We have come a long way from the times where a person’s social class would determine their future in education, but where do we actually stand now?
Statistically, the number of working class students who choose to go to university is still growing.
The amount of young people eligible for free school meals progressing to higher education continues to rise as the rate increased to 29.2% in the 2021/22 academic year from 28.1% the previous year – the highest recorded level.
But it would be an injustice to just look at all of these people as numbers. They each have their own individual experience which, to them, is their whole world.
University student Harry Brimming shared how financial hardship and a lack of support from the faculty resulted in him dropping out of university in 2019.
Brimming said: “Being a working class student made my short-lived experience extremely hard, purely because my parents couldn’t afford to give me the money to support me and my studies.
“I had been granted the minimum maintenance loan at the time which was £3,516 per academic year but my rent alone for my student accommodation was £6,000.
“By the time I had paid rent in the first term I was left with no money in my bank. I was forced to turn to the financial support team at the university for help and guidance.
“Instantly I was made to feel on edge as I was told that it was my own fault for choosing the accommodation I was in and that I should have opted for a cheaper option.
“This was a kick in the teeth for me as I had worked hard to be given an unconditional offer which made me eligible to apply for accommodation before it was available to other students.
“At this point I had no idea I was going to be in the financial situation I had found myself in.”
University non-continuation rates seemed to be improving in 2019/20 with just 5.3% of full-time degree entrants dropping out within their first year.
But start to pick apart this statistic and you will find that there is a disproportionate amount of poorer students counted within this.
A recent report from the House of Commons Library in 2023 confirmed students from areas with higher levels of deprivation are almost twice as likely to drop out of higher education in their first year.
The most common reason for this disparity is students finding themselves in situations just like Harry’s, but the issue is ingrained much further in the system.
The progress in ensuring universities are open to all is quite clear, but universities need to be prepared with resources to support an influx of lower class students.
Undoubtedly these students will need more support throughout their studies, and drop-out rates are proving that universities have not been able to effectively put this into place.
Feature image by IdaT via Pixabay.
