The number of unconditional uses universities are giving prospective students is at its highest rate ever, with 23% of students receiving one last year. This rise has led to some calling for an overhaul of the admission process, whilst others continue to argue that unconditional uses do have benefits. So, what are the pros and cons of such offers?
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Unconditional Offers: The Upside
Improve student well-being
Whilst a little anxiety can improve performance, high stakes exams that figure out university admissions can cause high levels of anxiety amongst students, which can be detrimental to the grades they go on to achieve. Therefore, having Camiseta Manchester United the safety of a university place can minimize test anxiety and help students meet or even exceed expectations.
More time to plan for university
Leaving home life behind can be stressful and tough for lots of students. having an unconditional offer can give them a lot more time to explore the new city they will be living in and choose suitable accommodation, alleviating some of this stress.
Suited to creative subjects
Unconditional uses given for creative subjects such as Art or drama in action to seeing a portfolio of work or an audition make sense. This is because such work is a much better representation of the student’s potential than standard grades.
Unconditional Offers: The Downside
Discourages students from working hard
Motivation is a difficult thing to maintain. The main downside of unconditional uses is that they can deter students from striving to achieve the highest possible grades, as their place at university is secure. research conducted by UCAS verified this, finding that if a student is given an unconditional offer, they are 23% a lot more likely to fall short of their predicted grades.
The minimized expectation on students can directly cause a reduction in work ethic and intensity as no-one rises to low expectations. This indicates that students can develop bad routines in their final year of sixth form that spill over to their start Camiseta Selección de fútbol de Estados Unidos of university. Also, graduate employment may be far from the minds of A level students but it is becoming increasingly competitive, indicating that A level grades may be used to separate similar candidates.
Ignores student’s best interests
Cynically, as universities are no longer limited on the number Camiseta Sport Club Internacional of places they can give, unconditional uses may be seen as a way in which they can undercut rivals, and safe a lot more students, for this reason a lot more fees. Unconditional uses can indicate students make snap decisions and places may be accepted despite students being aware that the university doesn’t suit them. This would increase the chances that they will not take pleasure in themselves and drop out.
Final Thought
Whilst there is research in favour of universities giving unconditional offers, because it relieves some of the pressure associated with exams, and can make adjusting to university life easier, the costs of such an offer seem to outweigh the benefits. However, we cannot say that unconditional uses are bad for all students, as each case is unique, and whether an unconditional offer is applicable or not may depend on the subject or the mindset of the student.