The Relationship between Socioeconomic Classes and Higher Education Entry in UK

Abstract

There is distinct discrimination in higher education entry for pupils from different socioeconomic classes. This study focuses on the relationship between higher education participation and students’ socioeconomic statuses in UK. It aims to investigate reasons why students from underprivileged family backgrounds have less opportunities for university entry compared with young people from better-off families. This study also aims to explore solutions to mitigate this problem, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of these mentioned solutions. Worse academic performances and low educational aspirations may explain that disadvantaged students have less opportunity to continue their university study. Using contextualized admission practices and organizing aspirations-raising activities for students from poor family backgrounds seem to narrow the entry gap. However, it is still a long way to solve this problem and different parts, including the government, universities, other educational organizations and even parents, need to work together to mitigate this university entry gap.