What impact does COVID-19 have on transition to university?

The polling results revealed heightened anxiety among university applicants, as 48% believe that COVID-19 will have a negative impact on their chances of getting into their first-choice university. The findings also show that working class applicants are more worried about this impact than their middle-class peers (51% vs 43%)[1].

 The concerns raised by the students who believed it would have a negative impact were around how will the grades be awarded and how places will be distributed, with fears shared around a potential cap on places.

An important outcome from the research is that almost a fifth of those surveyed admitted having changed their minds about their next year university attendance or have yet to decide. Among those who changed their minds, some planned on taking a gap year while others switched their first university choice. Overall, working class students were more likely to have changed their minds.  The reasons for this disparity are not currently clear. One potential reason given by the Sutton Trust is that working class students are generally much more likely to pick a neighbouring university and stay living at home. The financial uncertainty due to the current crisis may play a significant role in them shifting their choice for a university closer to home.

Concerning their studying conditions, exams and results, the results of the survey highlighted that applicants from working class backgrounds were twice as likely to have insufficient access to internet or suitable place and material to study, compared to their peers from middle class backgrounds.

The impact of COVID-19 is having a disproportionate effect on students from state schools. Private schools have been identified to be almost twice as likely to still be providing A-Level content to their students, compared to state schools (57% of students in private schools declared still receiving regular work and feedback from their teachers compared with just 30% of students from state schools). Finally, over half of the surveyed students answered they would likely choose to take a replacement exam in autumn if they if they didn’t get the grades they hoped for.

The statistics shared above raise important concerns in the fairness of the transition process under COVID-19. Students who are not currently accessing A-Level content will be less prepared than their peers for the start of the new academic year when they start university or go back to college/sixth form or for the potential rescheduled exams in Autumn.

The new grading systems for A-Levels (and equivalent), which will determine the results of this year’s applicants and will be based primarily on teacher assessments, moderated by exam regulators[2].

 In total, 43% of students felt that the new assessment procedure around A-Levels was likely to have a negative impact on their grade, and 72% believed it will be less fair compared to regular times.

Previous research showed that teacher assessment can underestimate the ability of disadvantage students[3]. This systems hence bears the risk of being detrimental for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, with knock on impacts for their progression to university.

The report also investigated how many current university students were facing enhanced financial difficulties due to the pandemic. 30% of students felt they were struggling to  afford studying because of the pandemic, with those outside Russell Group institutions more likely to have financial concerns.  

Many students often have to balance their studies with a job to afford their studies. 34% of the student surveyed reported they had seen a reduction in the number of hours at work, had not been paid for work completed, or lost their jobs, and almost a quarter said their parents/carers were less financially able to support them since the government introduced their stay at home measures. 

Students with part time jobs at university are often more exposed to financial difficulties than their counterparts, and have to balance a larger workload. Striking this balance can potentially have an impact on their academic results and their mental and health well-being. The results gathered by The Sutton Trust are alarming, particularly when considering the existing implications of balancing employment with studies.

Finally, 6% of current university students surveyed reported that they do not have sufficient access to electronic devices required to access learning and assessment, and 23% reported a lack of access to a suitable place to study. These polling answers are particularly revealing in light of the fact that 74% of students report that their exams and assessment are now being carried out online.

What recommendations did The Sutton Trust provide?

In light of their findings, The Sutton Trust provides recommendations to address the impact of COVID-19 on students transitioning from A-Level to university pupils and on current university students:

Transitioning to higher education is already a challenging time for students, and the current pandemic has brought even further considerations which must be made, to the table.

As Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust, said

Schools and universities, along with the government, need to work together to lessen the effect of the crisis. We need to ensure that all young people, regardless of their background and situation, can still have the opportunity to access university and succeed in their higher education. This will imply financial efforts, maximised commitment, and enhanced scrutiny from all parties.

WW