Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning · 2011 · 11 citations · 18 references
EducationHigher EducationMedical EducationEducation ReformEnrollment ManagementHigher Education PolicyAdmissions PolicyHigher Education ReformParticipation PolicyStudent Enrollment AnalysisStudent Enrollment PolicyAcademic Progress StandardsAdmissions Policy ReformAdmissions ReformExpansion Of AccessUniversity Admissions PoliciesUniversity Admissions Systems
Widening participation policies are commonplace in UK institutions and reflect a growing worldwide concern to redress social inequalities in higher education.Although policies may be common, the strategies employed to achieve this are varied.This paper describes the implementation of an adjusted A" Level criteria scheme in one programme at one HEI.Over a 4 year period, 34 out of 587 medical students entered under the adjusted criteria scheme.Results from this study indicate that although adjusted criteria students are more likely to fail at the first attempt there was no significant difference in examination results in the first and second years of study.Although small numbers, this study demonstrates the outcome of widening participation work that challenges assumptions that academic standards are dropping by admitting such students.The lessons learned from this approach are valuable irrespective of outcome in that it has encouraged innovative approaches in widening participation across the university.
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