Matching applicants to the best courses - UCAS Entry Profiles and feedback to

students

Geoff Ramshaw

Policy Executive

Policy and Communications Department

How can UCAS support student retention?

• Try to ensure they are on the course that is right for them – provide good data on ‘student experience’

• ‘The right courses for the right students’

Enquiry stage: Match applicant interests to courses available

Application stage: Help applicants apply for right courses and provide the right information abut themselves.

Decision stage: Help universities and colleges provide good feedback which might guide further applications

Matching applicants to the best courses

• Try to ensure they are on the course that is right for them

Enquiry stage: Provide rich information on courses via Entry Profiles

(EPs) - with links to National Student Survey

Promote interoperability of EPs (DELIA)

Application stage: Apply and Track

Personal statement – role of e-portfolios? ?

Decision stage: Improved feedback to applicants (EFIFA)

Plan to return feedback via Track

UCAS Entry Profiles – semi-structured information

UCAS Entry Profiles – semi-structured information

DELIA Supported by

• Support improved matching of applicants to courses

• Assist with subsequent effect on retention

• Scope and demonstrate electronic services that would make Entry Profiles work - improving processes for admissions staff

Led by Centre for International e-Portfolio Development, University of Nottingham

Demonstrating Enhanced Learner Information for Admissions

DELIA: Solution – publish and subscribe• Publish and subscribe relationship exists between the originator

and consumer of the entry profile• Two-server solution• Originator and consumer each runs one publishing and one

subscription server• XCRI as data transfer schema

EP

sto

re

HEI server

Publisher service

Subscription service

EP

sto

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UCAS server

Publisher service

Subscription service

http://research.ucas.com/delia/Index.jsp

• To investigate the provision of high-quality feedback to applicants on their application to Higher Education: beyond what will be available for 2009 entry;

without placing an additional administrative burden on institutions.

• To consider the transferability of any system developed to other contexts, including: Further Education admissions;

postgraduate admissions; use by employers in providing feedback to job applicants.

EFIFA Supported by

Effective Feedback to Improve Fair Admissions

EFIFA Why?

• To demonstrate how to improve fairness in admissions to Higher Education through provision of effective feedback to a range of applicants.

• To review existing mechanisms, primarily the system in place for 2009 entry UCAS applications.

• To stimulate reflection on current practice, and change towards improved practice across the sector

EFIFA How?

• Gather needs and investigate current practice with HEIs, schools and applicants.

• Produce a technical model for the existing process.

• Develop revised business processes to include the provision of feedback, according to the SPA Statement of Good Practice.

• Produce a technical model for the enhanced processes.

• Produce a demonstrator to allow evaluation of enhanced processes.

• Evaluate the efficiency and fairness of the revised processes using the demonstrator.

EFIFA Demonstrator http://research.ucas.com/efifa/Index.jsp

EFIFA project website is at: http://www.efifa.co.uk//

Institution / User Host System Dummy Applicant

Makes Application

Application Database

Updates Application Database

Reads Application

Make Decision

Adds Feedback

Updates Application Database

NO

Views Decision

YES

Pre-Defined Text Database

YES

Codes Exists

Expected Text YES

Error Message NO

Select by Code

NO

Add Free Text

YES

NO

Add Free Text

YES

NO

Decision Already made

NO

YES

Sufficient Feedback

End Application

YES

Start Application

Trigger

Application awaiting Decision OR Feedback

requested

Request Feedback

NO

Replies directly to Applicant

YES

NO

Replies directly to Applicant YES

NO

Create email

• Standardised, predefined responses and individualised responses

• Institution, Faculty, Course level

• Multiple predefined responses can be selected

• Feedback at any stage in the application

• Encourages good practice

• Shows an extensible and transferable feedback method

Learner journey: Interest-engagement-enrolment-study

How can we best combine rich information on courses with

individual applicant feedback, to promote student retention ?

Teaching MethodsThe emphasis at Bristol is on how to 'do' accounting, economics, finance and management. We not only teach the principles of the subjects, but also place a great deal of emphasis on how to handle facts and statistics properly, and how to use them in conjunction with the principles in practical situations. To these ends, we provide some basic instruction in computing and then offer extensive experience in the use of computers to solve economic and accounting problems (we have excellent computer laboratories in which you can work).

You will be taught in lectures (typically of around 100 students for core units and less for options, although first year core Economics units have about 300 students), exercise lectures (where groups of about 15 students work through exercises with a member of staff), and classes (around 15 students). In total your compulsory contact hours will be about nine to fifteen hours per week, but this varies with options chosen. You will also do some work via the internet, and will be expected to spend a considerable amount of time working independently outside of lectures and classes.

The balance between lectures and classes varies from unit to unit, but every unit will offer you the opportunity to meet a member of staff in a relatively small group to discuss your work on a regular basis. In addition, you will have a personal tutor with whom you can discuss your academic progress and any other concerns.

Students are represented at departmental meetings and staff-student consultative committees.

What skills, qualities, and experience do I need?• You'll need to demonstrate an interest in and commitment to the subject. Do you have a

keen interest in current affairs (particularly economic and political issues)? Have you tried to find out more about the subject by reading any relevant texts? What aspects of the subject are you particularly interested in? Please note that Economics A Level is not a requirement.

• Our degree programmes place an emphasis on the importance of mathematical and statistical methods in modern economics. We require A Level Mathematics or Pure Mathematics at grade A

• We will want to see that you have skills in the humanities as well as a strong mathematical ability. We are unlikely to make you an offer if you are studying Maths, Further Maths and only one other subject, especially if that subject is a science and your GCSEs are weak in the humanities. We do not accept A Level General Studies or Critical Thinking.

• In order to succeed on the course you will need to be able to think clearly. Do you enjoy thinking of potential solutions to problems? Are you willing to see things from different perspectives, and not just look for an easy answer?

• You'll need to be prepared to work independently, but will also need to work well with other students in classes.

• Do you have excellent written English skills? These can be usefully demonstrated by your personal statement.

• We're also interested to hear about your non-academic achievement and experience, any extracurricular activities, voluntary and paid work, and positions of responsibility. What skills have you gained by these activities? How have you contributed to your community?

EFIFA examples

EFIFA examples

What the students say