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What’s new at UCAS?

What’s new at UCAS?. Alan Jones Professional Development Executive. Session outline. 2013 changes and enhancements 2014 and beyond UCAS IA strategy Course Finder Preparing the Professionals My future Discussion points Questions. Note for your diary.

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What’s new at UCAS?

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  1. What’s new at UCAS? Alan Jones Professional Development Executive

  2. Session outline • 2013 changes and enhancements • 2014 and beyond • UCAS IA strategy • Course Finder • Preparing the Professionals • My future • Discussion points • Questions

  3. Note for your diary • Apply 2013 will be available from 12 June • It is anticipated that over 100,000 applicants will register with UCAS by third week in July 2012

  4. Apply 2013 – changes / enhancements Cost of applying • The cost of submitting an application in the 2013 cycle will increase by £1 • £23 full entry fee (up to 5 initial choices) • £12 single entry fee

  5. Apply 2013 – changes / enhancements Commercial mailings opt-in / opt-out • Additional information / explanation

  6. Apply 2013 – changes / enhancements Improved data integrity • Additional cross-field validation will be added to the data items captured in Apply to improve data integrity • e.g. country of birth, nationality, dual nationality) • Reduction in the number of ‘unknown’ options • Consistency in password rules between Apply and Track • both will be case sensitive

  7. Apply 2013 – changes / enhancements  Key Information Dataset • In support of the introduction of the Key Information Set (KIS), UCAS has agreed with HEFCE to make changes to the collection from institutions of course-level fee information for the 2013 cycle

  8. How KIS might be presented online

  9. Apply 2013 – changes / enhancements Change to the Oxbridge Rules of combination • Oxford and Cambridge are further restricting their rules of applying to both Oxford and Cambridge • This will now only be permissible to post graduate applicants applying to fast track medicine

  10. Apply 2013 – changes / enhancements Student finance (data sharing) • A process will be introduced to allow applicants who are resident in Scotland, to agree to share their UCAS applicant data with the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)  • This will complement the existing process whereby applicants resident in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can agree to share their UCAS applicant data with the SLC

  11. ABL 2013 – changes / enhancements HopeBTEC results to be collected and provided via ABL • 2012: e-provision of overall grades followed by paper printout of module scores • For the future it is hoped that it will be possible to provide full results electronically

  12. Confirmation and Clearing Planto move towards a more structured Confirmation and Clearing • Aim to have a more structured process and procedures • May be incremental across 2013 and 2014

  13. Course Collect New data collection system for HEIs to replace web-link Institution and Courses Data (Net.update) • http://www.ucas.com/he_staff/coursecollect/ • Familiarisation site available from August 2012 • Live version launch October 2012 • Net.update decommission November 2012 • User guide and (updated) FAQs • Survey to inform further population of help text

  14. IA strategy • Context • traditional support networks for IAG work disbanded (Aimhigher / Connexions) • responsibilities passed to schools to provide guidance / progression activities • UCAS plans to provide: • a structured and supportive journey to applicants as they progress into HE • useful IA products and services at all stages of the process

  15. Overview - Course Finder The Course Finder tool will initially be a standalone signed in product, but will need to be seamlessly integrated into an overall future portal • UCAS Course Search has not had any significant development in the last decade • Users expect more intelligent results • Data has become richer, users need this displayed to them in an intuitive manner which allows: • Filtering • Comparison • Bookmarking • Usability will be central to development of Course Finder

  16. Market Intelligence – Course Finder

  17. Market Intelligence – Course Finder • Functionality top 3 • Click through to Institution 91.7% • Use search filters (distance from user postcode) 91.3% • Compare one course against another 85%

  18. Usability approach • Users at the heart of development • Usability Lab engaged • 26 semi-structured interviews undertaken with target users, each lasting 30 minutes • Respondents included pre-applicants, parents of pre-applicants, school staff, international agents • 8 personas identified

  19. Usability approach • Iterative development cycles • Use of wire frames • Continued usability sessions with users

  20. Course Finder demo

  21. Sneak peek at Course Finder second release • Free registration to access My UCAS features: • Bookmarking of their favourite courses • Ability to compare up to 5 courses side by side • Manage their Course Finder account settings • Welsh language version deployed • Release 2 will be live very soon!

  22. Sneak peek at Course Finder second release

  23. Preparing the Professionals • Summer 2011 - 6 events held across the UK • Over 300 professionals attended or received packs of UCAS materials • Over 90% of our member universities involved • Phase 2 – The ‘professionals portal’ is in final stage of development!

