Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

What Happens When Supply Lags Behind Demand? Disadvantaged Students And The Ever Increasing Competition For University Places, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

Competition for entry to university has escalated in Australia over the past decade. This rise in competition is attributable to a number of factors, a major one being that the provision of university places has not kept pace with growth in the population of university-aged persons. Using the city of Melbourne as a case study, this article highlights the impact that rising competition for university has had on two disadvantaged groups; those from the Government school sector and those from areas of low socioeconomic status. It finds that the opportunities for university entrance among tertiary applicants in these two groups …