Abstract:
At the present time, some 90,000 students apply each year for entry to NSW universities through the Universities Admission Centre (UAC). The Centre was established to receive and process applications for admission to the participating universities of NSW. The majority of first degree or diploma admissions are handled by UAC, under an agreement whereby each applicant receives a single offer based on the preferences stated on their application form. Of these applicants, around half are candidates for the current NSW Higher School Certificate examination. The file containing information on their applications can yield valuable insights into the process of applying, receiving an offer and subsequent taking up of an enrolment. Analysis of the file can inform policy-making with regard to access to tertiary study, but this cannot be done without systematic and thorough analyses of this data.