Table of Contents
Introduction and Abbreviations
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- Report structure
- Mintel research
- Mintel-commissioned research
- Definitions
- ACORN
- Definitions
- Abbreviations
Premier Insight
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- Healthy eating
- Toiletries downgrade
- Mobile switches
- Essential reading?
- Drinks discontent
- Financially savvy?
Executive Summary
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- An expanding sector
- Location matters when choosing where to study
- League tables of minor importance?
- Personal factors are more important than free gifts on open days
- ‘Names out of a hat’ – are they equipped to make the choice?
- Value for money versus overstretched resources
- Has university become just another business?
- 3 key components of VFM: contact time, class sizes, academic facilities
- VFM varies by subject
- Good teaching can over-ride other VFM concerns
- Who gets value from university sports?
- Is the first year wasted?
- New fee arrangements fine – but students will expect more
- ‘If you don’t eat healthy food, your concentration goes’: the importance of healthy eating
- Online grocery shopping and student households
- Students know what they want academically
- Library log-jams: ‘it ends up being really tactical’
- Less TV, more DVD – changing student leisure
- The future: philosophical about debt, and a reluctant return to the nest
- A happy group of people
Student Demographics
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- 1.9 million students aged 18-24
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- Figure 1: Students versus non-students in the 18-24 population, 2005
- Have things changed?
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- Figure 2: Demographic changes in the student population, 2003-05
- Getting there
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- Figure 3: Trends in higher education student numbers, 2001-02-2004/05
- The expansion of higher education institutions
- University income and expenditure
Students as Consumers: Do Universities Deliver?
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- Getting to university – where does the gap year fit in?
- Reasons for not taking a gap year
- Keen to ‘get on with it’
- Looking forward to the student lifestyle
- Making way for travelling and careers…
- Courses including ‘gap years’
- Lack of self-discipline
- Education: to leave and never return?
- Reasons for taking a gap year
- Travel, work and doing nothing!
- University – not a certainty…
- Why go to university?
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- Figure 4: Reasons for going to university, 2005
- Learning more about their subject
- Improved career prospects for those with set paths…
- …and those with more general paths too
- University – the provider of a career direction?
- Networking?
- The ‘university of life experiences’
- Sibling Influences…
- The natural progression?
- Feeling the pressure…
- Why this university?
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- Figure 5: Academic factors determining choice of university, 2005
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- Figure 6: Social factors/facilities determining choice of university, 2005
- Location as a major factor of influence…
- ‘The optimum distance’
- Town/city offerings…
- Where in town?
- Academic prowess
- ‘Subjective’ limitations…
- Phone-a-friend
- The role of the open day
- ‘They’re all the same’
- Cynicism and mistrust
- Responding to students’ needs
- The lure of the campus and facilities…
- …and the friendliness and approachability of the university staff with whom they came into contact with
- The problem with extraneous factors
- Are they equipped to make the choice?
- Organised….
- …or random selection?
- The gravity of the decision
- Do they get value for money from their universities?
- Increased satisfaction
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- Figure 7: Attitudes towards customer service provided by university, 2005
- Universities as businesses
- How do they judge value for money?
- Is the first year wasted?
- The solution?
- Dropping out
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- Figure 8: Dropping out of university, 2003 and 2005
- The marketing perspective
- Key connections
- First impressions
- Getting their money’s worth
- Degrees in a hurry
Student Finance
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- Background to student finance
- Attitudes towards new student funding arrangements
- Changing minds?
- It’s not all doom and gloom…
- The need for fee justification – (overriding feeling)
- Student incomes
- Student income is worth £1.6 billion
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- Figure 9: Total student income and main sources of income (£) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
- Student support
- Financial support from families
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- Figure 10: Help from parents/other family, 2005
- Income from paid work
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- Figure 11: Paid work during term-time, 2000 and 2005
- Term-time employment – C2DE bias
- Women are the more conscientious workers
- It’s all good
- Student expenditure
- Students are worth £1.9 billion
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- Figure 12: Income versus expenditure (£) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
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- Figure 13: Expenditure by category (£) – full-time students, 2004/05
- Saving, borrowing and debt
- Dramatic increases in student borrowing
- Attitudes towards money
- How are they managing?
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- Figure 14: Those agreeing that: ‘I’m no good at saving money’ and ‘I tend to spend money without thinking’ –students, 2003 and 2005
- Students are starting to take their finances more seriously
- The parental ‘safety net’
- Have they got enough?
