Table of Contents
Introduction and Abbreviations
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- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- More young people mean Higher Education headaches
- Selecting students
- Why go?
- Where to go and what to study?
- Being a student
- New or Old: what’s the difference?
- Too much like hard work, or the Life of Riley?
- ‘Poor students…’
- ‘We think we’re so independent…’
- The effect of paid work
- The means-testing minefield
- Out into the world…
- …weighed down by debt?
- The future of university education…?
- The prospect of top-up fees…
- Will institutions be able to cope with the demand?
- What can we do to make life easier for students?
The Path to Higher Education
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- Young people in the population
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- Figure 1: Estimated UK population changes, by age, 2001-10
- Figure 2: UK resident population, by age, 2001-10
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- Figure 3: UK resident population, by age – percentage of total population, 2001-10
- Higher Education: Getting there
- Girls still outperform boys
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- Figure 4: GCE/VCE A-level (or equivalent)* achievements of students** in all schools and FE sector colleges, as a percentage of candidates, by gender, 2000/01-2002/03
- Figure 5: The gender gap of GCE/VCE A-level (or equivalent)* achievements of students** in all schools and FE sector colleges, 2000/01-2002/03
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- Figure 6: GCE/VCE A-level (or equivalent)* achievements of students** in all schools and FE sector colleges, percentage point changes in pass rates, by gender, 2000/01-2002/03
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- Figure 7: Young* full-time undergraduate** entrants to UK Higher Education institutions, 1998/99-2001/02
- Slow growth towards the government target of 50%?
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- Figure 8: Participation by young people in Higher Education, age participation index (API), Great Britain, 1984/85 to 2001/02
- Who goes to university?
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- Figure 9: Percentage of young* entrants to full-time degree courses from state schools, 1998/99-2001/02
- The move to universal inclusion
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- Figure 10: Percentage of young* entrants from social classes IIIM, IV or V, 1998/99-2001/02
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- Figure 11: Percentage of young* full-time entrants to first degree courses from low-participation neighbourhoods, 1998/99-2001/02
- Why university?
- Planners
- Procrastinators
- Production Liners
- Workplace Refugees
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- Figure 12: Those with a family tradition of attending university, by socio-economic group, 2003
- Which university?
- Is elitism fuelled by unequal aspirations?
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- Figure 13: Applications to Higher Education institutions from students with 30 A-level points, by social class, 2000/01
- Figure 14: Acceptances as a percentage of applications to Higher Education institutions from students with 30 A-level points, by social class, 2000/01
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- Figure 15: Acceptances as a percentage of applications to Higher Education institutions from students with 30 A-level points, by social class, 2000/01
- Which course? – Horses for courses?
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- Figure 16: Main factors influencing choice of university, 2002 and 2003
- Drop-out rates
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- Figure 17: Percentage of young entrants not continuing in HE after their first year, 1997/98-2001/02
- Expectations not met?
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- Figure 18: Main reasons for dropping out of university, 2003
- Figure 19: Those giving financial problems as a reason for dropping out of university, by socio-economic group, 2003
- Chapter summary
- The marketing perspective
Student Life and Choices
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- What does it mean to be a student?
- Freedom and independence
- Social life
- Academic life
- Financial considerations
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- Figure 20: The worst aspects of university life, 2003
- New versus old: An evaluation of universities
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- Figure 21: Attitudes towards own university, 2003
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- Figure 22: Those whose attitudes towards own university are ‘very favourable’, by type of university, 2003
- Figure 23: Satisfaction with ‘customer service’ at university, and value for money from course, 2003
- Six in ten are satisfied customers
- Mickey Mouse? – the academic experience
- Has commercialism devalued the degree?
- Comparison of university life with own expectations
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- Figure 24: Whether current course meets expectations, 2003
- Do they regret coming to university?
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- Figure 25: Those strongly agreeing that ‘Going to university is a worthwhile experience’, 2000-03
- The importance of planning and research
- Bad press? What the outside world thinks of students
- Non-students of similar age
- Parents
- Media
- The Life of Riley?
- What do students do all day?
