ERIC Number: EJ940034
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1359-6748
EISSN: N/A
A Tracking Analysis of Compact Students within Level 1 of Their Higher Education Programmes
Wakely, Katrina; Saunders, Danny
Research in Post-Compulsory Education, v9 n1 p47-62 2004
This article presents a tracking analysis of level 1 undergraduates who entered the University of Glamorgan through the Compact schools initiative. The Compact initiative aims to widen access to higher education by encouraging young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend a range of preparatory activities and by offering lower entry requirements to those who successfully complete the scheme. A total of 154 undergraduates from two academic sessions were divided into two equal groups: (i) compact students who entered the university through its widening access programme, and (ii) a matched pairs control group with the same entry grades, award schemes and entry year. Research queries aimed to address the issue of differential achievement at the end of level 1. Results showed that conversion rates for both cohorts were better than the university rate for that year, the compact group achieved a higher rate of "direct" progression to level 2 and, although there were some differences by entry year, the overall distribution of grades for both groups was normal. Finally, a paired-samples t-test showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of averaged module marks at the end of level 1. Implications for the Compact initiative at the institutional level are discussed and suggestions are made for future research into the value-added nature of compacts. (Contains 7 figures, 4, tables, and 2 notes.)
Descriptors: Higher Education, Disadvantaged, Access to Education, Academic Achievement, Comparative Analysis, Control Groups, Profiles, Grades (Scholastic), Statistical Analysis, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (Wales)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A