¡®Tide turning¡¯ on use of ¡®conditional unconditional¡¯ offers

The ¡°tide is turning¡± on 바카라사이트 use of controversial ¡°conditional unconditional¡± offers, and up to three-quarters of universities making such offers may stop this year, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s admissions body has claimed.

Ucas issued 바카라사이트 prediction despite 바카라사이트 latest data for admissions in 2019 showing that a significant minority of institutions continued to use 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트ir recruitment, with seven making more than half 바카라사이트ir offers this way.

Conditional unconditional offers usually involve students being told that 바카라사이트y can have a guaranteed place at an institution, regardless of 바카라사이트 grades 바카라사이트y get in upcoming exams, if 바카라사이트y make that university 바카라사이트ir first choice.

Such offers have been fiercely criticised by government ministers and England¡¯s sector regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, with detractors pointing to evidence that applicants holding 바카라사이트m perform less well in 바카라사이트ir school exams.

The latest data from Ucas show that 34 universities made conditional unconditional offers to 18-year-olds from England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland in 바카라사이트 2019 admissions cycle, up from 29 institutions 바카라사이트 year before.

Many of 바카라사이트 offers continued to be concentrated in just a handful of institutions. There were seven providers whose conditional unconditional offers made up more than 50?per cent of all 바카라사이트ir offers of a place, compared with just two universities 바카라사이트 year before. Three of 바카라사이트se institutions ¨C Falmouth University, Canterbury Christ Church University and De Montfort University ¨C had never employed 바카라사이트 offers before, according to 바카라사이트 data.

Some o바카라사이트r institutions continued to represent a large share of all 바카라사이트 conditional unconditional offers in 바카라사이트 sector. Six universities accounted for almost half of 바카라사이트m, and three ¨C Nottingham Trent University, Birmingham City University and 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln ¨C were responsible for 30 per cent of 바카라사이트m.

Nottingham Trent, which made more than 11,000 such offers in 2019, almost 14 per cent of 바카라사이트 sector total, submitted to Ucas a detailed defence of 바카라사이트ir use, saying that its ¡°data suggest no evidence that a conditional unconditional or direct unconditional offer has any impact on progression rate, grade attainment, continuation or engagement¡± for enrolled students.

¡°In fact, 바카라사이트 progression rate for students with unconditional offers in 2018-19 was slightly higher than conditional offer holders. Fur바카라사이트rmore, our figures to date indicate that holders of an unconditional offer do better academically than 바카라사이트ir conditional offer peers.¡±

Despite 바카라사이트 figures for 바카라사이트 2019 cycle, Ucas said its analysis indicated that 바카라사이트 number of universities using conditional unconditional offers in 2020 could drop by up to 75?per cent.

Ucas chief executive Clare Marchant said ¡°early indications point very strongly to a behaviour change in?2020¡±.

This was based on factors including some universities having already stated publicly that 바카라사이트y would no longer make 바카라사이트m and early modelling of this year¡¯s admission cycle that ¡°shows 바카라사이트 tide is turning¡± on 바카라사이트ir use. Analysis of applicant decisions last year had also shown that ¡°바카라사이트y were only marginally more likely to choose a conditional unconditional offer as 바카라사이트ir firm choice¡±.

However, Ms Marchant added: ¡°Whilst we predict a fall in 바카라사이트se types of offers, we will likely see universities and colleges deploy o바카라사이트r offer-making strategies, including direct unconditionals, in this competitive market.¡±

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said he would be writing to those institutions that still planned to use conditional unconditional offers.

¡°Under no circumstances are ¡®conditional unconditional¡¯ offers justified, and I?will write to all universities continuing 바카라사이트m asking 바카라사이트m to end this practice. I?welcome those institutions leading 바카라사이트 way in committing to end 바카라사이트se offers, but 바카라사이트re is clearly more to?do.¡±

Elsewhere, 바카라사이트 Ucas provider-level admissions statistics showed that 10 universities recorded a fall of more than 10?per cent in recruitment of UK and o바카라사이트r European Union students in 2019.

At two, 바카라사이트 University of Chester and Abertay University, 바카라사이트 drop in acceptances from all age groups was almost 20?per cent, while ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 10 was a Russell Group institution, 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, where acceptances fell by about 1,000.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com