Using data insights to understand Clearing Stuart Smith

Agenda 01 UCAS Headlines 02 Our Clearing Trends 03 Institutions: Challenges and Opportunities 04 Students: Frustrations and Desires 05 Introducing Whatuni Go Interactive Q&A Visit: www.sli.do Enter code: #7369 Submit questions and up vote the ones you’d most like to have answered today

UCAS Headlines Main Cycle 2018 Demographic challenges Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Main Cycle 2018 Demographic challenges Overall acceptances stable with 2017 0.6% decrease in total applicants Ongoing decline in UK 18 year olds, decline in applications from 18-20 year olds 3.6% decrease in applications from UK 18 year old's 1.9% decrease in placed UK students, buffered by 76.7% acceptance rate Growth in unconditional offers and EU Challenge to shape recruitment to maintain provision and capacity until 2020 Source: DataHE

UCAS Headlines Clearing 2018 Growth in direct applicants Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Clearing 2018 Growth in direct applicants 17,515 applied directly via Clearing, 3.3% increase on 2017 33.4% increase in RPAs to 34,300 (many will be ‘direct to clearing’) Growth opportunity Small overall growth c.67k students placed via Clearing (excluding RPAs) 2.9% increase compared to 2017, a new UCAS record 12.5% of all placed students Main cycle impact 4% decrease in main cycle applicants in Clearing (UCAS, 17 August 2018) 45,690 placed students were main cycle applicants (UCAS, 20 September 2018) 1.4% decreased compared to the same point in 2017 Competition intensifying

Our Clearing Trends Whatuni Clearing Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Whatuni Clearing 263,677 pageviews on A level results day 3.15% increase on 2017 Whatuni app clearing matching service reached 5,903 users across 15,050 session on A level results day alone Universities with strong student satisfaction led, reflecting the sites focus on student reviews

Our Clearing Trends Complete University Guide Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Complete University Guide New comprehensive Clearing Search launched in June 2018 1 million pageviews on A level results day alone, 24% increase on 2017 Strong traffic for higher tariff institutions up until A level results day Medium tariff institutions with strong brands led from A level results onwards

Our Clearing Trends A Level Results Day by Device Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 A Level Results Day by Device Most engaged users are on desktop and tablet Mobile most used Year on year decrease due to WhatUni app

A Level Results (Thurs-Fri): 27.1% of all searches (+1.0 vs 2017) Our Clearing Trends Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Whatuni Course Search A Level Results (Thurs-Fri): 27.1% of all searches (+1.0 vs 2017) Early Clearing: 26.7% of all searches (-4.4 vs 2017) Late Clearing: 39.8% of all searches (+4.6 vs 2017)

Our Clearing Trends A Level Results Day Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 A Level Results Day

Our Clearing Trends A Level Results Day by Hour Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 A Level Results Day by Hour

Our Clearing Trends Whatuni Clearing Search – All Clearing Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Whatuni Clearing Search – All Clearing Detailed analysis of Whatuni and CUG subject trends will be available in post conference slide deck Overall growth in most subject areas with the largest growth in terms of volume in Health and Medicine Growth in the Environment subject area Notable and ongoing decline in Creative Arts and Design and Education

Sector Co-creation Insights Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Challenges and Opportunities Medium/Higher Tariff Institutions Institutions using clearing to meet target, some for the first time Challenge to balance brand considerations with the recruiting, entry standards and widening participation Lower Tariff Institutions Pressure from higher tariff institutions recruiting via clearing with lower entry requirements Pressure from peers offering lower tariffs, incentives and three year vs four year degrees High marketing and operational overheads Desire to accurately target campaigns and improve ROI

Student Co-creation Insights Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Frustrations and Desires Frustrations Challenge to find the right place Lack of advice and guidance Fragmented information Time pressure – limits choice and inhibits good decision making Stressful – peer pressure, calling multiple institutions, fear of rejection Feeling of being selected by institutions Desires Access to everything in one place Find the right course and institution Easy, stress free way to understand where they can get in with their grades Ability to apply, compare and accept online in their own time Understand the clearing process Feel wanted and supported by institutions

Introducing Whatuni Go Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Self-serve digital platform Co-created with institutions and students For students: find and get a place at their perfect match online – reduced stress, better decision making and reduced effort For institutions: find and recruit students with the right fit and profile – increase reach and enrolments without growing operational overheads 30-50 pioneering institutions for first year Launch Webinar – 12 February Sign up at https://bit.ly/2GbgpOL or speak to a member of the team today to find out more.

Questions & Answers Sector Advisory Panels We’re actively recruiting members for our domestic and international sector advisory panels. If you’d like to be involved in helping us to design Whatuni Go and other innovative products – speak to one of the team today. Interactive Q&A - www.sli.do –#7369 Questions are being moderated. We will try to answer as many of your queries as possible today and aim to answer any questions left unaddressed at a later date.