ERIC Number: EJ1459573
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jan
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0951-5224
EISSN: EISSN-1468-2273
Available Date: N/A
Using UCAS MEM for Contextual Offers
Laura A. Harvey; Stephanie T. Jong; Myles Smith
Higher Education Quarterly, v79 n1 e70012 2025
Contextual admissions schemes are commonly used across the United Kingdom (UK) for admission into higher education (HE) institutions. These schemes consider an applicant's background and circumstances alongside academic achievement to provide a fairer evaluation of progression into university. Several contextual factors have been considered by HE providers and few have been evaluated in the literature. However, the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Multiple Equality Measure (MEM), introduced in 2018, is yet to be evaluated in contextual admissions schemes. This study evaluates the use of UCAS MEM data for contextual admissions at one mid-sized UK institution using a difference-in-differences framework and institutional data on applications for academic years 2021/22 and 2022/23. We found that the introduction of contextual offers, using UCAS MEM data, reduced the likelihood that applicants declined their offer. Applicants were more likely to place the offer from the university as their insurance option. This suggests that the contextual offer increased the appeal of the institution as a solid insurance option, with a marginal increase in probability of study at the institution. Caution is needed when implementing a contextual admissions policy based on UCAS MEM. University policies should consider alignment with their Access and Participation Plan (APP) objectives and commitments, and to ensure applicants understand the basis on which they may be offered a contextual offer.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, College Admission, College Choice, College Enrollment, Enrollment Management, Selective Admission, Equal Education, School Policy, Context Effect, Institutional Research, Access to Education, Student Characteristics, College Applicants
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www-wiley-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A