Steve Jones University of Manchester 20.03.12

1. Work Experience and the UK University Admissions System: comparing UCAS Statements according to School Type Steve Jones University of Manchester 20.03.12

2. Non-academic indicators and the UK university admissions system

3. Non-academic indicators and the UK university admissions system “There is good evidence* that for some students, exam grades alone are not the best predictor of potential to succeed at university.” (Browne Report, 2011:58)

4. Non-academic indicators and the UK university admissions system “There is good evidence* that for some students, exam grades alone are not the best predictor of potential to succeed at university.” (Browne Report, 2011:58) *evidence includes HEFCE (2003); Smith and Naylor (2005); Ogg, Zimdars and Heath (2009); Hoare and Johnston (2011)

5. Non-academic indicators and the UK university admissions system “There is good evidence* that for some students, exam grades alone are not the best predictor of potential to succeed at university.” (Browne Report, 2011:58) *evidence includes HEFCE (2003); Smith and Naylor (2005); Ogg, Zimdars and Heath (2009); Hoare and Johnston (2011) “British universities have always looked beyond A-level grades to other things such as applicants’ CVs, personal statements and their potential to benefit from a particular course.” (David Willetts, Telegraph, 22/8/10)

6. Work Experience and the UK university admissions system “Influence might be twofold: [Work Experience] can help young people make better informed decisions about university progression … and provide material for use in UCAS personal statement and interviews demonstrating commitment to occupational areas linked to the course of study.” (Education and Employers Taskforce, 2011:6)

7. The UCAS Personal Statement

8. The UCAS Personal Statement “The personal statement is your opportunity to tell universities and colleges about your suitability for the course(s) that you hope to study. You need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment, and above all, ensure that you stand out from the crowd.” (UCAS website)

9. Previous Research on Personal Statements Ferguson, Sanders, O'Hehir and James(2000):

10. Previous Research on Personal Statements Ferguson, Sanders, O'Hehir and James(2000): • Investigated 176 successful applicants to a UK medical school;

11. Previous Research on Personal Statements Ferguson, Sanders, O'Hehir and James(2000): • Investigated 176 successful applicants to a UK medical school; • Rated Personal Statements according to ‘information categories’;

12. Previous Research on Personal Statements Ferguson, Sanders, O'Hehir and James(2000): • Investigated 176 successful applicants to a UK medical school; • Rated Personal Statements according to ‘information categories’; • Assessed each student’s subsequent academic performance according to 21 different measures of attainment.

13. Previous Research on Personal Statements Ferguson, Sanders, O'Hehir and James(2000): • Investigated 176 successful applicants to a UK medical school; • Rated Personal Statements according to ‘information categories’; • Assessed each student’s subsequent academic performance according to 21 different measures of attainment. Conclusion: “not predictive of future performance” (2000: 321)

14. Previous Research on Personal Statements Ferguson, Sanders, O'Hehir and James(2000): • Investigated 176 successful applicants to a UK medical school; • Rated Personal Statements according to ‘information categories’; • Rated each student’s subsequent academic performance according to 21 different measures of attainment. Conclusion: “not predictive of future performance” (2000: 321) Norman (2004): Conclusion: “highly dubious” selection method (2004:81)

15. Publications about Personal Statements

16. Publications about Personal Statements • Ferguson, Eamonn, Andrea Sanders, Fiona O'Hehir and David James. 2000. “Predictive validity of personal statements and the role of the five-factor model of personality in relation to medical training”. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 73(3): 321-344 • Hawkins, James W.C. 2004. “Assessing potential: the development of selection procedures for the Oxford medical course”. Oxford Review of Education 30: 241-55. • James, David and Clair Chilvers. 2001. “Academic and non-academic predictors of success on the Nottingham undergraduate medical course 1970-1995”. Medical Education 35: 1056-64. • Lumb Andrew B. and Andy Vail. 2004. “A comparison of academic, application form and social factors in predicting early performance on the medical course”. Medical Education 38: 1002-5. • McManus I. C., David A Powis, Richard Wakeford, Eamonn Ferguson, David James and Peter Richards. 2005. “Intellectual aptitude tests and A levels for selecting UK school leaver entrants for medical school”. British Medical Journal 331: 555-560. • Montague W, and F.C. Odds. 1990. “Academic selection criteria and subsequent performance”. Medical Education 24: 151-7. • Norman, Geoff. 2004. "The Morality of Medical School Admission." Advances in Health Sciences Education 9 (2): 79-82. • Powis, David A., David James and Eamonn Ferguson. 2007. “Demographic and socio-economic associations with academic attainment (UCAS tariff scores) in applicants to medical school”. Medical Education 41(3):242-9.

17. Research Questions

18. Research Questions • RQ1: Do Personal Statements differ according to the educational background of the applicant?

19. Research Questions • RQ1: Do Personal Statements differ according to the educational background of the applicant? • RQ2: To what extent does School Type correlate with the quantity and quality of Work Experience cited?

20. Research Questions • RQ1: Do Personal Statements differ according to the educational background of the applicant? • RQ2: To what extent does School Type correlate with the quantity and quality of Work Experience cited? • RQ3: Would greater emphasis on Personal Statements increase fairness in the admissions process?

21. Data Collection Procedure • Personal Statements were collected from all 5,276 applicants to one School within one UK Russell Group university for 2010 entry.

22. Data Collection Procedure • Personal Statements were collected from all 5,276 applicants to one School within one UK Russell Group university for 2010 entry. • The host School is home to about ten single honours undergraduate programmes and various combinations of those subjects.

