Guarantee the fairness of candidates on Parcoursup. This is one of the ambitions of the posting platform in higher education. And to do this, quotas have been established on Parcoursup in order to help candidates who did not necessarily leave with as many chances as others to access certain training courses. A policy which has made progress, but which has not met all of its ambitions either, as highlighted in the annual report of the Parcoursup Ethics and Scientific Committee (CESP), unveiled on Thursday.
The independent body first looked at the quotas of scholarship holders entering certain courses*, established by the rector of each academy. A measure that aims to promote social diversity in higher education, because several studies have shown the tendency of scholarship students to self-censor in their training choices.
More scholars accept a proposal
Race results: “The scholarship quotas are effective,” says Catherine Moisan, Honorary General Inspector of National Education and member of the CESP. Because the share of scholarship holders who accepted a proposal in Parcoursup rose from 19.8% in 2018 to 24.9% in 2021. “The quotas have allowed scholarship holders to access training in which they would not have been admitted without this device”, estimates the CESP.
One downside, however: because we are witnessing a decline, even a regression in the number of scholarship holders enrolled in certain selective training courses. This is particularly the case in engineering schools (which went from 26% of scholarship holders in 2012 to 22.8% in 2020). This proves that “there are still obstacles (social, financial) to the access of these candidates to the most selective training courses”, underlines the CESP.
42% of techno baccalaureate holders in BUT in 2021
Another quota in Parcoursup: the one that benefits technological baccalaureate holders and professional baccalaureate holders at the entrance to short courses. The rector sets a number of places reserved for professional baccalaureate holders in BTS. For the GOALS, the Ministry of Higher Education has set them, from 2021, the objective of keeping 50% of their places for techno baccalaureate holders.
According to the CESP, the results of the BTS in this area are not changing. Because the percentage of vocational baccalaureate holders enrolled in STS was 32.1% in 2019-2020 and only 31.3% in 2020-2021. Regarding the quotas of technological baccalaureate holders in IUT, the results are more positive: the share of new technological baccalaureate holders has increased from 34% in 2020 to 42% in 2021.
Lift the brakes on orientation again in higher education
On the basis of these observations, the CESP issues a few recommendations. First, to improve the rate of scholarship holders in the selective sectors, he recommends boosting their support for orientation by insisting on “the representation they have of the sectors and professions targeted, but also on their chance of success “. With regard to the BTS, the CESP recommends that the ministry set specific objectives for them, as was done for the GOALS. He also insists on the need to better support professional baccalaureate holders when they are taken in BTS, because less than half of them obtain the diploma: 40.2% in two years, 47.5% in two or three years. .
And to get pros and techno graduates to apply more for BTS and BUT, we need to go out and meet them more, starting in the second class. “The work on orientation must go more through testimonials from former students who come to tell about their training in their former high school”, recommends Catherine Moisan. The best way to make people want to imitate them.