Cornwall HE Advisers’ Day

Fair Admissions in a Competitive Environment

Liz Murphy, Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions

University of Exeter

Setting the context – some recent news

University budgets slashed by £449 mill in 2010/11

Freeze on UG places? Cut of 6,000 places?

Last year 160,000 applicants were unplaced

This year applications up around 20% (80,000+)?

Further threats of fines for over-recruitment

What does this mean?

Diversity of intake = less reliance on Gov’t funding

Elite universities may grow International and PG markets

Growth in UG most likely to be curtailed in elite universities

Competition for places most concentrated in elite universities

Universities are constrained by threats of financial penalty

Supply and demand – entry requirements will rise

Admissions at Exeter Fully centralised system - Criteria agreed with academics

- Includes ‘typical offer-range’ additional criteria and personal statement

• All applications considered on individual merit- Contextual info and extenuating circumstances

- School performance?

Pressures on quality and quantity of applications- Gathered field

- May reject even within the typical offer range

- Pressures on offer for deferred entry

Competition for places Psychology 6 applicants per place

Business 7 applicants per place

English 7 applicants per place

History 9 applicants per place

Politics 9 applicants per place

FCH 10 applicants per place

English at Exeter (Streatham)

AAA – AAB or equivalent (in practice all offers made at top)

1529 applications for 226 places

Seeking to make 820 offers (3.6 offers for one place)

1090 (72%) at AAA or higher

270+ AAA students will be unsuccesful

SO…..

No preference for A* or more than 3 As

GCSE’s – preference to A/A* English Lang and Lit – plus others?

Enthusiasm for subject/Personal Statement/Reference

Other contextual factors – eg illness or school performance?

May make alternative offer – different course or campus?

Questions?

Clarity of criteria – prospectus vs web

How else should we filter for competitive subjects -

- Preferred/non preferred subjects?- Additional A2s (or equivalent)?

Delayed response for gathered field –applicants’ view?

Feedback to applicants?