23. Data Collection Procedure • Personal Statements were collected from all 5,276 applicants to one School within one UK Russell Group university for 2010 entry. • The host School is home to about ten single honours undergraduate programmes and various combinations of those subjects. • All disciplines come under a Humanities umbrella and most lean towards social sciences rather than arts.

24. Data Collection Procedure • Personal Statements were collected from all 5,276 applicants to one School within one UK Russell Group university for 2010 entry. • The host school is home to about ten single honours undergraduate programmes and various combinations of those subjects. • All disciplines come under a Humanities umbrella and most lean towards social sciences rather than arts. • For the purposes of this research, all overseas applicants were eliminated, as were all applications from mature students.

25. Controlling for academic attainment

26. Controlling for academic attainment • The study was restricted to the 327 applicants who subsequently achieved A-level grades of BBB (excluding General Studies).

27. Controlling for academic attainment • The study was restricted to the 327 applicants who subsequently achieved A-level grades of BBB (excluding General Studies). • School Type: Comprehensive School (87)

28. Controlling for academic attainment • The study was restricted to the 327 applicants who subsequently achieved A-level grades of BBB (excluding General Studies). • School Type: Comprehensive School (87) Sixth Form College (83)

29. Controlling for academic attainment • The study was restricted to the 327 applicants who subsequently achieved A-level grades of BBB (excluding General Studies). • School Type: Comprehensive School (87) Sixth Form College (83) Grammar School (45)

30. Controlling for academic attainment • The study was restricted to the 327 applicants who subsequently achieved A-level grades of BBB (excluding General Studies). • School Type: Comprehensive School (87) Sixth Form College (83) Grammar School (45) Independent School (93)

31. Controlling for academic attainment • The study was restricted to the 327 applicants who subsequently achieved A-level grades of BBB (excluding General Studies). • School Type: Comprehensive School (87) Sixth Form College (83) Grammar School (45) Independent School (93) Other (18)

32. Controlling for academic attainment • The study was restricted to the 327 applicants who subsequently achieved A-level grades of BBB (excluding General Studies). • School Type: Comprehensive School (87) Sixth Form College (83) Grammar School(45) Independent School (93) Other (18) • In total: 309 personal statements, comprising 196,244 words.

33. Ethical Considerations

34. Ethical Considerations • Details of the host university and host School not made public;

35. Ethical Considerations • Details of the host university and host School not made public; • Applicants’ names deleted at source;

36. Ethical Considerations • Details of the host university and host School not made public; • Applicants’ names deleted at source; • Where text from a Personal Statement is cited, key information is omitted to maintain anonymity.

37. The UCAS Personal Statement • UCAS applicants given 4,000 characters (or 47 lines) in which to compose a ‘free response’.

38. The UCAS Personal Statement • UCAS applicants given 4,000 characters (or 47 lines) in which to compose a ‘free response’. • UCAS website offers several pages of advice, including a list of dos and don’ts, a how-to video and a mind map PDF.

39. The UCAS Personal Statement • UCAS applicants given 4,000 characters (or 47 lines) in which to compose a ‘free response’. • UCAS website offers several pages of advice, including a list of dos and don’ts, a how-to video and a mind map PDF. • Snippets of advice are provided from a series of admissions tutors: (“a representative from Ulster Business School told us: 'The presentation of the personal statement is of critical importance to demonstrate use of English language and grammar at a standard suitable for entry to higher education'”).

40. The UCAS Personal Statement • UCAS applicants given 4,000 characters (or 47 lines) in which to compose a ‘free response’. • UCAS website offers several pages of advice, including a list of dos and don’ts, a how-to video and a mind map PDF. • Snippets of advice are provided from a series of admissions tutors: (“a representative from Ulster Business School told us: 'The presentation of the personal statement is of critical importance to demonstrate use of English language and grammar at a standard suitable for entry to higher education'”). • Unaffiliated student websites also offer guidance, and many provide sample personal statements.

41. The UCAS Personal Statement • UCAS applicants given 4,000 characters (or 47 lines) in which to compose a ‘free response’. • UCAS website offers several pages of advice, including a list of dos and don’ts, a how-to video and a mind map PDF. • Snippets of advice are provided from a series of admissions tutors: (“a representative from Ulster Business School told us: 'The presentation of the personal statement is of critical importance to demonstrate use of English language and grammar at a standard suitable for entry to higher education'”). • Unaffiliated student websites also offer guidance, and many provide sample personal statements. • Several ‘how to’ books have also recently appeared on the market (Telfer 2008; Stannard 2008; Stewart 2009).

42. Analysing the Personal Statements

43. Analysing the Personal Statements Three categories:

44. Analysing the Personal Statements Three categories: • Writing (error analysis)

45. Analysing the Personal Statements Three categories: • Writing (error analysis) • Work Experience (quantity, quality, relevance)

46. Analysing the Personal Statements Three categories: • Writing (error analysis) • Work Experience (quantity, quality, relevance) • Commitment, Goals and Awareness

47. Analysing the Personal Statements Three categories: • Writing (error analysis) • Work Experience (quantity, quality, relevance) • Commitment, Goals and Awareness Based on GlenMaye and Oakes (2002) and Brown (2004), following Pelech et al. (1999).

48. Writing: what counts as an error?

49. Writing: what counts as an error? • Only unambiguous, meaning-impairing errors were counted.

50. Writing: what counts as an error? • Only unambiguous, meaning-impairing errors were counted. • Prescriptive ‘rules’ of grammar (don’t split infinitives, etc.) were disregarded.