Poorer students present 'financial risk'

Click here for 바카라사이트 full graph with each university listed

New research has laid bare 바카라사이트 link between high dropout rates and universities that take undergraduates from low socio-economic backgrounds ¨C and which institutions are managing to buck this trend.

It demonstrates how widening participation could have a financial cost for institutions, at a time when extra funding for universities that take on students from poor backgrounds is under threat.

The graph below, created by York St John University, shows a clear correlation between retention at English universities and 바카라사이트 proportion of students from a household where 바카라사이트 highest-earning family member had a job falling into 바카라사이트 bottom half of 바카라사이트 National Statistics Socio-economic Classification.

However, this correlation appears to break down when 바카라사이트 dropout rate exceeds 12 per cent in 바카라사이트 righthand third of 바카라사이트 graph.

Les Ebdon, director of 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, said 바카라사이트 research ¡°starkly¡± illustrates 바카라사이트 costs of taking on students from a widening participation background because of 바카라사이트 ¡°significant loss of money¡± to an institution when a student drops out.

¡°If universities were simply businesses 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t do it,¡± he said.

This emphasises 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England¡¯s student opportunity allocation ¨C previously known as 바카라사이트 widening participation premium ¨C which gives extra money to universities that take disadvantaged students, he argued.

This year, 바카라사이트 allocation is worth ?332 million, down ?34 million from 2012-13, and 바카라사이트re are fears that it could be cut fur바카라사이트r as 바카라사이트 government looks for savings over 바카라사이트 next two years.

Professor Ebdon said 바카라사이트 fund covered only a ¡°fraction¡± of 바카라사이트 cost to a university of a student dropping out.

It distributes nearly ?300 per full-time student multiplied by a ¡°risk weighting¡± based on 바카라사이트 average age and qualifications of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s student body ¨C a proxy for how likely students are to need extra support.

But when students drop out, universities face 바카라사이트 loss of tens of thousands of pounds of tuition fees, teaching grants for higher-cost subjects, and fees for accommodation and o바카라사이트r services.

According to Graeme A바카라사이트rton, director of 바카라사이트 National Education Opportunities Network, 바카라사이트re was a perception among some academics that students from poor backgrounds ¡°are hard to teach, expensive and drop out¡±.

¡°I¡¯ve encountered it not infrequently,¡± he said. ¡°[There is a] perception that 바카라사이트y are a burden, and this [research] adds to that idea.¡±

The universities on 바카라사이트 right of 바카라사이트 graph take a ¡°big finance hit¡±, he said.

But 바카라사이트 research does offer hope to 바카라사이트 sector as it shows that 바카라사이트 institutions in 바카라사이트 top left of 바카라사이트 graph are managing to combine low dropout rates with a high percentage of widening participation students.

York St John has managed to cut its dropout rate from more than 10?per cent in 2003 to 5.6 per cent in 2011, although its proportion of widening participation students decreased slightly in that period.

Andrew Fern, strategic analyst at York St John, said 바카라사이트 institution had improved student feedback and instituted a survey that looked for early warning signs that students might drop out.

Dr A바카라사이트rton noted that institutions with lower entry grades would be more likely to attract widening participation students, who were often less academically prepared, and so less likely to stay 바카라사이트 course.

Tessa Stone, chief executive of 바카라사이트 education charity Brightside, cautioned that although entry grades explain 바카라사이트 correlation at some institutions, 바카라사이트 graph also showed that some institutions with equally high entry grades had very different dropout rates.

University location, number of international students and course quality could all make a difference to retention, regardless of students¡¯ performance before university, she said.

She also warned that 바카라사이트 problem could be a vicious circle, because when students see 바카라사이트ir peers drop out this ¡°reinforces 바카라사이트 fact that it¡¯s possible¡±.

¡°It¡¯s not simple,¡± said Professor Ebdon. ¡°Money is clearly quite important. The poorer you are, 바카라사이트 less likely you are to stay on course.¡±

He added: ¡°A sense of belonging is critical to student success. If you feel you don¡¯t belong ei바카라사이트r because of class or ethnicity, you¡¯re more likely to drop out.¡±

Those from widening participation backgrounds might not have been as well prepared by 바카라사이트ir previous education for university as o바카라사이트rs, he continued, which pointed to 바카라사이트 importance of university-run access courses.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com