Dear University of Otago,

I reviewed with interest the following OIA request: https://fyi.org.nz/request/28406/respons.... I would like to follow up on question 8 of this request - ‘does the selection process consider demographics for admissions, if so, which aspects and to what extent’. As such, could you please respond to the following questions?

Does the selection process for interviews and places in the clinical psychology programme take demographics into account when making selections (formally or informally)?

If so, please advise which demographics are taken into account, e.g. gender identity, sexuality, ethnicity, age.

If demographics are taken into account, please also how demographics are used when making selection decisions. For instance - is someone more likely to be selected for an interview and/or place in the programme if they are male rather than female, homosexual rather than heterosexual, Māori rather than Pākehā, or middle-aged rather than a new graduate, etc?

Please also advise whether applicants with postgraduate degrees are more likely to be selected for interviews and/or places in the programme than those with undergraduate degrees only.

Thank you for your time.

Yours faithfully,

H. G.

Dear UoO - Official Information Act,

Thank you for your response.

I would like to clarify an aspect of my inquiry.

I was not asking for any demographic information about current or past students, I am aware this is personal information. I was wanting to know which demographic factors benefit a person’s application to the programme, and which factors make an applicant less appealing to admissions staff. I will copy-paste some of my original question below. Please review and respond with consideration for my clarification. I do not want demographic information about current students, I want to know which demographic factors increase an applicant’s chance at obtaining an interview and/or place in the programme.

“Please advise how demographics are used when making selection decisions. Is someone more likely to be selected for an interview and/or place in the programme if they are male rather than female, homosexual rather than heterosexual, Mãori rather than Pakeha, or middle-aged rather than a new geaduate, etc.

Please also advise whether applicants with postgraduate degrees are more likely to be selected for interviews and/or places in the programme than those with undergraduate degrees only.”

Yours sincerely,

H. G.