The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Current affairsNewsPolitics & Social issues

Ethnic minority students less likely to win a place at university, finds research

Ethnic minority students less likely to win a place at university, finds research
23 July 2014
Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Avatar
Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
23 July 2014

New research into UK university applications has found that non-mixed minority group candidates are less likely to receive university offers than their white-British counterparts.

The study, conducted by researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the University of Bristol (UoB) considered 50,000 UCAS applications from the 2008 admission cycle.

One half of the students comprised of white-British applicants, while the other half was made up of students from 14 different black and minority ethnic (BME) groups.

The researchers focused their attention primarily upon figures relating to both BME and white-British student applications, and subsequent offers given by universities.

The analysis showed that BME students were in fact not deterred from applying to higher-status institutions but were less likely to receive university offers in comparison to other applicants, drawing “a picture of ambition among minority ethnic applicants”.

The research found that apart from the problem of ethnicity discouraging students from applying to higher-status universities, social-class and schooling were also creating strong barriers. It also revealed that those from managerial or professional family backgrounds applied at a much higher rate than those who were deemed less privileged.

In respect to university offers, the researchers found that twelve of the fourteen minority groups included in the study experienced lower numbers of successful applications than white-British students, the exceptions being mixed-white and Asian applicants.

Academic and social factors were also accounted for and revealed that on average Pakistani students were seen to receive seven more rejections for every 100 white-British students, while Bangladeshi and black African students received five rejections and black Caribbean youngsters only three.

Results of mixed-ethnic groups, on the other hand, appeared not to display such disparities as BME groups.

Additionally, following consideration of sex, social class and education, it was found that females from upper-class backgrounds who attended independent schools were more likely to receive offers.

Dr Michael Shiner, an associate professor at LSE, involved in the study said: “We know that students from black and minority ethnic groups go to university in good numbers, but our analysis raises concerns about the fairness of the admissions process.”

UoB researcher Tariq Modood commented: “We need universities to do more work with schools to ensure that the process is fair to all.”

In response to the data, director of the Black Training and Enterprise Group, Jeremy Crook remarked: “The research is worrying. There is an element of conscious or unconscious racial bias in the application process. Given these ethnic disparities, UCAS should now consider introducing a nameless application process.”

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris

Related ItemsBME studentsEthnic minority studentsLSEucasUniversity of Bristol

More in Current Affairs

Changes to expect during menopause

The editorial unit
Read More

Nek brings Italian pop rock to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire

The editorial unit
Read More

Why Equity Linked Savings Schemes is a preferred tax saving?

The editorial unit
Read More

How the world’s top designers would rebrand political parties

The editorial unit
Read More

Royal baby furore: Proof that the British monarchy is still popular?

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Read More

World Mental Health Day 2018: Raising awareness and combating stigma

The editorial unit
Read More

Seven political personalities you should know about

The editorial unit
Read More

Donald Trump: An enemy of the arts?

The editorial unit
Read More

Trump’s fortune: Where did the money come from?

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks
    Theatre
  • Start the year right with these eco-friendly vegan and vegetarian food deliveries
    Food & Drinks
  • The Capote Tapes
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Hello Cosmos – Dream Harder
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Green stars, two female chefs at the top and a controversially quick award: This is 2021 UK Michelin Guide during the pandemic
    Food & Drinks
  • Assassins: Exclusive new clip
    Cinema
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Uncategorised
  • Schemers
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Away: An interview with animator Gints Zilbalodis
    Interviews
  • Green stars, two female chefs at the top and a controversially quick award: This is 2021 UK Michelin Guide during the pandemic
    Food & Drinks
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Uncategorised
  • Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

New drug therapy provides hope for TB and HIV patients
Giants return to Liverpool to mark WWI commemoration