‘Pressure selling’ of unconditional offers must end, says minister

UNIVERSITIES that “pressure sell” unconditional offers are unethical, the Education Secretary has warned, as he called on them to stop the practice.

Damian Hinds called for a review of university admissions, and argued that it was unacceptable for students to feel “backed into a corner” when deciding which offer to take up.

The number of unconditional offers has risen sharply in recent years, with students now 30 times more likely to receive one than five years ago.

Fierce competition between universities to attract students has increasingly led to pupils being offered places regardless of their exam results.

Some institutions have handed out “incentivised” offers, telling students their offer was unconditional but only if they accepted it as their first choice.

The universities watchdog warned that applying “psychological pressure” or “creating an impression of urgency” in decision-making could be a potential breach of consumer protection law.

An Office for Students (OFS) report in January found that applicants who accepted an unconditional offers were more likely to miss predicted A-level grades by two or more grades.

“It is simply unacceptable for universities to adopt pressure-selling tactics, which are harming students’ grades in order to fill places,” Mr Hinds said. “‘Conditional unconditional’ offers are damaging the reputation of the institutions involved and our worldleading sector as a whole.” Mr Hinds said he intended to write to 23 institutions – including the University of Birmingham, a member of the Russell Group – “urging them to stamp out this unethical practice”.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 ban “aggressive” selling tactics, which includes a seller exerting “undue influence” on a consumer by psychological means. Undue influence “means exploiting a position of power in relation to the consumer so as to apply pressure, even without using or threatening to use physical force, in a way which significantly limits the consumer’s ability to make an informed decision”.

Head teachers have been increasingly concerned about the impact of unconditional offers, complaining that students who are awarded them “take their foot off the gas” because they are

‘It is unacceptable for universities to adopt tactics which are harming students’ grades’

unconcerned about their grades.

The University of Nottingham, University of Sussex and St Mary’s University, Twickenham, said they would no longer make unconditional offers.

John Brewer, the pro vice chancellor of St Mary’s, said in October that he ended unconditional offers in a bid to “maintain standards of entry”.

Nicola Dandridge, the OFS chief executive, said admissions practices were “clearly not working if they are having a negative impact on students’ choices or outcomes”.

A spokesman for Universities UK said it was working with Ucas to review guidance on unconditional offers.