Addressing and understanding issues that working class students still experience in the modern day, at the University of Reading and other universities across the country and what Reading University is doing to help relieve these issues.
Financial Issues
Working class students come into university life struggling financially. Starts students' academic life off filled with stress that affects them mentally and academically. However, the University of Reading provides schemes and bursaries to those in need to relieve stress and worries, allowing students to focus on what truly matters, their academia.
Study Issues
Working class students do not receive certain privileges that private
schooled students receive. Such as specialised teaching and tutoring, tailored to the student. At
private schools, there is often less students to teacher ratio, allowing these teachers to fit in study
skills lessons in much easier than state schools. But Reading has provided study skills schemes to those
who need it, which helps bridge this gap and sets working class students off on a level footing.
The University of Reading has clearly made great strides to ensure that students from all different
backgrounds have no advantage over another, allowing a much smoother transition into higher education,
and helping students focus more on their studies than outside focuses.
Home Issues
Many working-class students are the first in their family to attend
university, this can sometimes result in a disconnect between them and their families due to a lack of
understanding from back home. This issue can result with disagreements that may lead to further stress
that the student must deal with, further hindering their studies. The University supplies a student
services centre located at the Carrington building to help students deal with this. Assisting the
students to focus more on what really matters.
The University of Reading has clearly made great strides to ensure that students from all different
backgrounds have no advantage over another, allowing a much smoother transition into higher education,
and helping students focus more on their studies than outside focuses.
“Counselling and Wellbeing | University of Reading.” (n.d.). .
Retrieved from
https://www.reading.ac.uk/essentials/Support-And-Wellbeing/Counselling-and-wellbeing
(last accessed 18 January 2026)
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