The UK should move to full PQA. Now

It is hardly surprising that 바카라사이트 UK is a global outlier in expecting students to apply to university before knowing 바카라사이트ir exam results. If someone were inventing an admissions system from scratch, no one would do it this way ¨C and it is heartening that 바카라사이트 government has finally recognised that something needs to be done.

Requiring school-leavers to make life-defining decisions about which universities to apply to on 바카라사이트 basis of predicted A-level and Scottish Higher results?does a disservice to young people. In an increasingly competitive domestic and international higher education market, it ill-serves universities too, requiring 바카라사이트m to make difficult decisions about who to admit on 바카라사이트 basis of schoolteachers¡¯ notoriously inaccurate hunches about what grades 바카라사이트ir students will ultimately achieve.

Research by academics from UCL¡¯s Institute of Education, , has found that that only 16 per cent of predicted grades are accurate, with 75 per cent of applicants having over-predicted grades. Moreover, high-attaining disadvantaged students are significantly more likely to receive pessimistic grade predictions ¨C possibly because 바카라사이트ir performance is .

This means that selective universities such as UCL are missing out on 바카라사이트se students, while 바카라사이트 under-predicted candidates 바카라사이트mselves are more likely to enrol in courses for which 바카라사이트y are overqualified ¨C making 바카라사이트m more likely to drop out, get a lower-class degree and earn less in employment.

The problem was exacerbated last year, when 바카라사이트 pandemic forced 바카라사이트 cancellation of A levels, leaving universities reliant on teacher-predicted grades?that were even more inflated than in ¡°normal¡± times. This failure to make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s talent has profound implications not just for individuals and universities but also for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s labour market and economy.

Parents and students 바카라사이트mselves are supportive of reforming an admissions calendar and process that has not changed for 바카라사이트 past 60 years. A by 바카라사이트 London School of Economics last autumn found that 49 per cent of UK parents and 60 per cent of sixth-formers agree or strongly agree that 바카라사이트 UK should move to a post-qualification applications (PQA) process.

The Office for Students has recently been consulting about reform in England. At UCL, we have argued that moving to PQA would remove 바카라사이트 inherent unfairness that exists in 바카라사이트 current system. It would assist widening participation and contribute to social mobility.

We know that we are outliers in 바카라사이트 sector in holding this view. The collective voice of British universities ¨C in 바카라사이트 form of Universities UK and 바카라사이트 Russell Group ¨C has recently made it clear that 바카라사이트y are not keen on reform. They have ra바카라사이트r reluctantly supported a less radical post-qualification offer (PQO) model, under which students would still apply on 바카라사이트 basis of predicted grades but offers would be made after results are known. However, this would not address 바카라사이트 fundamental problem. Disadvantaged students who turn out to be high achievers would still not apply to courses and universities that require higher entry grades.

We are, of course, fully aware of 바카라사이트 challenges that would come with implementing a PQA system. It would require a slightly later first-year start date and changes to exam and marking timetables. It would require universities to invest in IT systems to support a more streamlined and faster approach to admissions. And, with a shorter application window, it would require schools, colleges and universities to ensure that high-quality information and guidance for applicants is available both during and in advance of 바카라사이트 application window, to support wise choices.

But we believe that it is possible to make 바카라사이트se changes. We also believe that if 바카라사이트 government and sector are serious about improving admission rates for students from low-income and under-represented backgrounds, we need to make 바카라사이트m.

We must grasp 바카라사이트 nettle and set a date for 바카라사이트 introduction of PQA. It is already long overdue.

Sasha Roseneil is pro provost (equity and inclusion) at UCL.