- The marketing perspective
Student Living
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- Accommodation
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- Figure 15: Rating of accommodation at university, 2005
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- Figure 16: Reported problems with accommodation, full-time students, 2005
- Cost and location gripes
- Spending on accommodation
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- Figure 17: Undergraduate spending on accommodation, 2001-05 (Unite survey)
- Figure 18: Expenditure on housing (£) – full-time students by housing type, 2004/05
- Food
- Has the healthy eating bug finally reached the students?
- Two years ago…
- …and now…
- The knock-on effects of healthy eating…
- For some, student cooking is an improvement on home cooking!
- But eating healthily is not always practical or convenient…
- But there are ways…
- Shopping, sharing and cooking complications…
- …but wwwe have the answer!
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- Figure 19: Balance of agreement that ‘I consider my diet to be very healthy’, 2005
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- Figure 20: Balance of agreement that ‘I really enjoy cooking’, 2005
- Spending on food
- Communications
- Transport and travel
- Long-distance love – a travel company’s dream…
- Even short-distance travel can be hard on the pocket
- Other modes of transport?
- Spending on travel and transport
- …average spend is £14 a week
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- Figure 21: Expenditure on travel and transport (£) – full-time students, 2004/05
- Telecoms
- Mobiles are virtually ubiquitous
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- Figure 22: Mobile phone ownership among students, 1998-2005
- Consumer cynicism strikes again…
- Spending on telecoms…
- Clothes, toiletries and other personal expenditure
- Students just love to shop!
- Temptation…
- …but ‘down-grade’ to compromise
- Spending on clothes and toiletries
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- Figure 23: Expenditure on personal items* (£) – full-time students, 2004/05
- What do students do all day?
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- Figure 24: Time spent by students on daily activities, 2005
- The marketing perspective
The Academic Student
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- How satisfied are they with the academic aspects of their course?
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- Figure 25: Those rating elements of academic support at university to be ‘very good’, 2005
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- Figure 26: Those rating elements of academic support at university to be ‘very good’, 2000-05
- Teaching quality
- Qualities which indicated a good teacher included:
- Poor teachers were identified because of:
- Course content and structure
- Flexible, interesting and varied?
- Work placement or year abroad is a positive addition
- Contact time a must, and concerns over time-tabling
- Marking matters
- Industrial strikes of lecturers
- Academic facilities
- ‘New’ satisfaction!
- The discontent, however, are unafraid to say so
- Library log-jams and student tactics
- Academic spending
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- Figure 27: Those who own a personal computer – students and non-students, 1998-2005
- Books are too costly (and often unnecessary)
- Some books are essential – but only with the benefit of hind-sight!
- Course text packages – offers a solution
- The marketing perspective
The Social Student
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- How do they spend their time?
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- Figure 28: Main spare time activities of students, 2005
- What does the university provide?
- Social facilities
- Re-fresh-ing for some…
- …but not for others
- Sporting facilities
- Going out: out-of-home entertainment
- Weeknights are for going out!
- Pubs, clubs and bars
- Female socialites
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- Figure 29: Agreement that ‘In the evening I often go to a bar (café, club, pub) – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
- Cultural activities
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- Figure 30: Cultural activities taken part in by students, 1998-2005
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- Figure 31: Cultural activities taken part in by students, percentage point change between 1998 and 2005
- Sport and exercise
- A slight male bias
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- Figure 32: Those definitely agreeing that ‘I do some sport or exercise at least once a week’ – students and non-students, percentage-point change between 1998 and 2005
- Staying in: In-home entertainment
- TV, DVD, video
- Television has less appeal
- Popularity of ‘pooling resources’
- Music
- Fast changes in taste and technology…
- Social spending
- Going out costs between £14-£15 a week (excluding alcohol!)
- In-home entertainment
- Alcohol and cigarettes
- Drink more for less
- Drinks promotions – not for those who don’t drink beer or alcopops
- Home drinking before venturing out
- Students – more likely to stray away from the parental eye
- The marketing perspective
The Future: Priorities and Plans
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- Careering ahead – expectations and reality
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- Figure 33: Those agreeing that ‘I am optimistic about getting a job when I finish my course’ – students, 2002-05
- A Degree of optimism?
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- Figure 34: Destinations of first degree graduates six months after graduation, 2001 and 2004
- Figure 35: Salaries: expectations and reality – undergraduates and graduates, 2000-05
- What will they owe?
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- Figure 36: Graduate debt levels, 1994-2004
- Back to the nest?
- Enjoying life?
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- Figure 37: Agreement/disagreement with statement ‘i am very happy with my life as it is’ – students and non-students, 2005
Forecast
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- Figure 38: Forecast for the student population in higher education, 2005/06-2010/11
- Amount borrowed by students is predicted to double
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- Figure 39: Forecast of the value of SLC loans at current and constant prices & number of SLC loans, 2005/06-2010/11
- Moving towards a more American Model?
