One in five students at university say they were unable to study degree subjects that interested them because they didn’t receive good advice from their school on which A-levels and GCSEs to pick, a poll shows.
The students had been unable to study degrees such as medicine, dentistry, maths, economics and languages because these courses require specific qualifications.
Two in five of the 27,000 first- and second-year students at UK universities, including those from overseas, polled by the University and College Admissions Service (Ucas) said they would have made different choices if they had received better careers advice.
However, school leaders said that the government does not provide schools with enough support and funding to offer quality careers advice.
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“Unfortunately, the government dismantled national careers advice services in 2012 and left schools and colleges to pick up the pieces while squeezing their budgets. Matters have improved since then through various initiatives but government support is characteristically piecemeal and inadequate,” said Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.
Barton added that students’ regrets are likely exacerbated by universities’ use of “inappropriate” unconditional offers which put pressure on students to choose courses they may not be suited to.
The study also found that students from the wealthiest postcodes tend to start thinking about university earlier than those from the poorest, with 39% of richer pupils considering higher education at primary school compared with 27% of their most disadvantaged peers. They are also less likely to feel that they received insufficient information on subject choices (37% compared with 43%), and less likely to choose vocational subjects (52% compared with 40%).
The students who were least likely to regret their decisions were those who had starting thinking about their university choices earlier. The report recommends that students start mulling degree options before choosing their GCSE subjects.
Clare Marchant, Ucas’s chief executive, said: “We know that early engagement raises aspiration. The data showing that disadvantaged students tend to consider the prospect of higher education later than their more advantaged peers clearly demonstrates the need to embed careers information, advice and guidance within primary schools and early secondary years.”
The report also found that one in four students consider their parents to be their main influence on subject choices. Students also took inspiration from their professions, with those whose parents work in healthcare eight times more likely to study medicine or dentistry. The children of artists are three times more likely to pick creative arts and design, and those who come from farming families are 10 times more likely to study veterinary science and agriculture.
While three-quarters (74%) of students chose their degree based on the subject they enjoyed most, this was highest for students of languages, history and philosophy and lowest for students of medicine, law and education. Maths students were the most motivated by career prospects.
Nearly a third (30%) of students also said the pandemic had influenced their decisions, with half (50%) saying good job prospects have become more important.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We have invested over £100m this financial year alone towards high quality careers provision including the rollout of the Enterprise Adviser network reaching more than 4,000 schools and colleges and connecting 3.3 million young people to future employers, and National Careers Service support to those who need it.
“We know there is more to do, and pledged earlier this year as part of our Skills for Jobs white paper to expand this offer, rolling out services to all secondary schools and colleges in England.”
