White Working Class Males in British Higher Education
Appendix G : Post-Entry Focus Group Guide
Provide Information Sheets and Consent Forms Introductions , Ground Rules , Oral Consent
Post-Entry Focus Group Topic Guide
1 . What do you think are the benefits of getting a university degree ? What will you gain by getting your degree ? What are your aspirations ? How will your degree help you achieve your goals ?
2 . Did you have friends or peers in your home town who did not go to university ? Why do you think some students choose not to go to university ? We ’ ve talked about the benefits of getting a university degree , what concerns do you think some students have when they consider whether or not to go to university ? Did you or do you have concerns ?
3 . How did you decide to go to university ? What was that process like ? What did you consider ?
4 . What can the University of Portsmouth do to reach out to and recruit students who are on the fence about whether to go to university ? Think back to when you were deciding whether to go to university and where to go to university , what would you have wanted to hear ? What messages or information would help a student like you decide to go to the University of Portsmouth ?
5 . How do you balance your studies with work and / or your social life or other obligations ? Do you feel like there ’ s pressure to be a certain kind of student , socially or academically , when you get to university ? Who is a typical student ? Outside the classroom ? Inside the classroom ?
6 . Do you feel like a part of the university community ? Socially ? Academically ? In what ways ? Do you feel supported at the university ? In what ways ? What do you think the university could do so that students feel like a part of the academic community ? 7 . What else can you tell me about your student experience so far ? Anything surprising ?
Frustrating ? Anything that has made you feel proud ?
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