Taskforce recommends aptitude tests for UK universities
A government taskforce has called for university tests, similar to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in the United States, in Britain.
The taskforce, led by Brunel University vice-chancellor, Steven Schwartz, said that prospective students should be given a better chance to show what they are capable of and suggested that admissions tutors could consider a candidate’s test scores in the context of their background.
The government-appointed taskforce examined the university admissions procedures and produced a series of recommendations, including the suggestion that the government introduces US-style aptitude tests alongside A Levels.
“Admissions staff have the discretion to vary the weight they give to examination results and other indicators of achievement and potential,” the reports states. “This means that admissions staff have the discretion to vary the offer that they make to applicants, provided this is done consistently with the principles of fair admissions.”
Professor Schwartz highlighted the case of an applicant whose father died shortly before her A Level exams, resulting in her obtaining much worse results than expected.
“What we are saying is there are cases where almost everyone would agree that background factors are important and shouldn’t be ignored,” he said.
The professor said that 86 per cent of respondents to the taskforce’s first consultation agreed other factors should be taken into account by university admissions boards.
However, the taskforce stressed that universities should not be “social engineering” and any extra tests should follow a common format. The group also stated that A-levels remain the best indicator of how well someone will do as an undergraduate.
This is the taskforce’s second interim report, which will now face a public consultation before final proposals are produced later in the year.
The taskforce points out that the effect of social background on attainment begins at the age of two and applicants’ A level results may be affected by attending a poor school which did not prepare them sufficiently for the exams or they may have extra responsibilities at home or work.
The report also recommends that universities publish their admissions policies in detail, give information on the qualifications of students they accepted in the previous year, dropout and graduate employment rates and that students apply to university using their actual rather than predicted grades.
Higher education minister Alan Johnson insisted that the report published featured only interim findings.
“It is very important to make sure admissions are transparent and fair,” he said. “We look forward to receiving the final report later this year. In the meantime we will continue to re-emphasise that admissions policy is a matter for universities and colleges alone to determine.”
