Academic excellence for business and the professions

Admissions Talk

29th June 2013

• You may wish to sit near the front as the

presentation contains screenshots of actual

UCAS forms which may not be clear if you sit

at the back.

• We hope you enjoy the talk.

3

Richard Broom

Undergraduate Admissions Office

Admissions – A Basic

Guide

▪ Confirmation and Clearing

▪ Statistics – Annual Cycle

▪ Three applicants

▪ Decision process

▪ Qualifications and offers

▪ Applying through UCAS 1

2

3

4

5

6

UCAS –Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

National Application System – Includes GTTR and CUKAS Web-based course search and applications system Applications to all full-time courses in UK inc Year 2 and deferrals Facebook discussion groups and videos

Apply via the web through your school or as an individual Enter educational qualifications, work background, personal statement and reference Track your application Choose up to five universities See Decisions Make Replies

UCAS Form

• Accurate and complete

• Update when details change

• Read contextual help

• Passport nationality

• Invisibility of choices

• Email address

Qualifications page

•Include unit/subject grades where available

•Don’t try to translate other quals into A levels

•Don’t skip the section – it’s probably the most important page!

Personal Statement

Similarity Detection - Plagiarism reports

A bit of preparation ……

Scan your GCSEs Non-Standard Qualifications Get translations English tests Passports/Home Office documents

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Sep Nov Dec July

UCAS TIMETABLE ON-TIME, ‘LATE’ AND

EXTRA

2015 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Sep Nov Dec July

September – UCAS cycle opens

15th Jan Initial closing date

31st March Institutions ‘aim’ to have decisions

8th May Applicants reply until first DBD

9th May Reject by Default

6th June Main DBD

2015 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Sep Nov Dec July

16th January Late applications start

30th June deadline for ‘late’ applications

Universities consider until 18th July RBD

25th July Last DBD

2015 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Sep Nov Dec July

25th February Extra starts

3rd July Last Extra Referral

Everything else is held for Clearing

• Potential applicant finds a course

• Registers online with UCAS Apply

• Completes entire form and pays

• Forms received by School / College & reference added

• School / College sends form to UCAS

• UCAS sends form out to HEIs

• HEIs make decisions (offers or unsuccessful)

• Applicant views decisions on Track

• Applicant decides what offers to accept

• HEIs confirm place when exam results known

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Qualifications and Offers

Entry Qualifications

• A/AS Levels

• International Baccalaureate

• BTEC National Diploma

• Access Courses

• International Foundation Courses

• EU Qualifications

• Overseas Qualifications

• Other e.g. Professional

Preparation and Potential

Monitor progression over time

Adapt offers accordingly

UCAS Tariff, Grades and Offer Making

• Points system used to report achievement in numerical format

• Attempts to establish comparability across different types of qualifications and for applicants with different volumes of achievement

• Grades vs Tariff Not all Universities or courses use the tariff in offers Many use a combination

• Inherent flaws in tariff structure and methodology

UCAS Tariff – Main Qualifications

GCE/VCE A level A* = 140 A = 120 B = 100 C = 80 D = 60 E = 40 GCE/VCE AS Points A = 60 B = 50 C = 40 D = 30 E = 20

Example:

A level Maths A = 120

A level Physics B = 100

A level Art C = 80

Total = 300

UCAS Tariff – Main Qualifications BTEC

Example:

BTEC Cert in IT DD = 240

BTEC Award M = 80

Total = 320

Framing offers? BA Taxidermy

Standard offer BBB or 300 Tariff

ABB

BBB

ABC

AAD

CCCC

320 Tariff

300 Tariff

300 Tariff

300 Tariff

320 Tariff

!!BTEC ND 300

does not exist

!! IB starts at 260

!! ILC has own

points

NARIC and International Qualifications

Entry Qualifications

Business Mathematics

Radiography Informatics

Decision Process

Three Applicants

Decisions and Replies (i)

• Unconditional- No further academic requirements (but qualifications have to be proven)

• Conditional – Offer based upon academic conditions to be achieved

• Reject – Unsuccessful application

• Withdrawal – Applicant did not attend interview/provide work etc

• Interview Decision – Only used in Nursing so far

Decisions and Replies (ii)

• A maximum of 2 offers may be held after the final decision has been received

• There are three replies that can be made

F = Firm Acceptance

I = Insurance Acceptance

D = Decline

• If an Unconditional Offer is accepted firmly then no other offers may be held - applicant is then UF and considered placed

