A phenomenological study on the role college advisers and tutors play in promoting university to students.

Abstract

Recently it has become a growing trend for students to dip their toe in the water of higher education with a bridging course in a further education college. This research focusses on the assistance students have throughout their time at college and what advice they receive during the process of deciding upon and then transitioning to university. Focussing on the personal experience of five students who experienced college to university transition this research highlights the challenges and benefits in undertaking this academic step. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the participants and their comments were analysed using thematic analysis in order to bring together the shared feedback of the participants. It is the conclusion of this research that more still must be done in order to climatise transitioning students to the university setting. College advisors are not adequately preparing students for the academic challenges they will face at university. However, universities were found to be more supportive than perhaps the students expected with an emphasis here being on student support programmes and personal tutors.