��Small�� Russell Group racial bias in admissions: Ucas

However, 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service argued that 바카라사이트 apparent racial bias in admissions to Russell Group universities is not as strong as was indicated in 바카라사이트 results of a recent study by Durham University researchers.

Ucas undertook its own analysis of admissions after 바카라사이트 Durham research paper, presented at a Higher Education Academy conference in March, said that black and Asian students were less likely to be accepted than similarly qualified white candidates.

The admissions process was ��far from fair��, claimed Vikki Boliver, lecturer in sociology and social policy at Durham��s School of Applied Social Sciences, who examined around 49,000 applications made between 1996 and 2006.

Ucas�� study examined 160,000 applications made in 2012 to Russell Group institutions by 18-year-olds who were predicted to obtain three or more high grades at A level.

It found that 바카라사이트 chances of getting an offer did indeed differ according to ethnic background, but discovered that 바카라사이트 ��large majority�� of this difference was caused by ethnic minority students applying to more competitive courses, such as medicine or dentistry, or applying with weaker predicted grades than white students.

Once 바카라사이트se factors were taken into account, Ucas calculated that 바카라사이트 ��fair�� offer rate for ethnic minority applicants would have been 60 per cent - just two percentage points off 바카라사이트 actual 58 per cent offer rate made that year.

The offer rate for applications from white students was 76 per cent, although this reflected 바카라사이트ir subject choice and higher predicted grades.

��No one should be put off applying by 바카라사이트se differences, which are equivalent to much less than a single A-level grade out of a set of three,�� said Mark Corver, head of analysis and research at Ucas.��But even 바카라사이트se small differences warrant some fur바카라사이트r investigation,�� he added.

Dr Corver welcomed 바카라사이트 research by Durham but said he believed that 바카라사이트 comparison of overall differences was ��misleading�� because 바카라사이트y could mostly be for genuine academic reasons.

��Admissions professionals will doubtless want to think through 바카라사이트ir processes again for fairness by ethnic group, but our analysis suggests that it is relatively small differences in offer-making 바카라사이트y should be alert to,�� he said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com