What are the challenges faced by widening participation students in the transition period before starting university? Experiences of students waiting to take up a place at a Russell Group University

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George, Tracey (2011) What are the challenges faced by widening participation students in the transition period before starting university? Experiences of students waiting to take up a place at a Russell Group University. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Objective: Research has shown that widening participation students can encounter many barriers on their journey to higher education. Some manage to overcome them, gain a place at university, and go on to achieve academic success; others fall at the last hurdle, dropping out before commencing their course. This research addresses a gap in the current evidence by finding out about the challenges students face in the period before starting university which might contribute to them not registering for their place.

Design: Online survey and telephone interviews.

Setting: A Russell Group university.

Participants: 271 widening participation students that had accepted a place at a Russell Group university.

Results: A number of challenges were identified: lack of academic preparedness and familial support, fitting in socially, and making the transition from the parental home to living alone. Other challenges such as finance and those more pertinent to local students seemed more significant offered some explanation for why students might change their minds about university at the last minute.

Conclusions: Universities can try and address some of the challenges that widening participation students face in the period before starting university by offering more support, and practical suggestions are made as to how this may be achieved; but it is important that initiatives to offer support continue throughout the university journey to ensure students are retained for the duration of their course.

Item Type: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Depositing User: EP, Services
Date Deposited: 26 Oct 2012 12:12
Last Modified: 07 Jan 2018 11:03
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/25527

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