ABSTRACT
Successive governments have placed an emphasis on education as being a route out of poverty, conducive to economic growth and instrumental in processes of social mobility. Categorisation of individuals into social class group is inherently problematic, with various explanations of what constitutes social class position. The participation of disadvantaged groups in higher education is instrumental in supporting movement from one class position to another. Alternative ideas on class categorisation posit class fractions as a possible way to understand differences within social class groups. Pierre Bourdieu approaches this idea through the use of correspondence analysis in which he draws parallels between occupational status, access to various forms of capitals and consumption patterns. It is evident from the students' narratives that much emotional work went into their respective school choices. Being able to choose a university is an act of consumption, but in the game of education, it is important to choose the right institution.
