EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS AMONG DISADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE

This project examines how young people’s educational expectations are formed. Existing research shows that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds often have lower educational expectations than their peers from privileged backgrounds, even when their cognitive abilities are comparable. In order to increase opportunities for young people from disadvantaged homes, it is necessary to investigate how young people’s educational expectations are shaped, and how these expectations are linked to parental expectations. A large body of research shows that expectations matter for future outcomes, but how these expectations are shaped is under-researched. This project asks: 1. How are educational expectations shaped and how are they linked to parental expectations? 2. Why do disadvantaged young people with similar cognitive abilities have different educational expectations?