Join Our Project to Address Undermatch in Higher Education
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At Causeway Education, we are committed to tackling the issue of undermatch in Higher Education. Our aim with this approach is to enhance outreach and support for students, especially those from less-privileged backgrounds, to help them make informed choices about their academic futures. Undermatch occurs when students enroll in university courses below their academic potential, often due to limited guidance or systemic barriers. We believe this issue needs urgent attention, and we are calling on others in the sector to join us in addressing it.
Latest Insights: Understanding the Scope of Undermatch
In our recent webinar, we presented new insights into the undermatch problem. Research from UCL and studies from the USA highlight that students, particularly those from lower socio-economic backgrounds (SES), often choose less competitive courses despite excelling at Key Stage 5 (KS5). This undermatch trend leads to lower academic outcomes, higher dropout rates, and reduced post-graduation earnings—further exacerbating inequality and limiting social mobility.
Findings also showed that undermatch disproportionately affects female students and that the school a student attends is a stronger predictor of undermatch than the student’s individual characteristics. These insights drive our work to collaborate with schools to improve guidance systems and help students aim higher.
New Tools: Equipping Educators with Effective Resources
To address this challenge, we’ve developed practical tools to support students and educators. The Causeway Undermatch Tool uses KS4 (GCSE) data to match students with university courses that align with their academic potential. This helps teachers and advisors better inform students during the course choice process. Additionally, our virtual platform, OSCAR, helps students craft compelling personal statements for their university applications, ensuring they reflect their true capabilities and ambitions.
Models for Action: What We Are Doing and How You Can Get Involved
In our webinar, we shared three ways that Higher Education Institutions can take action to reduce undermatch:
Talk the talk: Upskill outreach staff in the latest research and approaches so they can bring insights into existing programmes, informing applicants about undermatch and why they might want to consider it.
Match-Led Mentoring: Offer personalised support to help students navigate the university application process and ensure their choices align with their abilities.
Staff Training: Equip school/college staff with the tools and knowledge to integrate “match” insights into their support systems for applicants.
We are actively piloting these strategies and invite others to join us in refining and scaling up these approaches. By working together, we can empower students to make choices that reflect their capabilities and, ultimately, help them achieve their full potential.
Get Involved: Let’s Make a Difference Together
We invite all educators and institutions interested in addressing undermatch to join our project. If you are looking to enhance your outreach programmes and incorporate new research insights and tools, let’s work together to make a lasting impact. Contact Clare for further discussions and to learn more about how you can get involved.
