Exploring the Factors that Impact Students' Transitions to University in Australia
Journal: Journal of Higher Education Research DOI: 10.32629/jher.v2i6.574
Abstract
There are prominent gaps in educational opportunities and academic outcomes in the Australian education system. The government has made efforts to narrow the gaps and increase the proportion of Australians with higher education qualifications. However, disadvantaged students still lack access to educational opportunities and resources, and are underrepresented in university populations. This essay explores the influential factors that can affect young people's academic and transition outcomes, which involve students' socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, engagement in extra-curricular activities and geographical locations. This essay also mainly draws on Bourdieu's theory on social and cultural capital to explain the associations between those factors and students' transitions to university in Australia.
Keywords
transitions to university, social and cultural capital, SES backgrounds, disadvantaged students
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[1]Abbott-Chapman, J. (2011). Making the most of the mosaic: Facilitating post-school transitions to higher education of disadvantaged students. The Australian Educational Researcher, 38(1), 57–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-010-0001-9
[2]Blomfield, C. J., & Barber, B. L. (2011). Developmental experiences during extracurricular activities and Australian adolescents' self-concept: Particularly important for youth from disadvantaged schools. Journal of youth and adolescence, 40(5), 582-594.
[3]Bourdieu, P. (1973). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. London: Tavistock, 178, 71-112.
[4]Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. Cultural theory: An anthology, 1, 81-93.
[5]Briggs, A. R. J., Clark, J., & Hall, I. (2012). Building bridges: Understanding student transition to university. Quality in Higher Education, 18(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538322.2011.614468
[6]Chesters, J. (2025). Social capital and aspirations for educational attainment: A cross-national comparison of Australia. Journal of Youth Studies, 19.
[7]Chesters, J., & Watson, L. (2013). Understanding the persistence of inequality in higher education: Evidence from Australia. Journal of Education Policy, 28(2), 198–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2012.694481
[8]Cuervo, H., Chesters, J., & Aberdeen, L. (2019). Post-school aspirations in regional Australia: An examination of the role of cultural and social capital. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(5), 843–861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-019-00305-7
[9]Goe, L. (2007). The link between teacher quality and student outcomes: A research synthesis. Nationalcomprehensive center for teacher quality.
[10]Hage, G. (2013). Eavesdropping on Bourdieu's philosophers. Thesis Eleven, 114(1), 76-93.
[11]Holland, J., Reynolds, T., & Weller, S. (2007). Transitions, networks and communities: The significance of social capital in the lives of children and young people. Journal of Youth Studies, 10(1), 97–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676260600881474
[12]James, R. (2001). Participation disadvantage in Australian higher education: An analysis of some effects of geographical location and socioeconomic status. Higher Education, 42(4), 455472
[13]Lamb, S., Jackson, J., Walstab, A., & Huo, S. (2015). Educational opportunity in Australia 2015: Who succeeds and who misses out.
[14]Marks, G. N. (2010). What aspects of schooling are important? School effects on tertiary entrance performance. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 21(3), 267–287. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243451003694364
[15]Marks, G. N. (2017). Students in Australian Catholic and Independent schools have more positive learning environments: Evidence from the 2012 PISA study. Journal of School Choice, 11(3), 426–441. https://doi.org/10.1080/15582159.2017.1301176
[16]Monks, J., & Schmidt, R. M. (2011). The impact of class size on outcomes in higher education. The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.2202/19351682.2803
[17]Ning, B., Van Damme, J., Van Den Noortgate, W., Yang, X., & Gielen, S. (2015). The influence of classroom disciplinary climate of schools on reading achievement: A cross-country comparative study. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 26(4), 586–611.
