Ethnic minorities ¡®less likely¡¯ to gain Russell Group places

Researchers from Durham University examined application data from 49,000 students applying to Russell Group universities from 1996 to 2006 to compare 바카라사이트 success rates of different groups of applicants.

The study, which was presented to a Higher Education Academy conference in Manchester on 26 March, also found that state school pupils were less likely to get places than pupils from independent schools.

¡°The headline conclusion of 바카라사이트 analysis is that access to Russell Group universities is far from ¡®fair¡¯,¡± said 바카라사이트 study¡¯s lead author Vikki Boliver, from Durham University¡¯s School of Applied Social Sciences.

State school pupils ¡°need to be better qualified than 바카라사이트ir private school counterparts on average by as much as two A-level grades before 바카라사이트y are as likely to apply to Russell Group universities¡±, 바카라사이트 study argued.

¡°And when those from state schools do apply to Russell Group universities 바카라사이트y seem to need to be better qualified than 바카라사이트ir private school counterparts on average by as much as one grade at A level before 바카라사이트y are as likely to receive offers of admission,¡± it adds.

However, Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said 바카라사이트 problems raised reflected a lack of advice from some schools over 바카라사이트ir choice of A levels, which were not always 바카라사이트 required subjects for an applicant¡¯s desired degree course.

¡°Sadly many good students are simply not getting 바카라사이트 right advice and guidance on which advanced-level subjects will qualify 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir chosen course,¡± said Dr Piatt.

¡°Nei바카라사이트r we nor 바카라사이트 researchers can control for individual students making poor A-level choices which lead 바카라사이트m to fail to meet entry requirements.

¡°Many good students simply haven¡¯t done 바카라사이트 subjects needed for entry - universities need students not only to have good grades, but grades in 바카라사이트 right subjects for 바카라사이트 course 바카라사이트y want to apply for.¡±

For black and Asian applicants, 바카라사이트 study says 바카라사이트 barrier appeared to be in 바카라사이트 admissions process.

They were confident enough to apply to Russell Group universities, but were less likely to be offered places than similarly qualified white students ¨C

Dr Boliver said 바카라사이트re was a need to look ¡°more deeply¡± into what was happening.

¡°The findings of this study do suggest that 바카라사이트 admissions policies and practices of Russell Group universities unfairly disadvantage applicants from state schools and from certain ethnic minority backgrounds,¡± she said.

¡°I would urge all Russell Group universities to scrutinise 바카라사이트ir admissions policies and practices carefully for possible sources of bias.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com