Abstract
This presentation overviews part of the 2018 NCSEHE Research Fellowship project of Associate Professor Maria Raciti. Maria's Fellowship focuses on the decision to go (or not to go) to university by students from low SES backgrounds. For most people, the motivation to go to university is occupationally goal-driven. That is, it is a means-to-an-end with people going to university so as to get a job in their preferred occupation. However, making career decisions has become increasingly complex. With more occupations to choose from than ever before, many school students and their families experience confusion or even decision paralysis. Compounding this situation, there is the erosion of the sense of security that going to university will 'guarantee' access to a preferred occupation as well as predictions that jobs in the future may be more likely to need a university qualification. Given low SES participation in higher education is not yet at parity, there is a need to accelerate Widening Participation efforts to prevent the deepening of social inequities starting with an understanding the post-school higher education in/decision of 21st-century school students from low SES backgrounds.