Exploring the Factors That Influenced the Choices Made by University Students With or Without a Disability and if Their Expectations as a Student Were Met. A Case Study at One Higher Education Institute

This thesis investigates the decision-making process, how participants chose a specific university, their influences, and whether their experience met their expectations among Students With Disclosed Disabilities (SWDDs) and Students With No Disclosed Disabilities (SWNDDs) within a single UK Higher Education Institution (HE). Situated within the broader policy landscape of marketisation and the Widening Participation (WP) agenda, the study addresses a significant gap in the literature by comparatively examining disabled and nondisabled students' decision-making processes, influencers, and whether their expectations were met. Adopting a mixed-methods, sequential explanatory case study design, the research draws on quantitative questionnaire data and qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted at a single institution i.e. UniA. The study is underpinned by an interpretivist-pragmatic paradigm and draws on a yin-yang philosophy; this informed the theoretical frameworks, including Bourdieusian concepts of habitus and capital, rational choice, social exchange, human capital theories, the identity development model, and aspirational capital. A novel conceptual contribution is offered through the development of ‘the Hand’ framework, which captures the interconnected and dynamic nature of factors shaping student choice and experience. The findings reveal that, while some nuanced differences exist, there are more similarities than differences between SWDDs and SWNDDs in their reasons for attending university and selecting a specific institution. Key influencing factors across both groups include career prospects, course, and the location of UniA. However, distinct patterns emerged, including SWDDs, which place greater emphasis on accessibility and are more influenced by open days, whereas SWNDDs are more likely to be shaped by parental and peer influences. Notably, the age of the participant is identified as a more significant determinant of decision-making than disability status. The study also highlights disparities between expectations and lived experiences, particularly in areas such as support services, accommodation, and accessibility. It challenges homogenised understandings of disabled students by emphasising the heterogeneity of experiences, including differences between visible and invisible disabilities and the impact of disclosure. Overall, the research contributes to existing knowledge by integrating student choice and student experience literatures, extending theoretical applications to disability in HE, and offering practical insights for policy and institutional practice aimed at fostering more inclusive and responsive learning environments.