Accessing a university education is nowhere near as competitive or elitist as it was in times gone by, with institutions taking into account a number of factors when assessing applicants' suitability for courses in the spirit of social justice and equality.

However, according to a recent study co-authored by Professor Michael Dockery from Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, the difference in accessing careers information differs quite considerably depending on whether senior secondary students (years 11 and 12) come from a high or low socioeconomic (SES) background. Not only are students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, on average, exposed to more careers information, they are also more likely to speak to a careers advisor and attend university information sessions. For them, "university is almost the default position". 

In contrast, students hailing from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to have as much access to careers information, including information regarding university entry and the opportunity to speak to a careers advisor. The study also found that such students are more likely to attend TAFE information centres and receive careers information about more "non-professional vocations".

Dockery puts this down to a "difference in social capital", which universities are addressing more with university outreach programs. He adds that it's critical all students "receive equal access to information" and student "expectations and aspirations" should not be reduced based on such factors. 

Accessing a university education is nowhere near as competitive or elitist as it was in times gone by, with institutions taking into account a number of factors when assessing applicants' suitability for courses in the spirit of social justice and equality.
However, according to a recent <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13384-021-00469-1">study</a> co-authored by Professor Michael Dockery from Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, the difference in accessing careers information differs quite considerably depending on whether senior secondary students (years 11 and 12) come from a high or low socioeconomic (SES) background. Not only are students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, on average, exposed to more careers information, they are also more likely to speak to a careers advisor and attend university information sessions. For them, "university is almost the default position".&nbsp;
In contrast, students hailing from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to have as much access to careers information, including information regarding university entry and the opportunity to speak to a careers advisor. The study also found that such students are more likely to attend TAFE information centres and receive careers information about more "non-professional vocations".
Dockery puts this down to a "difference in social capital", which universities are addressing more with university outreach programs. He adds that it's critical all students "receive equal access to information" and student "expectations and aspirations" should not be reduced based on such factors.&nbsp;

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