[18]Polesel, J., Leahy, M., & Gillis, S. (2018). Educational inequality and transitions to university in Australia: Aspirations, agency and constraints. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 39(6), 793–810. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2017.1409101
[19]Vernon, L., Watson, S. J., Moore, W., & Seddon, S. (2019). University enabling programs while still at school: Supporting the transition of low-SES students from high school to university. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(3), 489–509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-018-0288-5
[20]Wang, M.-T., & Degol, J. L. (2016). School climate: A review of the construct, measurement, and impact on Student Outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1
[21]Wang, M.-T., & Degol, J. L. (2016b). School climate: A review of the construct, measurement, and impact on student outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1
[22]Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains: A review. Review of Educational research, 73(1), 89-122.
[2]Blomfield, C. J., & Barber, B. L. (2011). Developmental experiences during extracurricular activities and Australian adolescents' self-concept: Particularly important for youth from disadvantaged schools. Journal of youth and adolescence, 40(5), 582-594.
[3]Bourdieu, P. (1973). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. London: Tavistock, 178, 71-112.
[4]Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. Cultural theory: An anthology, 1, 81-93.
[5]Briggs, A. R. J., Clark, J., & Hall, I. (2012). Building bridges: Understanding student transition to university. Quality in Higher Education, 18(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538322.2011.614468
[6]Chesters, J. (2025). Social capital and aspirations for educational attainment: A cross-national comparison of Australia. Journal of Youth Studies, 19.
[7]Chesters, J., & Watson, L. (2013). Understanding the persistence of inequality in higher education: Evidence from Australia. Journal of Education Policy, 28(2), 198–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2012.694481
[8]Cuervo, H., Chesters, J., & Aberdeen, L. (2019). Post-school aspirations in regional Australia: An examination of the role of cultural and social capital. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(5), 843–861. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-019-00305-7
[9]Goe, L. (2007). The link between teacher quality and student outcomes: A research synthesis. Nationalcomprehensive center for teacher quality.
[10]Hage, G. (2013). Eavesdropping on Bourdieu's philosophers. Thesis Eleven, 114(1), 76-93.
[11]Holland, J., Reynolds, T., & Weller, S. (2007). Transitions, networks and communities: The significance of social capital in the lives of children and young people. Journal of Youth Studies, 10(1), 97–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676260600881474
[12]James, R. (2001). Participation disadvantage in Australian higher education: An analysis of some effects of geographical location and socioeconomic status. Higher Education, 42(4), 455472
[13]Lamb, S., Jackson, J., Walstab, A., & Huo, S. (2015). Educational opportunity in Australia 2015: Who succeeds and who misses out.
[14]Marks, G. N. (2010). What aspects of schooling are important? School effects on tertiary entrance performance. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 21(3), 267–287. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243451003694364
[15]Marks, G. N. (2017). Students in Australian Catholic and Independent schools have more positive learning environments: Evidence from the 2012 PISA study. Journal of School Choice, 11(3), 426–441. https://doi.org/10.1080/15582159.2017.1301176
[16]Monks, J., & Schmidt, R. M. (2011). The impact of class size on outcomes in higher education. The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.2202/19351682.2803
[17]Ning, B., Van Damme, J., Van Den Noortgate, W., Yang, X., & Gielen, S. (2015). The influence of classroom disciplinary climate of schools on reading achievement: A cross-country comparative study. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 26(4), 586–611.
[18]Polesel, J., Leahy, M., & Gillis, S. (2018). Educational inequality and transitions to university in Australia: Aspirations, agency and constraints. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 39(6), 793–810. https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2017.1409101
[19]Vernon, L., Watson, S. J., Moore, W., & Seddon, S. (2019). University enabling programs while still at school: Supporting the transition of low-SES students from high school to university. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(3), 489–509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-018-0288-5
[20]Wang, M.-T., & Degol, J. L. (2016). School climate: A review of the construct, measurement, and impact on Student Outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1
[21]Wang, M.-T., & Degol, J. L. (2016b). School climate: A review of the construct, measurement, and impact on student outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1
[22]Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains: A review. Review of Educational research, 73(1), 89-122.
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