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Working-class students put at a disadvantage by university admissions system, report finds

THE university admissions system puts working-class students at a disadvantage and most who applied for a degree place this year want it reformed, according to a report published today.

The Sutton Trust, which is committed to giving all young people the best chances to succeed in life and work, found that students from lower-income backgrounds were more likely to seek entry to a more selective university if they already had their final A-level grades when deciding which institutions to apply to.

A survey of more than 500 university applicants aged 17 to 19 found that two-thirds want the present system, which is based on predicted grades, to be replaced by what is known as post-qualification application (PQA).

The trust said that the situation had been worsened by the use of coursework, rather than exams, as the basis for determining students’ grades.

It argued that “major flaws with the current system” had been exposed by this year’s admissions crisis, which saw students apply with grades predicted by their teachers – the vast majority of which proved incorrect.

Previous Sutton Trust research has confirmed that high-attaining students from lower-income homes are more likely to have their grades under-predicted, with almost 1,000 students affected every year.

Trust founder and chairman Sir Peter Lampl said: “The utter chaos of this year’s university admissions exposed major flaws with the system that are due principally to our reliance on predicted grades.

“Two-thirds of young people support post-qualifications applications (PQA), which allows both them and universities to make decisions based on actual grades.

“PQA would benefit high-achieving low-income students, as their grades are often under-predicted.” 

The University and College Union (UCU) welcomed the research, saying that it added to the “weight of evidence” in favour of a post-qualification university-admissions system.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “The current admissions system is not fit for purpose. 

“This report shows students are receiving university offers according to inaccurately predicted results, with students from more affluent backgrounds more likely to gain a place at their preferred university than their less affluent peers.

“Allowing students to apply after they receive their results will help level the playing field, remove the problems associated with unconditional offers and end the chaotic clearing scramble.”

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