Transition of Students from Economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds to Research Led Universities.

This paper presents the findings of a study on software development students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds that have dropped out of universities which have a strong research emphasis. In the UK, these universities are generally part of the Russell Group of Universities. The participants were all male, mainly black, working class and had studied software development for two years postsixteen at an inner city further education college in London. This study is the result of interviews, discussions and feedback from students who have a very different experience of the higher education system than students from middle class backgrounds. As Macrae and Maguire (2002) have argued, a system of support is required for these under-represented groups, in order that they may successfully access and complete higher education studies. Economically disadvantaged students’ transition to research led universities is especially difficult, as in these environments there is a habitus of middle class students for whom the social norms are very different as many have had very different life experiences. The dramatic increase in University fees from £3,000 to £9,000 per year has made many economically disadvantaged students worry about applying to university. It is also the case that students from the lower social classes are more debt averse than those from higher social classes (Callendar & Jackson, 2005). While many universities have made considerable steps to assisting transition, the findings are that these working class students who came to university from a vocational course and have very limited experience of exams, believe that they would be helped by having an introductory course at the start of the academic year to give additional support. A mentor from the same social, economic and ethnic background to support them from the start of their course would also be of great benefit. It is noted that additional financial help in the form of more non repayable bursaries and available part time work at the university would also be beneficial. Introduction and Background This paper is an investigation and study on the reasons for drop out of economically disadvantaged, mainly black, male students from research led universities. The 15 students in the study were all male: there are very few females on this course each year and they generally apply for Business Information systems courses, so they were not included. The students were mainly black and were all from economically deprived homes. They were in receipt of EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) which is given to students whose families are in receipt of a low income, so this was used as an evidence indicator of economically disadvantaged background. They were all at a London inner city further education college on a vocational software development course, which is the equivalent of three A Levels the necessary prerequisite for university. UCAS, the university and Transition of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to research led Universities 324 colleges admissions service, which is the centralised application system for UK universities advises that there has been a drop in applications from UK born students of 12% (UCAS 2012) since the news of tuition fee increase which will come into effect from October 2012. With the projection of the number of 18 year olds in the UK decreasing by around 11% over the next 10 years it is important for universities to continue to have in place as much student support as possible for students to reduce the dropout rate. From October 2012, university fees in the UK for home students will increase from £3,000 to £9,000 per year, which means an economically disadvantaged student who drops out incurs a heavy financial loss with nothing to show for it. The dropout rate of working class students has been recognised as a serious issue in higher education. Powedthavee and Vignoles (2009) suggest that, in the UK, as in the US, there is a significant gap in the dropout rate between economically advantaged and disadvantaged pupils. Powedthavee and Vignoles (2009) state that the dropout rate is increasing in the UK and that this will widen the socio-economic gap in degree completion, as poorer students will be more likely than richer ones to drop out. However many universities have taken some steps towards supporting economically disadvantaged students and this has been noticeable in the feedback of this study. If a student goes to university it is critical that they do not drop out, especially as there are very few jobs available in the current economic market in the UK. ‘In the period September-November 2011, 1.04 million young people aged 1624 were unemployed’ (Rhodes, 2012, p. 1). On average 85% of all students who complete this software development course go on to attend university. Nearly all are the first in their family to do so. The concept that this course will lead on to university is embedded into the teaching. We keep in touch with the students to monitor that we are properly preparing them for university. We also get feedback from them on their experiences at university through discussions. Everyone should have equal access to a university education. Rawls (1971) sees social justice as the equal distribution of goods in society. Here the goods are the availability of and access to university education. Bourdieu (1990) has described how we reproduce our social conditions and so children frequently have similar educational and employment opportunities to their parents. This research shows that there is a correlation between background and education but, this is true only up to a point. Bourdieu’s (1990) concept of habitus accounts for how a person’s environment influences their behaviour and choices. This can be both familial and institutional. In this study, one can see how habitus can affect students. Most of those who participated in the study do not have a familial habitus of going to university; the majority did not have parents who wanted them to go or assumed that this would happen. Nearly all the cohort were the first in the family to go to University. For disadvantaged inner city students who may only have been out of London on school trips this is very alien, they go from a world of slang to talking ‘proper’, from rarely travelling out of the city environment to meeting people their own age who go to France for shopping expeditions and go to Europe and further afield for their holidays. Money is a serious concern and for these students who are often from a background of benefits, a large debt is a frightening concept. There is no parental back up for them. To then drop out of university with a debt and no degree is of serious concern.