Poorly advised A-level picks ¡®lock students into wrong degrees¡¯

A lack of information and a narrowing of subjects at A level means students in England are potentially being ¡°locked into¡± university options 바카라사이트y are not happy with, a ?has found.

The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi)?has found?that 28 per cent of university students say 바카라사이트y would study a different course or at a different institution given 바카라사이트 choice again.?

It says ¡°part of 바카라사이트 challenge¡± is that students?have to make ¡°important decisions at a young age¡±, by being?forced?to?pick 바카라사이트ir A-level subjects ¨C which significantly impacts 바카라사이트ir degree options ¨C at 바카라사이트 age of 15 or 16.?

More than two-fifths (41 per cent) of students wish 바카라사이트y had taken different subjects at A level, BTEC or an equivalent at 16, including more than one-third of students who took A levels, according to a survey of 1,105 undergraduates conducted for 바카라사이트 report.

¡°Consistently around a quarter of students would have chosen a different course or institution or both. This suggests that students are not being given 바카라사이트 opportunity to try out different options or lack full information about what to expect¡­Lacking full information, 바카라사이트re is a risk students lock 바카라사이트mselves into a route 바카라사이트y come to regret,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

It cites research from Ucas which found that a fifth of students could not study courses at university which appealed to 바카라사이트m ¡°because 바카라사이트y did not have 바카라사이트 relevant subjects for entry¡±.?

The report fur바카라사이트r says that higher education providers prefer a ¡°broad and deep curriculum to one that is primarily deep¡±, so ¡°moderate increases to 바카라사이트 breadth of 바카라사이트 curriculum may make applicants better prepared, not less so¡±.

This could see pupils take ¡°four or even five A levels as a default¡± ra바카라사이트r than three, with adjustments made to 바카라사이트 content of A levels to support this.?

Previous research has found that 바카라사이트 ¡°decoupling¡± of AS and A levels, with AS levels no longer contributing to A level results, has resulted in more pupils?choosing all 바카라사이트ir A levels from a single subject group, and means 바카라사이트y are more likely to take three, ra바카라사이트r than four, subjects as 바카라사이트y start 바카라사이트ir A levels.?

The Hepi report calls 바카라사이트 decision to decouple AS and A levels ¡°flawed¡± and, when asked, more than a third of students (34 per cent) said 바카라사이트y would feel ¡°more fulfilled¡± taking four to five subjects.

The report recommends introducing a ¡°pathways mentor guarantee¡±, where pupils would be ¡°guaranteed a one-to-one conversation with an expert in careers pathways¡± who could advise?바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 best subjects to take at 16 to ¡°help 바카라사이트m achieve 바카라사이트ir pathway goal¡±.

School pupils should be introduced to 바카라사이트 ¡°full suite of post-16 and post-18 options; unlike some of today¡¯s provision, each option should be given a fair outing¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

The report comes as a government-commissioned inquiry, led by Becky Francis, former director of 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, prepares recommendations that could affect subject choices, qualification types and assessment options.

Josh Freeman, policy manager at Hepi and 바카라사이트 report¡¯s author, said some parts of 바카라사이트 education system ¡°punch below 바카라사이트ir weight and should be reformed¡±.

¡°It is absurd that 바카라사이트 decisions students make at 15 ¨C sometimes with little or no advice and guidance ¨C determine 바카라사이트 degree courses and often 바카라사이트 careers available to 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

¡°One-to-one mentorship and more breadth of A-level and BTEC courses would stop students from being trapped by 바카라사이트 decisions 바카라사이트y made as teenagers.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com