  24. PtP Pack • UCAS PPT Presentations • Apply & Track • Basics • Basics plus • Personal Statements • Research • Statistics UCAS PPT Presentations • UCAS • PPT PDF’s • Apply & Track • Basics • Basics plus • Personal Statements • Research • Statistics • Additional • resources • PS resources • Guides, flowcharts & tables • Example applicant letters • UCAS • PPT Games • CS ‘Post it’ • PS ‘True or False’ • Last one standing • Apply 2012 quiz • Blockbusters • Forms • Standard ‘UCAS feedback form’ • Record of Visits spread sheet UCAS PPT PDF’s UCAS materials UCAS PPT Games Additional resources Forms

  25. Preparing the Professionals: phase 3 & 4

  26. Future IA: My Future • Interactive online pathway tool • Multiple entry points • Signed in product • Partnership working

  27. Future IA: My Future tool User registers / signs in Career Aspiration Psycho-metric test Quals gained or taking Interests My Future Pathway within HE My Future results Course suggestions Career profile Pathway outside HE

  28. Other areas of product development • Course Collect • Digital marketing plan • App & mobile developments • Customer Improvement Programme • Outcomes from APR • New Admissions Process • Qualifications Information Review

  29. 2014 onwards system changes • Admission Process Review (APR) findings and recommendations • http://www.ucas.com/about_us/media_enquiries/media_releases/2012/20120328 • Recommended for implementation • myUCAS@ web portal to provide improved info to apps • Increase use of mandatory fields and data validation in Apply • Facility to upload supporting docs including portfolios • Extend ABL • Improved terminology • Paperless process for HEIs • Improved feedback facility • Insurance choice HEIs to see conditions of Firm choice offers at Confirmation • Improved info capture and data quality to aid HEI decisions • Secure central data capture and 3rd party sharing

  30. 2014 onwards system changes • Admission Process Review (APR) findings and recommendations • http://www.ucas.com/about_us/media_enquiries/media_releases/2012/20120328 • Amended and recommended for implementation • Pop-ups and wizards in Apply • Matching results to conditional offers • Optional personal statement section which will allow choice specific tailoring and additional personal statements in defined circumstances • Pop-ups and wizards to support correct use of Insurance choice • Other proposals that require further refinement prior to becoming recommendations

  31. Other 2014 onwards changes • Qualifications Information Review (QIR) findings and recommendations • http://www.ucas.com/reviews/qireview/ • Consultation on recommendations for a new system of qualifications information launched 9 Feb 2012 and closed 16 April 2012 • Responses being analysed for presentation to UCAS Board June 2012 • Findings will be published July 2012

  32. QIR recommendations • Development of UCAS Qualification information profiles (QIPs) and associated database • Gradual withdrawal of the use of the UCAS Tariff for entry requirements and offer making in favour of the use of qualifications and grades • Development of an HE-validated standardised demand scale (SDS) underpinned by independent criteria for robust comparisons of achievement across different qualifications • A simple qualifications metric for management information • Publication of an annual UCAS report on progression qualifications • If demand from HEIs, development of optional admissions tools • Remember also consultation on single admissions route for • ITT applications and information through GTTR

  33. Discussion points (3) What would you do if you were us? Use of online resources – how do you choose what to use? How do you deliver IAG at your schools and colleges?

  34. 2012 Confirmation, Clearing and Adjustment • UCAS is utilising cloud technology this summer to prevent recurrence of 2011 problems with Track • Placed (UF) applicants will receive an email as well as a Confirmation letter via post • Adviser Toolkit published on UCAS website • http://www.ucas.com/advisers/guides/advisertoolkit • Timings Thursday 16 August 2012: • 00.01 Clearing vacancy list published • 08.00 Track available • 18.00 Add Clearing Choice live in Track

  35. Changes to Student Number Controls (SNC) • UCAS will be monitoring the effects of SNC changes this summer, for both: • HEIs and • Applicants • Concerns include: • Near miss non ABB+ equivalent applicants • Numbers that may register for Adjustment • Possible elongation of Confirmation & Clearing • Possible HEI responses to pressure to meet numbers requirement

  36. International applicants numbers not limited because no UK govt. finance SNC 2012 • 8% • with • excepts • < 50 • SIVs • Spclist • recruits M A R G I N Core numbers Home/EU allocated by HEFCE limited because UK govt. finance required AAB+ equivalent 20, 000 Places bid for if high quality < £7,500

  37. AAB+ equivalence • Limited to equivalences published by HEFCE do not include all qualifications on the UCAS Tariff, or always match Tariff equivalences e.g. IB • Cannot combine qualifications on list • Applicant could be deemed to have achieved AAB + by HEFCE, but still not meet HEI entry requirements e.g. HEI want AAB in 3 A levels excluding General Studies applicant achieves English A, General Studies A, History B • Can be AAB+ equivalent with a score lower than a B e.g. A*A*C, A*A*D, A*AC, A*A*A at AS level (remember also A*BB)

  38. Possible implications for applicants / advisers • AAB + does not equal entitlement / guarantee a place • Those predicted AAB + may find it more difficult to secure place at F or I choice if ‘near miss’ may wish to bear this in mind when replying to offers • ‘Near miss’ applicants may need additional support • Adjustment may see more registrations and movements • If so, more places may become available in Adjustment or Clearing and could elongate the process

  39. Questions? Alan Jones Professional Development Executive a.jones@ucas.ac.uk

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