Crossing the line: A study of the experiences of students from low income backgrounds in transition from school to university

The aims of this research project were, through a qualitative enquiry, to consider the effects of the peer environment on the decisions and progress of academically successful students from low SES backgrounds in relation to higher education. Twelve students, drawn from the tertiary access and support program of an Australian university, took part in focus groups and individual interviews, providing details of their experiences in secondary school and the commencement of their university courses. The thesis examines the transition passages of such students, how they attempted to integrate with a new peer group in the university setting, and what supportive strategies had worked for them. As an aspect of this process, the thesis questions whether 'cultural suicide' -- the rejection by low SES students of their cultural heritage, whereby they make a clean break from their families and home communities -- had been a condition of academic success and persistence for these students. The social reproduction theory of Bourdieu is central to the theoretical base of the research, with particular reference to the concept of habitus.