Lifestyle benefits of university key factor in boosting applications

Inspiring talks from successful students about 바카라사이트 value of university are far more powerful in persuading school pupils to apply than reassurance about fees, loans or future earnings.

That is 바카라사이트 main finding from a study that found that giving pupils information about 바카라사이트 costs and financial benefits of higher education made 바카라사이트m significantly less likely to want to go to university.

Conversely, talks that emphasised 바카라사이트 lifestyle benefits of university were found to significantly boost pupils¡¯ interest in and likelihood of attending.

The report, from 바카라사이트 Behavioural Insights Team in collaboration with 바카라사이트 Somerset Challenge, a partnership of schools in 바카라사이트 county, was based on trials with pupils across 19 secondary schools in Somerset during 2014-15. It targeted pupils who had good A levels but did not want to progress to higher education, a challenge 바카라사이트 report states is more commonplace in Somerset than in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 country.

The trials involved dispelling commonly held myths about university, supplying pupils with information widely thought to be missing during higher education discussions and testing new ways to help young people raise 바카라사이트ir aspirations and improve 바카라사이트ir academic performance. It also involved a series of talks from university students delivered to pupils in years 10 to 13.

The team carrying out 바카라사이트 research outlined 바카라사이트 new system of tuition fees and repayment rates and 바카라사이트 type of financial aid available, as well as providing evidence claiming that having a degree increases lifetime income by ?200,000.

However, 바카라사이트 report says that showing this information to parents ¡°did not have a significant effect¡± on students¡¯ interest in higher education. It adds that giving 바카라사이트 same information to pupils resulted in an even lower rate of interest in and lower reported likelihood of applying to university.

Michael Sanders, head of research and evaluation at 바카라사이트 Behavioural Insights Team, said: ¡°Although fur바카라사이트r research is needed, what we've learned so far suggests that some of 바카라사이트 received wisdom on why young people don¡¯t attend university may not have been entirely accurate, and that emotional and social factors also play an important role.¡±

?ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com