Exeter ranked as 10th lowest state school intake

Two boys make their way into Eton College. Image credit: Ayako Sekiguchi

Exeter has the tenth lowest intake of state-school pupils in the U.K, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Just 67.4 per cent of undergraduates admitted to Exeter for the academic year 2011/12 were from the state sector, compared with a national average of 88.9 per cent.

Universities are given “benchmark” targets by the government for the proportion of state school pupils they should admit every year. Exeter were roughly 8 per cent below their benchmark target of 76.1 per cent. For the same year, only six of Exeter’s 23 colleagues in the Russell Group matched or exceeded their benchmark.

Nearby Bristol had the seventh lowest intake, with the Royal Agricultural College, Oxford and Cambridge having the three lowest respectively.

The statistics also show that Exeter admitted 4.9 per cent of its students from “low-participation neighbourhoods” – less than half the national average of 10.2 per cent.

The statistics, compiled by the HESA, detail the participation of “under-represented groups” as compared with the Higher Education population as a whole.

Hannah Barton, President of the Students’ Guild, told Exeposé: “Widening state-school access to higher education remains a significant challenge for the University and it is imperative that efforts continue to meet the targets set by the Office of Fair Access. The context in which academic grades have been achieved should not preclude students from accessing the opportunities that studying at Exeter University provides. I look forward to supporting further initiatives set to achieve equitable access to students from all different educational backgrounds.”

Josh Gray, a third year Ancient History student, said: “The failure of top universities to commit to a policy of equal opportunities will further dishearten the majority of less healthy school leavers already put off higher education by increased fees and living costs.”

Jon Jenner, Editor

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EXCLUSIVE: Details of next year's cohort revealed as applications to Exeter surge

 

Image credit: Kevin Panting

Statistics seen by Exeposé shed some light on the provisional make up of next term’s intake, and of all applicants to the University.

The data, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), anonymously reveals the gender, predicted grades and education type of each student, available in a table pictured below.

Just over 27,500 applicants were offered places, with over 12,000 acceptances.

Of the 8,131 students who picked Exeter as their firm choice for 2013 entry, the majority are female and have predicted grades of AAB or above. Most hail from state schools but proportionally privately educated teenagers take up a large amount of offers, given that only 7% of the population attend independent institutions.

Almost 1,000 offer holders are known to have been predicted less than AAB, though this figure may be significantly higher. Much like the educational background of some students, the University does not know the predicted grades of a minority of applicants; whilst those yet to receive offers through clearing or adjustment are also not included. 

Separate figures show that applications to Exeter have increased by a third on last year’s figures, on the back of entering the Russell Group and being awarded the Sunday Times University of the Year award.

The dramatic increase of 33% is believed to be the reason behind the University’s decision not to enter clearing this year. It represents the first time applications have gone up since tuition fees were tripled in 2010, with 34,077 students applying for 2013/14 entry, compared to 25,629 the previous year.

Both sets of provisional statistics are available below.

Harrison Jones, Online News Editor

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‘Application overview – 2010/11, ’11/12, ’12/13 and ’13/14 entry’

‘Applications, offer and response overview – 2013/14 entry’