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- Figure 26: Time spent by students on daily activities, 2003
- Timetabled study
- Private study
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- Figure 27: Agreement and disagreement with statement 'I like to follow a well-organised routine' – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Socialising
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- Figure 28: Agreement and disagreement that ‘I spend a lot of my spare time with friends every day’ – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Chapter summary
- The marketing perspective
- Students are becoming more demanding customers
- New universities must try harder
Student Finances
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- Background to student finance
- Sources of income
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- Figure 29: Changes in the composition of students’ income between 1998/99 and 2002/03 (average £ per academic year)
- Financial support from families is declining
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- Figure 30: Changes in the composition of students’ income between 1998/99 and 2002/03 (% of total income)
- Figure 31: Percentage point changes in the composition of students’ income between 1998/99 and 2002/03 (% of total income)
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- Figure 32: Percentage of students receiving different sources of income, 2002/03
- Figure 33: Students’ total income and main sources of income, by type of university attended, 2002/03
- New university students, working to pay their way
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- Figure 34: Students’ total income and main sources of income, by type of university attended, 2002/03
- Student loans
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- Figure 35: Student support – maximum amount of loan, academic years 1999/2000-2002/03
- Take-up rate and value increasing
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- Figure 36: Student support – take-up of student loans, and average value of loan, 1999/2000-2002/03
- Hardship funds
- Family support
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- Figure 37: Average income from parents/family, by year of study, 2002/03
- Employment
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- Figure 38: Average income from paid work, compared with average income from family, by year of study, 2002/03
- Savings
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- Figure 39: Agreement and disagreement with statement 'I am no good at saving money' – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 40: Financial preparations for university, 2002/03
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- Figure 41: Students’ average savings and percentages with savings, at different stages in the academic year, 2001/02 and 2002/03
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- Figure 42: Those with deposit/savings bank accounts – students and non-students, by gender, 1998-2003
- What do they spend it on?
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- Figure 43: Student expenditure on participation, housing and living costs, 1998/99 and 2002/03
- Figure 44: Student expenditure on participation, housing and living costs, by type of university attended, 2002/03
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- Figure 45: NUS estimated average student expenditure for the academic year, 2002/03 (39 weeks)
- Tuition fees
- The means-testing minefield
- Managing money
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- Figure 46: Agreement and disagreement that 'I feel fairly knowledgeable in the financial field' – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 47: Agreement and disagreement that ‘I think I’m good at managing my money’ – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 48: Agreement and disagreement with statement ‘I tend to spend money without thinking’ – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Choosing a bank account
- Credit cards
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- Figure 49: Plastic cards owned – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 50: Ownership of credit/charge cards – students, by gender, 2001 and 2003
- Borrowing
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- Figure 51: Total student borrowings and sources of borrowing, 2003
- Figure 52: Total student borrowings and sources of borrowing, 1998/99 and 2002/03
- The average third-year student owes nearly £10,000
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- Figure 53: Total student borrowings, by type of institution and year of study, 2003
- Figure 54: Student use of commercial credit, by type of institution and year of study, 2003
- Student debt
- Female students more debt-averse
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- Figure 55: Agreement with statement ‘I don’t like the idea of being in debt’ – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 56: Those who definitely agree that ‘I don’t like the idea of being in debt’ – students, by gender, 2001 and 2003
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- Figure 57: Attitudes towards student debt – undergraduates, 1999-2003
- Figure 58: Total student debt, by type of institution and year of study, 2003
- Chapter summary
- The marketing perspective
Students at Home
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- The cost of living – housing costs
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- Figure 59: Housing costs, by items of expenditure, 2002/03
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- Figure 60: Student expenditure on participation, housing and living costs, by housing arrangements, 2002/03
- Living with parents
- Cheap but not cheerful
- Halls of residence
- Often not cheap or cheerful
- Rented accommodation
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- Figure 61: Undergraduate spending on utility bills, 1999-2003
- Living costs
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- Figure 62: Living costs, by items of expenditure, 2002/03
- Chores
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- Figure 63: Average time spent on household chores – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 64: Agreement and disagreement that ‘My house is often in a mess’ – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Food: shopping, cooking, eating
- Eating habits
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- Figure 65: Agreement and disagreement with statement 'I consider my diet to be very healthy' – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 66: Agreement and disagreement that 'I don’t pay sufficient attention to what I eat' – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 67: Those who are vegetarian – students and non-students, by gender, 1998-2003
- Spending on food
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- Figure 68: Undergraduate spending on supermarket food shopping, 1999-2003
- Figure 69: Undergraduate spending on eating out, 2000-03
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- Figure 70: Estimates of students’ weekly food costs (averaged over 39-week year)
