“If they’ve had a middle class upbringing that’s not their fault”: the professional practices and personal identities of admissions staff at selective universities in England

Abstract

The role of staff involved with undergraduate admissions and recruitment has changed since the turn towards marketisation in higher education. This article focuses on the system in England following both a sharp rise in student fees and an associated tendency for the public university agenda and related social priorities, such as widening participation, to come up against more private and commercial priorities, such as business engagement, league table performance and internationalisation. Drawing on evidence from detailed interviews with admissions personnel, both academic and non-academic, across three disciplines within one higher prestige university, we revisit the notion of selectivity and the practice of selection. Tensions are revealed between two opposing approaches: a more traditional model of university admissions, as based on local knowledge and sensitivity towards underrepresented groups, and a purportedly merit-driven model, as driven by perceived market position. We explore the intricate and often unexpected ways in which staff reconcile their professed beliefs with their professional practices, and the complex identity work needed to renegotiate personal values in light of shifting institutional needs. Findings are offered as a microcosm for broader trends in the higher education sector.

The Influence of Educational Technologies and Students‘ Academic Disposition on Their Study Success in the First Year at University

“…Salas-Velasco [2] demonstrates a significant increase in the efficiency of public university education in Spain, following a previous change in the structure of the curricula and, in particular, a significant increase in tuition fees. Jones [3] focuses on university admission process in England after a sharp increase in tuition fees. He discusses the classic approach to admission based on understanding local conditions and allowing for social aspects of minority student groups to be considered.…”

Full issue Vol.13 No.1 (2023)

“…Across the higher education sector, but also in the elite Ivy League institutions in the US, professionalized admissions staff recruit, admit, and enrol undergraduate students (Jones et al, 2019;Stevens, 2007). In contrast, at the elite universities of England, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge continue their long-standing tradition of self-governing power to have their own academic faculty, using their academic judgement, admitting undergraduate students (Jones et al, 2019;Stevens, 2007). Based on these distinct differences in admissions practices we are left to wonder, how do these differences in professional and organizational contexts matter to elite undergraduate admissions?…”

The Power of Professors and Professionals: How Professions Shape Organizational Systems in Elite University Admissions

“…Across the higher education sector, but also in the elite Ivy League institutions in the US, professionalized admissions staff recruit, admit, and enrol undergraduate students (Jones et al, 2019;Stevens, 2007). In contrast, at the elite universities of England, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge continue their long-standing tradition of self-governing power to have their own academic faculty, using their academic judgement, admitting undergraduate students (Jones et al, 2019;Stevens, 2007). Based on these distinct differences in admissions practices we are left to wonder, how do these differences in professional and organizational contexts matter to elite undergraduate admissions?…”