Admissions Trends and BehavioursIan Blenkharn, Head of Admissions and Registry Services

Topics for discussion 2013 cycle so far Reflections on 2012 To ABB or not to ABB 2014 cycle Fees and Funding Fair access Contextual data Summary

2013 cycle so far… Total UCAS applications up 3.5% (15 Jan) Trend for later applications up to 15 January deadline – more research? International applications are up, as are mature student applications – although mature student applications were down considerably in 2012.

Source: UCAS

The Exeter picture

Huge increase in applications – Home/EU undergraduate applications currently up 29% (37% if you include applications to our new Medical School).

Increases across almost every subject area and across all campuses – in Exeter and in Cornwall.

Quality of applications also appears to be up. The increase in the number of AAA+/IB36+ students is ahead of our increase in applications.

Reflections on 2012

A ‘perfect storm’ for universities

Fall in application rates, fewer deferrals from 2011, tougher marking in A Levels

First year of new AAB+ controls – see later slides

Some advantages for students – more choice/capacity at Confirmation, Clearing and Adjustment. We saw much more movement of students in this period.

To ABB or not to ABB…. New student number controls introduced in 2012.

HEIs now able to recruit as many ‘high quality’ students as they like.

Definition of ‘high quality’ is ABB+ or equivalent – but there are plenty of exceptions. This has been relaxed from AAB+ in 2012.

Because of under-recruitment across the sector in 2012, HEFCE have been able to be more generous with their SNC allocations – good for fairness and transparency!

2014 cycle

Still going to be a lot of unknowns about 2014 entry.

Impact of UCAS reforms to application process?

Fee/funding levels won’t be agreed until close to the start of the recruitment cycle.

Could be further changes to student number control system – relaxation to BBB+?

Will there continue to be demand for places….?

Fees and Funding

No fees paid upfront, costs covered by a loan

Loans repaid at £21k earnings threshold

Real rate of interest – RPI plus up to 3%

Fees charged up to £9k (plus inflationary increase?)

Grant support available – income threshold of £42k

National Scholarships programme

Institutional scholarships/bursaries

Fair Access

Confusion between ‘Fair Access’ and ‘Widening

Participation’

Milburn’s Social Mobility Report – particular focus on

research intensive / selective institutions

Fair Access primarily focused on admissions and assessing

potential (Hoare, 2010)

Contextual Data

What is it?

Additional information to aid and support the decision

making process and improve inclusivity

Evidence based judgement

Applicants may not be treated in exactly the same way

as different factors maybe be considered, all applicants

are individuals with different backgrounds.

Educational Factors

School/college progression rates

School performance at GCSE

Progression from year 11 to FE

Average QCA points per qualification

Personal Factors

Disability

Ethnicity

Age/experience (eg Mature Students)

Socio-economic Factors

In receipt of free school meals

Living in a low progression neighbourhood

Socio-economic class IIM-VII

In care for longer than three months

Exeter’s use of contextual data

Very much focused on educational factors: See

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate/applications/policy/

Evidence-based approach, reviewed annually

Part of our holistic assessment of an applicant’s potential to

succeed

Questions…?