- Home comforts
- Television
- Videos, DVDs and music
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- Figure 71: Undergraduate spending on music, 2000-03
- Computers
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- Figure 72: Those who own a personal computer – students and non-students, by gender, 1998-2003
- Keeping in touch
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- Figure 73: Ownership of mobile phones, by gender, 1998-2003
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- Figure 74: Estimates of students’ monthly phone costs (averaged over 39-week year):
- Getting about
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- Figure 75: Full driving licence ownership – students and non-students, by gender, 1998-2003
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- Figure 76: Car ownership – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 77: Bicycle ownership – students and non-students, by gender, 1998-2003
- Chapter summary
- The marketing perspective
Students at Work and Play
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- Students at work
- Work-related expenses
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- Figure 78: Participation costs, by items of expenditure, 2002/03
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- Figure 79: Number of hardback books bought in the last 12 months – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 80: Number of paperbook books bought in the last 12 months – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 81: Purchasing of paperback and hardback books – students, 1998-2003
- University resources
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- Figure 82: Agreement that ‘Resources at my university are stretched due to the increase in student numbers’, 2003
- Figure 83: Those agreeing that that ‘Resources at my university are stretched due to the increase in student numbers’, by type of university, 2003
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- Figure 84: Those rating elements of academic support at university to be ‘very good’, 2003
- Students at play
- Alcohol and going out
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- Figure 85: Undergraduate spending on alcohol and going out, 1999-2003
- Pubs and drinking
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- Figure 86: Agreement that ‘In the evening I often go to a bar (café, club, pub)’ – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 87: Pub drinking in the daytime and evening – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Female students most likely to drink regularly
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- Figure 88: Those drinking in pubs at least once a week (daytime and evening) – students, by gender, 2001 and 2003
- Figure 89: Those drinking in pubs at least once a week (daytime and evening) – students, by gender, percentage point change 2001-03
- Student smokers
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- Figure 90: Cigarette smokers – students and non-students, by gender, 1998-2003
- Figure 91: Undergraduate spending on cigarettes and percentage spending, 1999-2003
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- Figure 92: Undergraduate spending on cigarettes, 1999-2003
- Student drug use
- Sport and exercise
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- Figure 93: Those definitely agreeing that 'I do some sport or exercise at least once a week' – students and non-students, by gender, 1998-2003
- Cultural life: cinema, theatres, concerts
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- Figure 94: Cinema-goers – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 95: Theatre visiting – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 96: Visitors to opera and dance performances – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 97: Concert-going – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
- Figure 98: Those who visit art galleries/exhibitions – students and non-students, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 99: Cultural activities taken part in by students, 1998-2003
- Students are spending more on clothes…
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- Figure 100: Undergraduate spending on clothing, 1999-2003
- …but what about designer labels?
- Chapter summary
- The marketing perspective
The Future: Priorities and Plans
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- Future perfect?
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- Figure 102: Those agreeing that 'I like to enjoy life and don’t worry about the future' – students and non-students, by gender, 1990-2003
- Employment prospects
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- Figure 103: Student plans after graduation, 2002 and 2003
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- Figure 104: Agreement that ‘I am optimistic about getting a job when I finish my course’ – students, 2003
- The value of networking and work experience
- Higher, higher?
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- Figure 105: First destinations of first degree graduates*, 1996-2002
- Figure 106: First destinations of first degree graduates*, by gender, 2002
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- Figure 107: Destinations of first degree graduates six months after graduation, 2001 and 2002
- Figure 108: Most important factors when looking for a job – undergraduates, 2003
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- Figure 109: Salaries: expectations and reality – undergraduates and graduates, 2000-03
- Realistic starting salaries?
- Pressure to perform
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- Figure 110: Agreement that ‘I feel under a lot of pressure to succeed and make money’ – students, 2003
- Figure 111: Those agreeing strongly that ‘I feel under a lot of pressure to succeed and make money’ – students, 2000-03
- The burden of debt
- Avoidance and evasion?
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- Figure 112: Final-year students’ anticipated debt, savings and borrowings, 1998/99 and 2002/03
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- Figure 113: Graduate debt levels, 1994-2003*
- Figure 114: Graduate debt, by source, 2001 and 2002
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- Figure 115: Predicted degree costs for 2010
- Changes to tuition fees
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- Figure 116: Those who considered not going to university because of tuition fees, 1999 and 2003
- Figure 117: Those who feel tuition fees are not a fair way of students contributing to the cost of education, 1999-2003
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- Figure 118: The effect of top-up fees, 2003
- Do as they say, or do as they did?
- Learn while you work?
- Fairer systems needed
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- Figure 119: Most-mentioned changes which would most improve students’ experience if universities were given additional funding, 2003
- Chapter summary
- The marketing perspective…future conclusions
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