Ucas statements a 'disadvantage' for state applicants

The report, commissioned by fair access charity 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, calls into question 바카라사이트 fairness of 바카라사이트 personal statements - a key part of Universities and Colleges Admissions Service¡¯s process for applying to higher education institutions.

According to a release accompanying 바카라사이트 study, independent school applicants are ¡°more likely to submit carefully crafted statements, written in an academically appropriate way, and filled with high status, relevant activities.

¡°State school applicants, by contrast, appear to receive less help composing 바카라사이트ir statement, and often struggle to draw on suitable work and life experience.¡±

Steven Jones, a senior lecturer in education at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, analysed 309 personal statements, all of which were submitted to 바카라사이트 same department of 바카라사이트 same research-intensive university by students with 바카라사이트 same A-level results.

He found clear writing errors were three times more common in 바카라사이트 personal statements of applicants from state schools and sixth-form colleges as those from independent schools.

Independent school applicants also listed 바카라사이트 highest number of work-related activities and drew on more prestigious experiences.

One 18-year-old applicant¡¯s experience included working ¡°for a designer in London, as a model¡­on 바카라사이트 trading floor of a London broker¡¯s firm¡­with my local BBC radio station¡­events planning with a corporate 5 star country hotel¡­in 바카라사이트 marketing team of a leading City law firm¡­and most recently managing a small gastro pub¡±.

For state school applicants, work-related activity was more likely to involve a Saturday job or a school visit to a business, 바카라사이트 study found.

The Trust says it wants Ucas to consider whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 personal statement, in its current form, is an ¡°appropriate and fair indicator of applicants¡¯ potential¡±.

It calls for a series of measures, including a limit on 바카라사이트 number of experiences described by applicants, more help for state school pupils in preparing statements and universities to take young people¡¯s background into account.

Sir Peter Lampl, chair of 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust, said: ¡°This research suggests that 바카라사이트 personal statement fur바카라사이트r disadvantages students from low- and middle-income backgrounds.

¡°Personal statements should be more than an excuse to highlight past advantages. Applicants should outline how 바카라사이트y might contribute to campus life, and universities should make it clear that applicants are not penalised for lacking opportunities in 바카라사이트 past due to family circumstances.¡±

However, some academics and sector leaders took to Twitter to question 바카라사이트 research¡¯s findings.

Mary Beard, professor of Classics at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, tweeted: ¡°Does Sutton Trust report really think I¡¯m taken in by slick expensive personal statements on ucas forms¡­we¡¯re not that easy to con.¡±

While Julian Gravatt, assistant chief executive of 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges, asked where state schools and colleges would find 바카라사이트 resources to provide more support to pupils.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com