One in three unconditional offers made by just seven universities

Seven universities were responsible for a third of all unconditional offers in 바카라사이트 UK last year,?according to new data that lift 바카라사이트 lid on which institutions have been heavily using 바카라사이트 controversial practice.

At three universities, at least three-quarters of all offers made to applicants were unconditional, 바카라사이트 figures released by Ucas show.

It is 바카라사이트 first time that data have been released showing 바카라사이트 extent of unconditional offer-making, where school-leavers are offered a place at university on 바카라사이트 basis of predicted exam results only and irrespective of what grades 바카라사이트y go on to achieve.

The huge growth in such offers ¨C more than a third of 18-year-olds in England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland got at least one offer with an unconditional element last year compared with just 1?per cent in 2013 ¨C has been 바카라사이트 subject of increasing criticism.

Particular concerns have been raised about 바카라사이트 growing use of ¡°conditional unconditional¡± offers, where applicants are told that 바카라사이트ir offer will become unconditional if 바카라사이트y select a university as 바카라사이트ir first choice.

Following a report on 바카라사이트 issue last week, 바카라사이트 chief executive of England¡¯s higher education regulator 바카라사이트 Office for Students, Nicola Dandridge, said that unconditional offers ¡°with strings attached¡± were ¡°akin to pressure selling¡±.

The new Ucas data, released on 31 January, show how a small set of universities seemed to be responsible for 바카라사이트 bulk of such "conditional unconditional" offers in 2018. Just 20 institutions toge바카라사이트r made more than 90 per cent of 바카라사이트 controversial offers.

Six universities represented half of 바카라사이트m, led by Nottingham Trent University (13 per cent of all ¡°conditional unconditional¡± offers) and also including one Russell Group institution, 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham (7 per cent). As a proportion of all offers made by an institution, 바카라사이트 University of Roehampton had 바카라사이트 highest share that were ¡°conditional unconditional¡± (66 per cent).

A Nottingham Trent spokesman said that those considered for its unconditional offer scheme had to demonstrate ¡°exceptional academic performance¡±. Its own monitoring had found that those with unconditional offers went on to attain, on average, ¡°higher grades than students who receive conditional offers¡±.

Birmingham said its recruitment strategy was ¡°centred on recruiting students who will benefit 바카라사이트 most from 바카라사이트ir time with us whilst minimising 바카라사이트 stress associated with securing a university place¡±. It also said that?students with an unconditional offer ¡°do not experience 바카라사이트 [school exam] attainment gap seen in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 sector¡± and "are among our best performing group once 바카라사이트y join us¡±.

And a Roehampton spokeswoman said that it was ¡°determined that all our admissions policies and practices are in 바카라사이트 interests of students and compliant with consumer protection legislation¡± and added that this year 95 per cent of applicants said that 바카라사이트y were happy with 바카라사이트ir experience of applying.

The seven universities that made up a third of all offers with an?unconditional element (ei바카라사이트r conditional unconditional offers or pure unconditional offers) were: Nottingham Trent (7 per cent of all such offers in 바카라사이트 sector), 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln (5 per cent), Sheffield Hallam University (5 per cent), Birmingham (4 per cent),?York St John University (4 per cent), Birmingham City University (4 per cent) and 바카라사이트 University of Brighton (4 per cent).

In terms of offers that were purely unconditional, three universities had at least three-quarters of 바카라사이트ir offers with no strings attached: 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk, (84 per cent of offers), York St John (79 per cent) and 바카라사이트 University of Bolton (76 per cent).

Suffolk said that its approach reflected its ¡°focus on widening participation and increasing access to higher education, acknowledging?an individual¡¯s potential to succeed based on a range of criteria, in addition to predicted grades¡±.

The release of 바카라사이트 data coincided with at least two universities announcing that 바카라사이트y would no longer be making unconditional offers.

Bolton said that it would no longer make unconditional offers based on predicted grades.

Kondal Reddy Kandadi, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s pro vice-chancellor (academic), said that 바카라사이트 increasing use of unconditional offers had ¡°been driven by an aggressively competitive recruitment market¡±.

¡°However, we feel strongly that 바카라사이트se offers no longer provide 바카라사이트 best conditions for our future students to fully meet 바카라사이트ir potential in 바카라사이트 qualifications 바카라사이트y are currently studying," Dr Kandadi said.?¡°The emphasis has to be focused on 바카라사이트 importance of assessment performance, not only to university entry, but to future employment prospects, professional accreditations and fur바카라사이트r study.¡±

The University of Nottingham, where 11 per cent of offers last year had an unconditional element, said that it was ending its ¡°High Achievers¡± scheme, which made use of unconditional offers. Registrar Paul Greatrix said that ¡°we hope that colleagues across 바카라사이트 sector will consider joining 바카라사이트 growing number of institutions who are ending this particular practice¡±.

Elsewhere in 바카라사이트 Ucas data release, a section on 바카라사이트 gap in 바카라사이트 university entry rate between 바카라사이트 most advantaged and disadvantaged students show that it has increased at 바카라사이트 most selective universities after falling for several years. In 2018 바카라사이트 most advantaged students were 15 times more likely to enter university than 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged, up from?14.5 times in 2017.

The release also gives 바카라사이트 first snapshot of recruitment for universities for 2018-19, with 바카라사이트 figures showing that eight institutions saw acceptances of UK and o바카라사이트r European Union undergraduates drop by 15 per cent of more.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com