ERIC Number: EJ1396664
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0309-877X
EISSN: EISSN-1469-9486
Reflections on Welcome and Induction: Exploring the Sources of Students' Expectations and Anticipations about University
Journal of Further and Higher Education, v47 n7 p980-993 2023
This paper discusses different sources of students' expectations of university, beginning with a thematic analysis of 21 semi-structured interviews with a diverse set of students at a UK University. We find that students draw on several different sources to develop their ideas of what university will be like; some of these sources are trusted more than others, and some present a more realistic view. The broader challenge of independence emerges as a contributory factor in students' sense of successful transition to university, mediated by different types of socio-cultural capital. We draw upon Ulriksen's distinction between 'expectations' and 'anticipations', as one that illuminates how much influence universities can realistically have in shaping prospective students' ideas about university life. We show that universities must be open and realistic in the information and support they offer to incoming students, in order to help students form expectations of university life that are accurate and more likely to be met. Universities are also likely to benefit from understanding individual students' expectations better, via personalised support.
Descriptors: College Students, Foreign Countries, Expectation, Concept Formation, Student Experience, Educational Experience, Influences, Background, Peer Influence, Siblings, Cultural Influences, Social Capital, Cultural Capital
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A