UCAS Speak

•UF Unconditional Firm •UI Unconditional Insurance •UD Unconditional Decline •U Unconditional No Response •CF Conditional Firm •CI Conditional Insurance •CD Conditional Decline •C Conditional No Response •R Reject •W Withdrawn •OD Outstanding Decision

BRUNEL

CITY

LON MET

UCL

WARWICK

Conditional ABB

Conditional AAB

Conditional CCC

Reject

Conditional BBB

Decline

Firm

Insurance

-

Decline

CD

CF

CI

-

CD

Applicant 1 Nadia

Applicant 2 Jennifer

CITY

HERTS

MIDDX

SUSSEX

QM

Conditional BTEC DDM

Conditional BTEC MMM

Unconditional for HND

Conditional BTEC MMM

Conditional BTEC DDD

Firm

Decline

Insurance

Decline

Decline

CF

CD

UI

CD

CD

Applicant 3 Dave

ASTON

BATH

ESSEX

KINGS

WEST

Conditional BBB ex Gen

Studies

Reject

Conditional 280 inc B in

Maths ex Gen St

Reject

Conditional 280 inc C in

Maths

Firm

-

Decline

-

Insurance

CF

-

CD

CI

Statistics 2013 - Activity timeline

Statistics 2013 - Activity timeline

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Nov Jan March May July Sept

Apps

Decisions

Replies Results

23075 Apps

9297 Offers

3031 Firm 1676 Insurance

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

Demographic UK Applicants

Demographic Top 100 Feeder Schools

Global Picture

Applicant Progress - September 0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

0

50

100

150

200

250

UF UI UD U CF CI CD C

Applicant progress - December

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

UF UI UD U CF CI CD C

Applicant progress January

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

UF UI UD U CF CI CD C

Applicant progress – April

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

UF UI UD U CF CI CD C

Applicant progress - June

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

UF UI UD U CF CI CD C

Confirmation and Clearing

45

Confirmation and Clearing

• Confirmation is the point of the year when

the applicant attains or not, as the case

may be, the conditions set out for them by

the University

Confirmation and Clearing

Clearing is the last opportunity for applicants not holding a place to match themselves with universities offering vacancies

Application Cycle

Polish Matura/French Bac – June/July

All India Year 12 - May

BTEC/International Bac - July

A levels –mid August

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Nov Jan March May July Sept

Confirmation – Exam Results Day

Receive Exam Results

Place Confirmed

Adjustment

Clearing

Change of Course

Applicant 1 Nadia

BRUNEL

CITY

LON MET

UCL

WARWICK

Conditional ABB

Conditional AAB

Conditional CCC

Reject

Conditional BBB

Decline

Firm

Insurance

-

Decline

CD

CI

-

CD

Nadia got AAB

UF

-so became UF at City

CF

Applicant 2 Jennifer

CITY

HERTS

MIDDX

SUSSEX

QM

Conditional BTEC DDM

Conditional BTEC MMM

Unconditional for HND

Conditional BTEC MMM

Conditional BTEC DDD

Firm

Decline

Insurance

Decline

Decline

CD

CD

CD

Jennifer got MMM

CF R

UI UF

-so was placed at her Insurance choice

Applicant 3 Dave

ASTON

BATH

ESSEX

KINGS

WEST

Conditional BBB ex Gen

Studies

Reject

Conditional 280 inc B in

Maths ex Gen St

Reject

Conditional 280 inc C in

Maths

Firm

-

Decline

-

Insurance

-

CD

Dave got CCC/ 240 Tariff

CF R

CI R

- so was placed into Clearing

Clearing

• Clearing 2012 saw 40,000 applicants placed (9.6% of total)

• City received 33,000 calls on the first day

• Clearing number will be visible on Track for an eligible applicant

• Vacancies published and updated throughout the period

– UCAS website

– HEI websites

– The Telegraph

Clearing

Applicants will not be able to add a Clearing choice until the afternoon of A level results day

Applicants must speak to the institution before adding them as a Clearing choice

This is to:

– Give applicants the chance to research into suitable Clearing choices

– Prevent applicants from rushing into submitting a Clearing choice through Track

Once a Clearing choice is submitted the applicant will not be

able to refer themselves anywhere else

Applicant progress - August

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

UF UI UD U CF CI CD C

Applicant progress – early September (cleaned version)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

UF UI UD U CF CI CD C

Questions

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept

Applications

Decisions

Replies

Confirmation

A Level

IB

Access

BTEC

Foundation

EU Qual

OS Qual

Other

Questions?