Widening Participation

What steps can be taken to facilitate the admission process?

It is often not appreciated how much general information about higher education flows from parents, relatives and friends who have experienced or are experiencing it. A prospective student who has no contact with people who have had experience of higher education needs particular support.

Institutions have differing degrees of centralisation of the admission process but within many institutions bioscience admissions may be dealt with entirely on a bioscience department level. This is a crucial period and many prospective students who might aspire to higher education are put off by uncertainty and unfriendly processes, never actually starting a course to which they might aspire.

What might make the admission process more accessible?

• Help-line - An effective, informed, available, manned/personed (not an answering machine) help-line to provide instant contact and answers, this may be especially important during clearing.
• Taster visits to institutions - Locally organised taster visits where prospective students can meet existing students, attend a lecture or practical session, see the accommodation or how to commute from their local home. Just being on campus for some time can reduce prospective students fears and worries about the new environment. Summer schools can also provide an opportunity for extended overnight taster visits.
• Recognition of 'non-standard' qualifications - Ability to recognise non-standard qualifications and to credit work experience will prevent prospective students falling at the first hurdle because they do not have the right (or any) 'A'-levels, which can be the only qualifications referred to explicitly in prospectuses or on web . Do your prospectus and admissions pages make it clear that non-standard qualifications are recognised by your institution or unit? And do they give and idea of the levels and grades required?
• Remove fear of rejection - Removal of the fear of rejection is important as some prospective students will have low confidence in their abilities. Some do not apply because they fear they will be turned away and loose credibility with their peers. Guaranteed places sustain/re-assure prospective entrants before arrival and remove fear of rejection. For example, guaranteed places for students progressing from a course at a local school or FE college to an HE course at a local institution.
• Smooth induction and registration - Some may use a long and difficult registration process as an excuse not to start a course.
• Flexible learning provision - Flexible learning provision is important as some prospective students may have significant obligations which require then to be employed part time or to care for another member of the family. Difficulty in fitting jobs and family commitments round a course is a frequent cause of prospective students not participating or dropping out.
• Appropriate degree courses offered - Running appropriate degree courses which are attractive to students from disadvantaged backgrounds is important. Bioscience has a problem here as there may be few bioscientists to provide role models in deprived areas and it is not immediately obvious to someone from an inner city area that a degree in Aquaculture will provide them with employment in their local area (to which they might be restricted because of family commitments). It may also be useful to demonstrate that a degree in the biosciences doesn't just develop bioscience related skills and knowledge but a range of skills applicable in many careers.

Further links

SPAT Project - Student Progression And Transfer based at University of Plymouth

STAR Project - Student Transition And Retention based at the University of Ulster, NI

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