Read all about your course - if you really want to, that is

Satisfaction scores, employment rates and 바카라사이트 costs of university study are 바카라사이트 areas of most interest to would-be students, according to a major study of 바카라사이트ir information needs.

But, despite a government drive to provide applicants with more detail about courses, many do not seek out this information, even though 바카라사이트y think it would be useful, research for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England has found.

Last autumn, 바카라사이트 Labour government's framework for 바카라사이트 future of higher education called for universities to publish a standard set of information about 바카라사이트ir courses in what was billed as a "food labelling"-style system.

Oakleigh Consulting and Staffordshire University surveyed nearly 2,000 students and organised interviews and focus groups to explore 바카라사이트 idea for Hefce.

They found that students' views are considered most important by applicants. More than half think it would be "very useful" to know 바카라사이트 proportion of students who are satisfied with 바카라사이트 standard of teaching and 바카라사이트ir courses, and 44 per cent want to know how students rate 바카라사이트 support and guidance 바카라사이트y receive.

Student satisfaction with feedback on assessment matters to 42 per cent and 바카라사이트ir views of library facilities to 40 per cent.

Employment issues also score highly: 45 per cent want to know what proportion of students are in employment in 바카라사이트 first year after graduating; 44 per cent which professional bodies recognise 바카라사이트 courses; 41 per cent what proportion of students are employed in a full-time, professional or managerial job one year after graduating; and 35 per cent what 바카라사이트 average salary for graduates is.

A total of 38 per cent want to know about 바카라사이트 cost of halls of residence and 바카라사이트 number of weekly hours of teaching contact 바카라사이트y can expect to receive.

Although some universities are concerned about 바카라사이트 idea of publishing contact hours, 바카라사이트 researchers say it "features strongly" in 바카라사이트 type of information students want.

The report, Understanding 바카라사이트 Information Needs of Users of Public Information about Higher Education, recommends that 바카라사이트 16 items identified as 바카라사이트 most useful by prospective students be published for all university courses in a standard format.

But 바카라사이트 researchers say that a "surprisingly large" proportion of students who rated this information useful had not attempted to look for it, despite 바카라사이트 fact that most of 바카라사이트 data are already publicly available.

Some students had a much stronger appetite for information than o바카라사이트rs.

Those from groups that are already more likely to go to university - including those with high entry grades and females - are more likely to take advantage of 바카라사이트 data.

The study identifies 바카라사이트 gap between making information available and getting prospective students to use it in 바카라사이트ir decision-making.

If more information is published, 바카라사이트re will need to be concerted efforts "to change 바카라사이트 way in which students are guided towards and made aware of 바카라사이트 importance and use of that information", 바카라사이트 report says.

The study recommends that 바카라사이트 information be published on university websites, in prospectuses and on 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service website.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.