Case Study 1 : University of Cumbria
Background
The University of Cumbria were experiencing a high volume of applicants for a very limited
number of students. It was taking significant admissions capacity to interview all the
applicants. They agreed to participate in a pilot, where snap was used as a screening tool.
The objective was to reduce the number of applicants interviewed.
Applicants were asked to complete the assessment as a first stage of the application
process. A benchmark pass mark was used as a trigger for invitation to interview.
| Applicant Type | Applicants | Interviewed | Reduced Interview Time (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramedics | 209 | 96 | 54% |
| Midwifery | 117 | 74 | 38% |
Feedback from Recruitment Team and Academic Leads
This definitely sifted out the ones who weren’t serious about the application. The quality of
candidates I interviewed were noticeably better
Massively reduced my work model allocated time. I used to spend days searching and
securing applications. The pilot eradicated most of the need for this
We now have a really good quality waiting list as the snap score can be used to prioritise
applicants
Helps differentiate the waiting list – it’s another metrics that can be used alongside the
interview score
Flexibility
During the recruitment round, the pass mark was lowered, increasing the pool of interview
candidates, as not all places had been filled. Admissions academics commented that there
was noticeably a reduction in the quality of students, and that it was probably pointless.
Future
This ‘sifting’ layer will continue for the next round of applicants – with the addition of one or
two more current/topical questions. The university is also considering the use of the too for
recruitment to Physio courses.
Summary
This has been a very successful pilot; it met its objectives, which was to reduce the amount
of time spent interviewing. It reduced the number of applicants interviewed by over 50%
compared to the traditional method used.
Example Questions
Midwifery
A woman in your care discloses a safeguarding issue and asks you not to tell anyone.
What should your response be?
(a)… True or False: Infant formula (artificial formula) is very similar to breastmilk nowadays?
Paramedics
10 grams of intravenous glucose can be administered to a hypoglycaemic patient (low blood
sugars). This can be repeated twice more before the maximum dose is reached. What is the
maximum dose?
True or False: It is acceptable practice to accept a friend request on Facebook from a patient
that you treated earlier that day?
Case Study 2: University of Salford
The University of Salford also use Sn@p to support in the assessment of suitability for applicants for their Nursing Mental Health programme.
On an assessment date, pre communicated to applicants, individuals are invited to join a video call. In this they are given information about what to expect on the interview and selection process on that day. This includes a link to sn@p assessment, which will only be live and available for one hour during the assessment day.
Candidates log into the assessment and complete a series of attitude and behavioural questions. These are then viewed later by the admissions tutor, who will take their answers into consideration alongside other recruitment activity undertaken on the day.
Admissions tutors have the flexibility of being able to review the answers as and when they have time available. The answers given give more in-depth information on the applicant, and can be used to help support decision making.