New students are 'unprepared for university' according to a recent study

A recent study conducted by Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) and Unite Students suggests that incoming new university students are not prepared for what’s to come.

The biggest misconceptions involve lack of hours and financial issues. The study emphasises how majorly ill-informed incoming students are.

It turns out that many students expect more time in lectures in university than in school, which is opposite of what university life is actually like. The number of teaching hours for university students can be quite low, with some degree programs averaging at less than ten hours per week.

Out of the half a million new university students beginning their studies each year, only about a third of them believe they are getting good value for what they are paying.

There is also a significant amount of financial confusion, as students are not fully aware of all of the costs to come. Next to tuition, accommodation is the biggest fee that students deal with, but only about half of the students within the study reported it as the expense of most concern. Other students reported that their most significant expenses were on “course materials,” “nights out” and “groceries.”

Hepi’s director, Nick Hillman, has stated that this survey clearly shows that more needs to be done to inform students on the transition that is to come with university life. He continued that: “We set out to fix this gap because people who expect a different student experience to the one they get are less satisfied, learn less and say they are getting less value for their money.”