Application

 

Stage 1 of the Futuretrack study looks at the UCAS application process. Some of the key areas addressed in the study are:

• the effectiveness of the UCAS process
• subjects applied for by gender, race and class
• parental background and influence
• acceptance rates by socio-economic background.
  

In detail

Graph: Differences in routes into full-time higher education, by ethnicity

Click to enlarge

The relationship between ethnicity and success in UCAS applications is complex. Different ethnic groups demonstrate different patterns of application and subject choice:

• Black and Asian students are more likely to enter university through clearing than white students. Although there is no evidence of racial discrimination against these groups, some questions remain about the reasons for these differences
• Asian students were the most likely to have applied straight from secondary school, with black students the least likely to have done so
• Black students were also most likely to have applied as further education (FE) students.

Some quotes on application:

"The application process expects people to make decisions about what they will do with the rest of their life - without knowing if they will be able to do it. If you don't get your grades, you either have to effectively waste a year or accept second best.” Female, History, Yorkshire and Humberside.

“All parts of my application process were very helpful and I had the information and access to the people I needed to talk to. My only concern is that I think the application process for the student loan is slow.” Male, Biology, Wales.

“The application process needs to be made a lot clearer for those that are not coming through an educational institute. Information regarding fees and loans also needs to be made clearer and the forms that need to be completed need to be made user-friendly.” Female, Business and Administrative Studies, Greater London.

“As a rejected medical applicant, I would like to express how the whole application process alienated me for some time: I did not really consider my other options because I was so set on getting into medical school.” Male, Combined Sciences, Scotland.

“More information should be given to parents to de-programme traditionalist ways of thinking e.g. Oxbridge or death. I was forced to apply for Cambridge despite my own protests. I failed. As such, I’m now signed up to go to some university I’ve never even visited - when what I really want to do is art foundation.” Female, Linguistics, Classics and related, Greater London.

Read the complete report

If you want to read the first stage report in full, contact us for a copy. If you’re a Futuretrack participant why not play with the results yourself? Log-on to the members’ section and search the survey to uncover some fascinating results.

Read other sections of the Stage 1 summary

1. Who's taking part?
2. Attitudes to higher eduction
3. Career planning
4. Choice making
5. Funding and debt
6. 2006 results home