- Good news for banks…
- …bad news for students
- Factors used in the forecast
- Total student forecast
- Financial forecast
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Appendix
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- Background
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- Figure 40: Proportion of 16-18*-year-old A-level candidates in all schools and FE sector colleges achieving 1 or more GCE/VCE A-level passes (or equivalent**), 2000/01-2004/05
- Figure 41: GCE A-level examination results of 16-18-year-old students in all schools and colleges, by grade, 1996-2005
- Trends in higher education
- Student participation
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- Figure 42: Trends in higher education student numbers, 2001/02-2004/05
- Figure 43: Higher education initial participation rate* – Great Britain, 1999/2000-2003/04
- Higher education institutions
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- Figure 44: Number of Higher Education institutions, UK, 2004 and 2005
- Figure 45: Academic staff* of UK Higher Education Institutions**, 2003/04 and 2004/05
- Figure 46: Size of Higher Education institutions (numbers of students), 2002/03-2003/04
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- Figure 47: Size of Higher Education institutions (income), 2002/03-2003/04
- Figure 48: Sources of income of Higher Education institutions, 2003/04 and 2004/05
- Figure 49: Expenditure by Higher Education institutions, 2003/04 and 2004/05
- Students as consumers
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- Figure 50: Reasons for going to university, 2004 and 2005
- Figure 51: Academic factors determining choice of university, 2005
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- Figure 52: Social factors/facilities determining choice of university, 2005
- Figure 53: Attitude towards customer service provided by university, 2005
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- Figure 54: Attitude towards value for money provided by university, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 55: Those agreeing that ‘resources at my university are stretched due to the increase in student numbers’, 2002-05
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- Figure 56: Satisfaction with university package, 2003-05
- Figure 57: Those strongly agreeing that ‘Going to university is a worthwhile experience’, 2000-05
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- Figure 58: Dropping out of university, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 59: Main reasons for dropping out of university, 2003 and 2005
- Student finance
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- Figure 60: Total student income and main sources of income (£) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
- Figure 61: Main sources of income (% of total income) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
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- Figure 62: Income from student support (£) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
- Figure 63: Income from student support (% of total income) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
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- Figure 64: Whether required to pay tuition/course fees, 2002 and 2005
- Figure 65: Help from parents/other family, 2000 and 2005
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- Figure 66: Paid work during term-time, 2000 and 2005
- Figure 67: Paid work during term-time, by socio-economic group, 2005
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- Figure 68: Main types of term-time job, 2005
- Figure 69: Reasons for working during term-time, 2003 and 2005
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- Figure 70: Effects of term-time working, 2005
- Figure 71: Expenditure by category (£) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
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- Figure 72: Expenditure by category (% of total expenditure) – full-time students, 1998/99 and 2004/05
- Figure 73: Those with deposit/savings bank accounts –- students and non-students, 1998 and 2001
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- Figure 74: Those who own a credit card – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 75: Student borrowing/debt (£) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
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- Figure 76: Student borrowing/debt (% of total) – full-time students, 1998/99* and 2004/05
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- Figure 77: Current and anticipated debt (£), 2000-05
- Figure 78: Those agreeing that: ‘I think I’m good at managing my money’ – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 79: Those agreeing that: ‘I think I’m good at managing my money’ – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 80: Those agreeing that 'I am no good at saving money' – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
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- Figure 81: Those agreeing with statement ‘I tend to spend money without thinking’- students and non-students, 2003
- Figure 82: Those definitely agreeing with the statement ‘I don’t like the idea of being in debt – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
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- Figure 83: Managing financial commitments, 2001 and 2005
- Figure 84: Who students would turn to in financial difficulty 2005
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- Figure 85: Extent to which financial difficulties have affected attainment – full-time students, 2004/05
- Figure 86: Assessment of own financial situation – full-time students, 2004/05
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- Figure 87: Agreement/disagreement with statement ‘I am perfectly happy with my standard of living’ – students and non-students, 2005
- Student living
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- Figure 88: Rating of accommodation at university, 2005
- Figure 89: Extent to which current accommodation is value for money, 2005
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- Figure 90: Reported problems with accommodation, full-time students, 2005
- Figure 91: Undergraduate spending on accommodation, 2001-05 (Unite Survey)
