This document summarizes the findings of the HERE Project which studied student "doubting", or doubts about continuing in higher education, and its impact on retention. The project found that: 1) Approximately 1/3 of first year students experience doubting, and doubters are less likely to stay in HE than non-doubters. 2) Doubters report a poorer university experience and cite multiple reasons for doubting related to their program, support systems, and ability to adapt. 3) The primary times students consider leaving are either side of Christmas in their first year, though few doubters reported pre-arrival doubts.

1. help students make the
transition to HE
Improve communication &
relationships with staff
Identify and respond to manage factors that lead to doubting
students at risk
Help students make more informed 2008-2011
choices in first place Recommendations HEFCE
part of What Works? Student
Improve social integration Retention & Success funded by
Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Improve sense of belonging
Foster student motivation Background Nottingham Trent University
support students to stay
Encourage active engagement Bournemouth University
Ensure good communication & Partners University of Bradford
access to student support Previously worked together on
Learnhigher CETL
37% in 2009 Approx 1/3 of all 1st yr
students have doubts Impact of 'doubting' on retention
32% in 2011 a) Areas of research
Impact programme teams make on retention
98% of non-doubting survey
respondents were still in HE the
academic year after starting Therefore
non-doubters Doubters are more likely to
leave than non-doubters We define doubters as those
92% of doubting respondents b) Doubting likely to be a normal students who have doubts strong
were still in HE part of transition process enough to have considered
doubters
definition of doubting doubters= withdrawing at some point
12% Non-doubters those who have not
non-doubters
Doubters report a poorer quality
29%
gap between expectations and experience experience compared to non-doubters The HERE Project
Doubters c)
Rickinson & Rutherford
Doubters usually report more Previous studies into doubting Mackie
2.1 reasons on average than one reason for doubting
d) Roberts et al
feedback particularly important But, this was students' no1 priority
The primary reasons for doubting Findings NTU 2008 Welcome Week survey (n=1059
lifestyle relate to the programme
Other reasons for doubting e) Pilot studies interviews with programme staff
accommodation BU 2009
interviews with withdrawn students
Support from friends & family March - May 2009 (n = 873)
Student Transition Surveys all 3 institutions
Adapting to the course Feb - May 2011 (n=1063)
personal commitment/ drive 4 main reasons why doubters stayed f) Research methodology
particularly employability all 3 institutions 46 student participants
Future goals Focus groups & interviews
either side of Christmas programme teams
Primary times for considering leaving 10 pro- interviewed
In our study, few doubters pre-arrival g) Programme audits grammes
all 3 institutions students surveyed
However, even amongst those
who had decided to leave, not
all chose to do so h)
Different degrees of doubting
males more likely to leave Some student groups more
Females more likely to doubt
likely to doubt than others
i)
The HERE Project.mmap - 25/11/2011 -