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A Closer Look at Higher Education Minority Ethnic Students and ...

A Closer Look at Higher Education Minority Ethnic Students and ...

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2.6 Highest entry qualific<strong>at</strong>ion of current studentsAs might be expected from the discussion so far, there aredifferences between ethnic groups to be found in the highest entryqualific<strong>at</strong>ion of current undergradu<strong>at</strong>e students, especially youngentrants.Black students are less likely than White or Asian students toenter HE with ‘A’ level qualific<strong>at</strong>ions (or equivalents). In 2001/02,only around one-third of Black undergradu<strong>at</strong>e students (full <strong>and</strong>part-time) <strong>at</strong> English universities (including just 29 per cent ofBlack Africans), compared to 55 per cent of White students <strong>and</strong>over two-thirds of Asians (<strong>and</strong> even more Indians, 72 per cent)had GCSE ‘A’ level, SCE <strong>Higher</strong>, GNVQ/GSVQ or NVQ/SVQlevel 3 as their highest qualific<strong>at</strong>ion on entry to their course. Blackstudents were more likely to hold Access course qualific<strong>at</strong>ions orother types of qualific<strong>at</strong>ions (eg ONC/OND, other higher levelqualific<strong>at</strong>ions).M<strong>at</strong>ure studentsSome of this vari<strong>at</strong>ion in entry qualific<strong>at</strong>ions is due to agedifferences: older students, in general, are likely to have differententry qualific<strong>at</strong>ions (fewer with traditional ‘A’ levels).The minority ethnic groups in HE, <strong>and</strong> especially in universityfull-time degree study, have noticeably different age profiles (seeFigure 2.1), Black, especially Black African, undergradu<strong>at</strong>eFigure 2.1: <strong>Minority</strong> ethnic <strong>and</strong> White undergradu<strong>at</strong>e students by age on entry, Engl<strong>and</strong>,2001/02 (includes part-time <strong>and</strong> full-time)WhiteBlack CaribbeanBlack AfricanBlack OtherIndianPakistaniBangladeshiChineseOther AsianMixedOtherAll minority ethnic0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%under 21 years 21-29 30+Source: HESAWhy the Difference? 19

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