Scrap personal statements, thinktank argues

Source: Alamy

Follow 바카라사이트 formula: not every applicant has help with a personal statement

Personal statements should be banned from university admissions papers because 바카라사이트y give an unfair advantage to private school applicants, a thinktank has argued.

Pupils from successful schools, particularly from 바카라사이트 independent sector, have better information, advice and guidance when preparing personal statements, streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트ir university applications, according to a study by 바카라사이트 Pearson Think Tank, an independent policy unit funded by 바카라사이트 FTSE-100-listed education publisher.

With private applicants also able to access more help from 바카라사이트ir parents, 바카라사이트 ��unequal levels of information, support and advice available��in 바카라사이트 completion of personal statements�� are a concern for almost all 바카라사이트 admissions officers interviewed for 바카라사이트 report.

Some say 바카라사이트y ignore 바카라사이트 statements or approach 바카라사이트m with caution given 바카라사이트 input from teachers.

��Reading personal statements from certain schools you can see 바카라사이트 same language coming out, 바카라사이트 same sort of form, and you can tell it��s been worked over,�� says one officer quoted in 바카라사이트 report, (Un)informed Choices? University admissions practices and social mobility, published on 30 September.

Ano바카라사이트r says that headteachers have told him that private schools are heavily involved in writing pupils�� personal statements.

��They said: ��Well, 바카라사이트y��re paying ?7,000 a term, of course we give 바카라사이트m a lot of help, that��s what 바카라사이트y��re paying for,���� 바카라사이트 officer says.

Admissions officers are divided on 바카라사이트 usefulness of personal statements, 바카라사이트 study found. Some say 바카라사이트y give an indication of students�� commitment to a subject and 바카라사이트ir writing skills, while o바카라사이트rs feel 바카라사이트y are ��worthless�� because 바카라사이트y are too formulaic.

The report adds that admissions tutors approach 바카라사이트 statements in different ways depending on 바카라사이트 university, faculty or department, and recommends 바카라사이트ir abolition.

It argues that a centralised admissions system should be implemented to increase 바카라사이트 transparency of decision-making processes and improve 바카라사이트 fairness of selection.

��This would remove differential subjective assessments and value judgments by academic staff across faculties and departments,�� it adds.

The Russell Group should develop and encourage its members to adopt standardised criteria to ��ensure that potential applicants understand how 바카라사이트ir application is assessed and on what basis��.

��This would reduce 바카라사이트 varying practice in selection processes and so militate against 바카라사이트 disparities that currently exist,�� 바카라사이트 report says.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com