Socio Economic Status

Does having a lower socio economic status influence the choice to participate in university in Australia? What reasons might there be for this? Low socio economic status is part of the under-represented group in Australia, which also consists of ethnic background and indigenous Australians.

People who are classified in the low socio economic group generally have poorer education, income and occupational status compared to members of the medium and high socio economic group. This group has a very low record of application rate to university (18. %) especially when compared to the application rates of medium and high socio economic groups in Australia (49. 1%, 30. 5%) (Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education 2012, p. 30).

This essay is designed to explore why there is such a difference in education among these groups, the influences of such poor application rates, what could and should be done to create equity and equality amongst all Australian students and if there has been an improvement in applications since 2011, if so, by how much?Australian residents with a low socio economic status tend to have the most financial difficulties due to their lack of income ($0-$50,000 a year) (Strick, B. R 2012, p. 3); this without realizing negatively affects a student’s education choices. Individuals with a lower income have to work more just to afford basic essentials such as food, shelter and clothing not giving them the luxury to be able to purchase new technologies such as a computer and internet or to even afford text books required for higher education.People in middle and high socio economic groups are earning $50,000 + a year, therefore they are able to afford these basics and also many luxuries needed for their own pleasures (Strick, B.

R 2012, p. 4). Without the easy access to resources such as the computer, internet and text books’, studying is made much harder to partake in therefore students are lacking in aspiration for their future (Smith, L 2011, p. 165).

Also people in this group are more likely to resident in rural areas, this then requires more travel to the majority of universities located in the cities.Due to the lack of income it is difficult to afford travelling expenses; this then is another reason why there is lack of motivation to apply at universities. All the time that is used up in the workplace to produce a sustainable income is valuable time that could be used to study. As there are higher working rates in a low socio economic group there is much less time spent studying to complete work that needs to be done and to achieve the marks needed to further on in their studies.This puts the student under more stress as there is too much to handle for one person, so at the end of the day it comes down to the choice of either starvation or education. Resources from home are not the only valuable resources needed to determine educational success.

There is a great reliance on the sources provided at secondary schools leading up to the beginning of higher education. As the secondary schools are located in low socio economic areas, they struggle to provide students with reliable and current resources therefore creating boundaries stopping the students from being able to reach their full potential.Also, some of the secondary schools do not teach classes that are a pre requisite into the individuals’ higher education choices therefore the student is forced into a course that they are not interested in or to just give up completely with their education (Ramsay, E 1997, p 17). The limiting of counselling required to help the students decide their future pathway does not provide them a clear path to what is required, thus affecting their ability to meet the entry requirement set out by the universities.

Socio economic status affects the choices made by individuals with what occupations they are interested in and choose, they are more likely to choose a occupation that is generalized amongst their class (Trusty, J. , Robinson, C. R. , Plata, M.

, & Ng, K. 2000, p. 464). As reported by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (2012, p. 33) students from a low socio economic background are more likely to partake in an education and nursing course and the courses that they least apply for are medical studies, management and commerce and society and culture when compared to those with a high SES.As there are fewer individuals who complete a medical course in low SES groups, it influences and manipulates the others into doubting themselves and not believing they have the intelligence to complete such a course therefore applying for courses that are also provided at TAFE institutes, believing that they are better suited to.

Dating back to the 1950s, university was not so accepting for all kinds of students. Ramsay, E (1997, p 16) states that it was male dominant with the very rare presence of females, also the denial to entrance to individuals who came from a non English speaking ackground, who belonged to a low SES group and to Indigenous Australians. Prejudice was very common in the educational department and it still exists today but to a lesser extent. The Martin Committee was the beginning to the end of discriminating on such high levels, noting that Ramsay, E (1997, p 15) “In Australia it is widely accepted that higher education should be available to all citizens according to their inclination and capacity”.

For this to occur the education fees had to be demolished or reduced so that those who are coming from a low SES background are able to afford their schooling fees.This is when the introduction of HECS came into place allowing for the eligibility for AUSTUDY. This is a great way to encourage application to higher education as student loans are given to pay for the tuition fees and are automatically taken out of the individuals pay once they have earned a certain amount of income after their schooling. This lessens the stress on the individual to produce high amounts of money for just a term (Ramsay, E 1997, p 15). Concerned Prime Minister Julia Gillard has set out to increase low socio economic student rates up to 20% (Hall, B 2012, p.

1) In 2011 the low socio economic applicant rates were only 16. % of all domestic student applicants, not even making one fifth of the total of domestic students. On the contrary the rates have had an increase of 2. 7% in 2012, with expectations of more an increase over the coming years, possibly exceeding the target goal of 20% by 2020 (Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education 2012, p. 33).

The main reason for such an increase would be the introduction of HECS and ABSTUDY, helping those who cannot afford such high education fees by providing student loans which do not have to be paid back until enough money is made to do so.This encourages individuals with low socio economic status to further on in their studies in higher education and most likely escape the poor income, education and occupation lifestyle forever. In conclusion people coming from a low socio economic background have a less of a chance of reaching a higher level of education compared to those who have a medium or high socio economic background. They are classified with a low socio economic status as they have poor education, income and occupational status.Lack of money prevents them from being able to access useful resources for their education compared to those with a high socio economic status that could afford all the resources required to become successful.

Also working a lot to be able to earn a basic income affects study time so less study is being completed resulting in a negative effect on their results. The lack of counselling provided at secondary schools located in the low socio economic areas robs the students of the knowledge that is needed about their particular course interest, potentially sabotaging their chances of getting into higher education.On the positive side action is being taken by the prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard. She aims to increase the application rates of low socio economic students with the implementation of HECS and AUSTUDY, this plan is working very effectively with a strong increase of applicants within a year of the introduction of the student loans.

If Julia Gillard’s plan is successful there will finally be equity and equality amongst all universities in Australia. ReferencesDepartment of industry, innovation, science, research and tertiary education 2012, ‘Undergraduate applications, offers and acceptances 2012’, Australian Government, pp30-33. Hall, B 2012, ‘Record number of poorer students reach their dream of a university education’, The Age, pp 1-2. Ramsay, E 1997, ‘Higher education access and equity for low SES school leavers, Evaluations and Investigations Program report’ 98/18, AusInfo, Canberra.

Sealy, T. N 2011,’Socioeconimc position and higher education in Australia’, The Australian Association for Research in Education, 38, pp 43-56.Smith, L 2011,’Experimental hot knowledge and its influence on low SES students’ capacities to aspire to higher education’, Critical Studies in Education, 52(2), pp 165-167. Strick, B. R. 2012,’Equitable access to college: evidence for the influence of school Context’, Education Policy Analysis Archives, 20 (35).

Trusty, J. , Robinson, C. R. , Plata, M. , & Ng, K.

2000,’Effects of gender, socioeconomic status, and early academic performance on postsecondary educational choice’, Journal of Counselling & Development, 78(4), pp 463-472.