A theoretical understanding is offered to help explore how students attempt to reconcile divergent narratives around the purposes of Higher Education in relation to their own writing. Drawing from the twin notions of centripetal and centrifugal forces, the paper discusses the ways that students both follow and resist convention in their own writing, and their reasons for doing so. In revealing the intricate oscillation between restrictive and expansive writing approaches, the research suggests that students 'tilt' their writing according to a diverse and broad understanding of higher education learning. Derived from semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students at a pre-1992 university, the research challenges the over-emphasis placed on consumeristic agendas of students and provides insights beneficial for practitioners involved in the supporting and assessing of student writing in Higher Education.