University personal statements will be scrapped in their current form amid claims they give middle-class teenagers an advantage.
Pupils applying for undergraduate degrees will no longer have to write a 47-line essay explaining why they are so passionate about the subject they wish to study.
Instead, they will be asked to answer a series of short responses to questions on topics such as their motivation for studying courses, why they are ready to succeed, and any extenuating circumstances that would help put their achievements into context.
Prof Lee Elliot Major, a social mobility expert at the University of Exeter, said: “No one should underestimate how important this reform will be in helping to level the playing field in university admissions.
“I’ve been calling for reform as statements currently add further advantage for middle-class applicants, who are often given help in filling in their submissions.”
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) said it was reforming the admissions process amid “fears that students who do not have access to high-quality advice and guidance will not be able to use the statement to shine in the same way that their more advantaged peers can”.
The reforms will be introduced no earlier than 2024 for 2025 applicants.
Ucas said that in future years, it would consider moving away from written responses entirely and replacing them with multi-media submissions.
New questions 'limited' in depth
A Ucas survey last year found that 72 per cent of students felt positive about personal statements.
However, 83 per cent said they found it stressful and 79 per cent agreed that the statement is difficult to complete without support.
Barnaby Lenon, dean of the University of Buckingham and chairman of the Independent Schools Council, said: “It is a great relief that Ucas have decided to retain the personal statement - the only opportunity the student has to express themselves on the university application form.”
He said that questions proposed by Ucas were “limited compared to the depth of questions asked by American universities”, with no mentions of the pupil’s interests or achievements.
“This reflects the fact that American universities are interested in the whole person, not just their academic background,” he said.
Ucas is facing criticism for suggesting that students could be asked to state their preferred "learning styles", and how the courses they have applied for reflect that.
Mr Lenon said: “The sixth question about ‘preferred learning styles’ is a blunder, because research over the past 15 years has shown that learning styles do not really exist.”
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said: “What people think is their learning style, when you test it out, is often very different to how they actually learn. We all learn in all the various ways of learning. So it just feels a bit outdated.”
Ucas said it will continue to refine the questions before they are formally introduced.
Teacher references to also change
Ucas is also changing the structure of teacher references for university applicants to encourage more objective comments.
The admissions service said it will replace the long-form reference with three structured questions for all undergraduate applications, starting with the 2024 entry cycle.
They will include a general statement about the applicant’s school or college, any information about extenuating circumstances that could affect an applicant’s exam performance and any other circumstances that a teacher thinks a university should be aware of.
In an effort to improve transparency around entry grades for different courses, Ucas said it will build “entry grade reports” available on its website that will show the range of grades accepted for entry to courses over a five-year period. The new tool is due to launch later this year.