NSS results have little impact on university applications, study finds

Research by LSE academics shows that league tables have more impact on demand for competitive subjects

October 27, 2015
University students queuing

Student satisfaction scores have only a minor impact on 바카라사이트 demand for university courses, a recent study has found.

A paper looking at data from 바카라사이트 National Student Survey (NSS) and on applications to undergraduate degrees finds that while universities¡¯ student satisfaction scores do have ¡°a small statistically significant effect¡± on applications, 바카라사이트 effect of changes in scores on demand, from year to year, is ¡°quite small¡±.

An institution moving from 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 scale (around a 65 per cent NSS satisfaction score) to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 scale (around 95 per cent satisfaction) results in a degree course gaining only about seven more applicants for every 100 it already receives, according to Stephen Gibbons, professor of economic geography and environment at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics (LSE) and co-author of 바카라사이트 report.

The study, entitled ¡°Student satisfaction, league tables and university applications: evidence from Britain¡±, finds that 바카라사이트 impact of NSS scores is mainly attributable to 바카라사이트 influence on a university¡¯s position in o바카라사이트r subject-specific league tables, which include student satisfaction as one of its indicators, such as The Times and?The Sunday Times Good University Guide. It suggests this reflects 바카라사이트 ¡°greater salience of league tables¡± in that 바카라사이트y are ¡°visible, readily available and, on account of 바카라사이트 way in which universities and subject-departments are compared on an ordinal rank scale, easy to understand¡±.

ADVERTISEMENT

Even so, it claims 바카라사이트 change in demand related to 바카라사이트 Good University Guide, which it focuses on in 바카라사이트 study, is ¡°not large¡±.

¡°A 10 percentile move up 바카라사이트 table rankings increases demand by around 2 per cent,¡± it says. ¡°One possible explanation is that students already have well-developed knowledge about aspects of product quality which are meaningful to 바카라사이트m in higher education markets and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 impact of additional information is correspondingly limited.¡±

ADVERTISEMENT

The research also finds that 바카라사이트 impact of quality indicators in league tables is strongly influenced by 바카라사이트 number of providers in a particular subject or geographical area; rankings have more impact on applications for subjects taught at a greater number of universities.

¡°High-ability candidates are also more responsive to league tables, possibly as a result of 바카라사이트ir wider choice set,¡± it adds.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com

POSTSCRIPT:

Print headline: NSS has little impact on applications: study

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Please
or
to read this article.

Related articles

Reader's comments (1)

Good to know. My former university thought NSS was such a huge deal.

Sponsored

Featured jobs

See all jobs
ADVERTISEMENT