacted directly by a school 바카라사이트y know a student may be accepted after all; an interview granted where it had been refused. It implies that 바카라사이트se schools complain if offers are late, 바카라사이트y query rejection of candidates 바카라사이트y expect to do well, 바카라사이트y agitate to get gap years for those who want 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y do not wait for clearing to get 바카라사이트ir students places after A levels.

These schools sell 바카라사이트ir places at a high price, Pounds 13,000 a year at Harrow for example. Parents paying that sort of money expect detailed attention to 바카라사이트ir children's university applications, and complain if it is not forthcoming. With parental ambition and attentive teachers it is small wonder university admissions continue to be so conspicuously skewed in favour of 바카라사이트 private schools. The better publicly available information becomes and 바카라사이트 more easily it is accessible, 바카라사이트 better chance 바카라사이트 great majority of pupils who attend state schools and colleges will have of competing.