University of Cape Town Student Admissions Data 2015-2019
South Africa, 2015 - 2019
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Reference ID
zaf-uct-uctsad-2015-2019-v1
Producer(s)
UCT Student Administration
Collections
Created on
Mar 03, 2020
Last modified
Jul 28, 2020
Page views
16369
Identification
Survey ID Number
zaf-uct-uctsad-2015-2019-v1
Title
University of Cape Town Student Admissions Data 2015-2019
Country
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| South Africa | zaf |
Study type
Administrative Records (ad]
Abstract
The dataset was generated from a set of Excel spreadsheets extracted from an Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS) administrative database on student applications to the University of Cape Town (UCT). The data in this second part of the series contain information on applications to UCT made between January 2015 and September 2019.
In the original form received by DataFirst the data were ill suited to research purposes. The series represents an attempt at cleaning and organizing the data into a more tractable format.
In the original form received by DataFirst the data were ill suited to research purposes. The series represents an attempt at cleaning and organizing the data into a more tractable format.
Kind of Data
Administrative records data
Unit of Analysis
Individuals, applications
Version
Version Description
v1.1: Edited data, first version, for data enclave use only
Version Date
2020-03-02
Version Notes
This set of datafiles constitutes the second part of a two-part series of University of Cape Town (UCT) admisisons data. The series was split in order to lessen computation times. The first part was published by DataFirst in 2015, it covers the years 2006-2014 and is currently version 1.1. This second part covers 2015-2019 and is currently version 1.
DataFirst is also in the process of creating a single harnomized series that will cover 2006-2019 without any breaks.
DataFirst is also in the process of creating a single harnomized series that will cover 2006-2019 without any breaks.
Scope
Notes
- APPLICATIONS: National benchmark test (NBT) scores; secondary school grades; UCT faculty specific internal scores; language scores; application date; scholarship information; family education levels; financial aid eligibility and status; academic program preferences
- INDIVIDUALS: Demographic characteristics; secondary school performance; finely disaggregated geographic information, disability information
- SECONDARY EDUCATION: Key subject results (percentage or grade/letter results); year of graduation; school; exemption information;
To ensure data confidentiality direct identifiers have been removed from the data and the data is only made available to accredited researchers through DataFirst's Secure Data Service.
- INDIVIDUALS: Demographic characteristics; secondary school performance; finely disaggregated geographic information, disability information
- SECONDARY EDUCATION: Key subject results (percentage or grade/letter results); year of graduation; school; exemption information;
To ensure data confidentiality direct identifiers have been removed from the data and the data is only made available to accredited researchers through DataFirst's Secure Data Service.
Coverage
Universe
All applications to study at the University of Cape Town
Producers and sponsors
Primary investigators
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| UCT Student Administration | University of Cape Town |
Producers
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| DataFirst | University of Cape Town | Data preparation |
Data Collection
Dates of Data Collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2015-01 | 2019-09 |
Data Collection Mode
Other [oth]
Data Collection Notes
The data are administrative records collected from application forms completed by those applying to study at the University of Cape Town
Data Processing
Data Editing
In order to lessen computation times the main applications file was split by year - this part contains the years 2014-2019. Note however that the other 3 files released with the application file (that can be merged into it for additional detail) did not need to be split. As such, the four files can be used to produce a series for 2014-2019 and are labelled as such, even though the person, secondary schooling and tertiary education files all span a longer time period.
Here is additional information about the files:
1. Application file: the "finest" or most disaggregated unit of analysis. Individuals may have multiple applications. Uniquely identified by an application ID variable. There are a total of 1,540,129 applications between 2015 and 2019. As mentioned, it was this application file that was split to reduce computation times. It was not necessary or logical to split the other files.
2. Person file: Each individual is uniquely identified by an individual ID variable. Each individual is associated with information on "key subjects" from a separate data file also contained in the database. These key subjects are all separate variables in the individual level data file. It is important to note that because individuals may have multiple applications, potentially spanning over many years, it was decided not to split the person level datafile. Rather, the person file spans the full data range from 2006 to 2019.
3. Secondary Education Information: Individuals can also be associated with row entries for each subject. This data file does not have a unique identifier. Instead, each row entry represents a specific secondary school subject for a specific individual. These subjects are quite specific and the data allows the user to distinguish between, for example, higher grade accounting and standard grade accounting. It also allows the user to identify the educational authority issuing the qualification e.g. Cambridge Internal Examinations (CIE) versus National Senior Certificate (NSC). This file spans 2006 to 2019.
4. Tertiary Education Information: the smallest of the four data files. There are multiple entries for each individual in this dataset. Each row entry contains information on the year, institution and transcript information and can be associated with individuals.This file spans 2006 to 2019.
Further information on the processing of the original data files is summarised in a document entitled "Notes on preparing the UCT Student Admissions Data" accompanying the data.
Here is additional information about the files:
1. Application file: the "finest" or most disaggregated unit of analysis. Individuals may have multiple applications. Uniquely identified by an application ID variable. There are a total of 1,540,129 applications between 2015 and 2019. As mentioned, it was this application file that was split to reduce computation times. It was not necessary or logical to split the other files.
2. Person file: Each individual is uniquely identified by an individual ID variable. Each individual is associated with information on "key subjects" from a separate data file also contained in the database. These key subjects are all separate variables in the individual level data file. It is important to note that because individuals may have multiple applications, potentially spanning over many years, it was decided not to split the person level datafile. Rather, the person file spans the full data range from 2006 to 2019.
3. Secondary Education Information: Individuals can also be associated with row entries for each subject. This data file does not have a unique identifier. Instead, each row entry represents a specific secondary school subject for a specific individual. These subjects are quite specific and the data allows the user to distinguish between, for example, higher grade accounting and standard grade accounting. It also allows the user to identify the educational authority issuing the qualification e.g. Cambridge Internal Examinations (CIE) versus National Senior Certificate (NSC). This file spans 2006 to 2019.
4. Tertiary Education Information: the smallest of the four data files. There are multiple entries for each individual in this dataset. Each row entry contains information on the year, institution and transcript information and can be associated with individuals.This file spans 2006 to 2019.
Further information on the processing of the original data files is summarised in a document entitled "Notes on preparing the UCT Student Admissions Data" accompanying the data.
Access policy
Contacts
| Name | URL | |
|---|---|---|
| DataFirst Support | support@data1st.org | support.data1st.org |
Access conditions
Secure Research Data Centre access https://www.datafirst.uct.ac.za/services/secure-data-services
Citation requirements
University of Cape Town Academic Administration. University of Cape Town Student Admissions Data 2015-2019 [dataset]. Version 1. Cape Town: University of Cape Town [producer], 2020. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25828/cy36-bs17
Access authority
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DataFirst | University of Cape Town | support@data1st.org | support.data1st.org |
Metadata production
Producers
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| DataFirst | University of Cape Town | Metadata producer |
Date of Metadata Production
2020-07-28
DDI Document version
Version 2