Abstract
A positive and successful transition into University is crucial if students are to stay the course in higher education and experience successful outcomes. However, challenges exist in ensuring a connected transition from secondary and further education to higher education that is inclusive and supports the diversity in our current undergraduate student body. We set out to explore the diverse experiences that first year students report about their recent transition to a post-1992 University. We were particularly interested in how these experiences and challenges differed by ethnicity. This is incredibly important given the disparity, recognised in the sector, in the attainment of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students compared to their White counterparts and particularly pertinent that this trend reverses attainment patterns in secondary education. This paper summarises some of our key findings in determining the challenges facing students from different backgrounds in their transition to university. It argues that Universities will have to change their transition and wider offer to ensure that diverse students feel welcomed and develop a sense belonging in Higher Education in order for them to achieve successful outcomes.Keywords: Transition, widening participation, ethnicity
Highlights
There are many academic and non-academic obstacles that students must overcome when transitioning from School/Further Education (FE) to Higher Education (HE)
The period of transition to university is a key moment where a sense of belonging can be engendered (Thomas, 2012). This project aims to explore the differential experiences and expectations of White students and students coming from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds who have just transitioned into higher education in a post-92 London University
The final data set consisted of 289 surveys. 76% of these students came from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds and a further 24% were recorded as being from White ethnic backgrounds
Summary
There are many academic and non-academic obstacles that students must overcome when transitioning from School/Further Education (FE) to Higher Education (HE). A positive and successful transition into University is crucial if students are to stay the course in higher education and experience successful outcomes. Central to the purpose of this paper is the growing body of evidence which highlights that students coming from Black and Ethnic Minority backgrounds have less successful outcomes in higher education. HEFCE (2015) reports that the difference between White and BME graduates is 16 percentage point (76 compared to 60). This gap reduced by only 1 percentage point when a range of factors were controlled such as age, disability status, subject of study, prior attainment and so on. HESA data (2014/5) from some of our own courses for example in pharmaceutical science and biochemistry indicated lower VA scores
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