Share Paper: The Alternative Guide to UCLan: Creating realistic expectations of higher education

  1. Lucy Warman, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom
  2. Beverly Leeds, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom
  3. John O'Donoghue, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom
Tuesday, October 27 11:15 AM-12:15 PM Pavilion Ballroom B

Abstract: The session argues that information provided by UK universities to potential students is designed to highlight the positive aspects of the university to entice students into applying rather than a realistic view of university life. The literature shows many students are coming from backgrounds where they have no peers or family members with experience of HE to draw on (Thomson and Quinn (2007)) and the students’ expectations of university do not match the reality. The session presents The Alternative Guide (TAG) to UCLan which is a dynamic, interactive, web based platform of support, which enables potential students to develop realistic ...