Cornwall HE Advisers Day Fair Admissions in a

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 A 2 s (or equivalent)? Delayed response for gathered field –applicants’ view? Feedback to applicants?