ABSTRACT
This chapter is rooted in a growing discomfort about how our own roles, as teachers, tutors, admissions and exams officers in several Russell Group universities, might contribute to the reproduction of, and silence about, classed HE experiences. It explores how attention to unequal educational opportunities and fair access are concentrated almost exclusively at the points of application and admission. The Office for Fair Access ('OFFA') has become increasingly important in managing policies of fair access to UK universities. OFFA aims to ensure that all learners have the chance to enter and succeed in HE and in particular seeks rapid widening of access to the 'most selective' HEIs. The chapter looks at analogous terms that are used in the operationalisation of university admissions processes: 'non-traditional students' and 'context'. Students arrive at university with a variety of motivations and expectations. Most hope that their degree will be the key to a highly paid job, social mobility and financial security.
