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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2013/feb/26/oxford-race-gap-exploring-data
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| The Oxford race gap: exploring the data | The Oxford race gap: exploring the data |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| It's a mystery worthy of an Oxford admissions question: just what, exactly, is going on with applications to Britain's most prestigious universities? | It's a mystery worthy of an Oxford admissions question: just what, exactly, is going on with applications to Britain's most prestigious universities? |
| As new findings obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Kurien Parel and published in the Guardian show, there are fresh questions for those trying to explain the gap between offers given to different ethnic groups at the university: | |
| Oxford University has been accused of "institutional bias" against black and ethnic minority students after figures revealed that white applicants to some of the most competitive courses are up to twice as likely to get a place than others, even when they get the same A-level grades. | Oxford University has been accused of "institutional bias" against black and ethnic minority students after figures revealed that white applicants to some of the most competitive courses are up to twice as likely to get a place than others, even when they get the same A-level grades. |
| Figures for applications to the university in 2010 and 2011, obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act, revealed that 25.7% of white applicants received an offer to attend the university, compared with 17.2% of students from ethnic minorities … | Figures for applications to the university in 2010 and 2011, obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act, revealed that 25.7% of white applicants received an offer to attend the university, compared with 17.2% of students from ethnic minorities … |
| White students were more than twice as likely to receive an offer to study medicine than those from ethnic minorities. The effect persisted for the most able students: 43% of white students who went on to receive three or more A* grades at A-level got offers, compared with just 22.1% of minority students. | White students were more than twice as likely to receive an offer to study medicine than those from ethnic minorities. The effect persisted for the most able students: 43% of white students who went on to receive three or more A* grades at A-level got offers, compared with just 22.1% of minority students. |
| For economics and management, the university's most competitive course, 19.1% of white applicants received offers, compared with 9.3% for ethnic minorities. Among the most able, these success rates increased to 44.4% and 29.5% respectively. | For economics and management, the university's most competitive course, 19.1% of white applicants received offers, compared with 9.3% for ethnic minorities. Among the most able, these success rates increased to 44.4% and 29.5% respectively. |
| The overall application gaps between different ethnic groups are stark, whether for all applicants or even just for those who go on to get the top grades (A*A*A* or better at A-level): | The overall application gaps between different ethnic groups are stark, whether for all applicants or even just for those who go on to get the top grades (A*A*A* or better at A-level): |
| Different people may jump to different explanations for the stark gaps. But the figures are worth pondering (especially given applications for law show no significant differences) in a little more detail. | Different people may jump to different explanations for the stark gaps. But the figures are worth pondering (especially given applications for law show no significant differences) in a little more detail. |
| The first thing to note is that all the figures relate to UK applicants – international are excluded – who provided information on their ethnicity on their UCAS forms (around a third of all applicants choose not to provide this information). This at least means like is being compared with like. | The first thing to note is that all the figures relate to UK applicants – international are excluded – who provided information on their ethnicity on their UCAS forms (around a third of all applicants choose not to provide this information). This at least means like is being compared with like. |
| The second is to spot that the long-running explanation given for an application race gap – disparities in which subjects students apply for – may still have some explaining power, as the below table shows. | The second is to spot that the long-running explanation given for an application race gap – disparities in which subjects students apply for – may still have some explaining power, as the below table shows. |
| It shows what proportion of students from each ethnic group applied for some of Oxford's most and least competitive courses – and does show ethnic minorities are more likely to apply for some of the hardest courses to get on. | It shows what proportion of students from each ethnic group applied for some of Oxford's most and least competitive courses – and does show ethnic minorities are more likely to apply for some of the hardest courses to get on. |
| Proportion of students applying for a given course, by ethnicity | Proportion of students applying for a given course, by ethnicity |
| Click heading to sort table | Click heading to sort table |
| So subject mix, it seems, could account for some of the overall gap between white applicants and similarly-performing students from ethnic minorities. | So subject mix, it seems, could account for some of the overall gap between white applicants and similarly-performing students from ethnic minorities. |
| But this mix cannot explain the discrepencies within some of those subjects themselves – and nor, as these figures show, can those differences be explained by ability, at least so far as that is reflected within the grades students go on to get (university spokeswomen were keen to stress A-levels are just one measure of ability, which they say is also ascertained through additional tests and interview). | But this mix cannot explain the discrepencies within some of those subjects themselves – and nor, as these figures show, can those differences be explained by ability, at least so far as that is reflected within the grades students go on to get (university spokeswomen were keen to stress A-levels are just one measure of ability, which they say is also ascertained through additional tests and interview). |
| As ever, the data can only really show us what's happening, rather than why, or how it might be changed. But we've posted the full FOI data as released by Oxford below – take a look and let us know what you find. | As ever, the data can only really show us what's happening, rather than why, or how it might be changed. But we've posted the full FOI data as released by Oxford below – take a look and let us know what you find. |
| One important caveat, however: on the individual subjects, applicant numbers get very small (particularly when looking at students with three A* or higher). As a result, some apparent differences between different ethnic groups will very likely be a result of random quirks – or in other words, not statisitically significant. | One important caveat, however: on the individual subjects, applicant numbers get very small (particularly when looking at students with three A* or higher). As a result, some apparent differences between different ethnic groups will very likely be a result of random quirks – or in other words, not statisitically significant. |
| To get robust results, we grouped all ethnic minority candidates together and compared them with their white counterparts, generating statistically significant results for medicine and economics and management. | To get robust results, we grouped all ethnic minority candidates together and compared them with their white counterparts, generating statistically significant results for medicine and economics and management. |
| The data is below – let us know what you find in the comments below or via email to james.ball@guardian.co.uk. | The data is below – let us know what you find in the comments below or via email to james.ball@guardian.co.uk. |
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