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- Figure 92: Undergraduate spending on utility bills, 1999-2005
- Figure 93: Expenditure on housing (£) – full-time students by housing type, 2004/05
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- Figure 94: Agreement/disagreement with statement ‘I really enjoy cooking – students and non-students, 2005
- Figure 95: Agreement/disagreement that: ‘I consider my diet to be very healthy’ – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 96: Undergraduate spending on food, 1999-2005
- Figure 97: Undergraduate spending on food*, 2001-05 (Unite Survey)
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- Figure 98: Expenditure on food and household goods (£) – full-time students, 2004/05
- Figure 99: Expenditure on travel and transport (£) – full-time students, 2004/05
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- Figure 100: Full driving licence ownership – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 101: Car ownership – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
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- Figure 102: Bicycle ownership – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 103: Undergraduate spending on telephone bills, 2003-05
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- Figure 104: Undergraduate spending on mobile phones/mobile communications, 2003-05 (Unite Survey)
- Figure 105: Ownership of mobile phones, 1998-2005
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- Figure 106: Type of mobile phone contract – students, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 107: Undergraduate spending on clothing*, 1999-2005
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- Figure 108: Expenditure on personal items* (£) – full-time students, 2004/05
- Figure 109: Time spent by students on daily activities, 2003 and 2005
- The academic student
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- Figure 110: Rating of standard of teaching or lecturing, 2005
- Figure 111: Rating of support received from university with academic studies, 2005
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- Figure 112: Rating of amount of contact time with course tutor/lecturer, 2005
- Figure 113: Rating of availability of course books in library, 2005
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- Figure 114: Rating of availability of and access to IT hardware/computers and software, 2005
- Figure 115: Purchasing of hardback books in the last year – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 116: Purchasing of paperback books in the last year – students and non-students, 2005
- Figure 117: Purchasing of paperback and hardback books – students, 1998-2005
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- Figure 118: Those who own a personal computer – students and non-students, 1998-2005
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- Figure 119: Anticipated spending on course-related expenses, 2005
- Figure 120: Spending* on course-related expenses (£ per academic year) – full-time students, 2004/05
- The social student
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- Figure 121: Main spare time activities of students, 2005
- Figure 122: Main clubs/societies belonged to, 2005
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- Figure 123: Agreement that ‘In the evening I often go to a bar (café, club, pub) – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 124: Pub drinking in the daytime and evening – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 125: Those who drink in pubs at least once a week – students and non-students, 2003 and 2005
- Figure 126: Agreement/disagreement with statement ‘I consider myself interested in the arts’ – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 127: Those agreeing with statement ‘I am a regular cinema-goer – students and non-students, 2005
- Figure 128: Theatre visiting – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 129: Visitors to opera and dance performances – students and non-students, 2005
- Figure 130: Concert-going – male and female students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 131: Those who visit art galleries/exhibitions – male and female students and non-students, 2005
- Figure 132: Those definitely agreeing that 'I do some sport or exercise at least once a week' – students and non-students, 1998-2005
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- Figure 133: Undergraduate spending on going out, 1999-2005 (NatWest Study)
- Figure 134: Undergraduate spending on going out/entertainment, 2002-05 (Unite Survey)
- Figure 135: Spending* on going out/entertainment – full-time students, 2004/05
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- Figure 136: Undergraduate spending on music, 2000-05
- Figure 137: Undergraduate spending on music (CDs, record, tapes) and on DVDs/videos, 2003-05 (Unite Survey)
- Figure 138: Cigarette smokers – students and non-students, 1998-2005
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- Figure 139: Undergraduate spending on cigarettes, 1999-2003 (NatWest Survey)
- Figure 140: Undergraduate spending on cigarettes/tobacco, 2002-05 (Unite Survey)
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- Figure 141: Undergraduate spending on alcohol, 1999-2005 (NatWest Study)
- Figure 142: Undergraduate spending on alcohol, 2001-05 (Unite Survey)
- Figure 143: Spending* on alcohol – full-time students, 2004/05
The Future
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- Figure 144: Those agreeing that ‘I am optimistic about getting a job when I finish my course’ – students, 2002-05
- Figure 145: Most important factors when looking for a job – undergraduates, 2004 and 2005
- Figure 146: Those who ‘definitely agree’ with statement ‘I want to get to the very top in my career – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 147: Those agreeing with statement ‘I would like to set up my own business one day’ – students and non-students, 2005
- Figure 148: Destinations of first degree graduates six months after graduation, 2001 and 2004
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- Figure 149: Salaries: expectations and reality – undergraduates and graduates, 2000-05
- Figure 150: Graduate debt levels, 1994-2004
- Figure 151: Graduate debt by source (% owing anything to each source), 2001 and 2004
- Figure 152: Graduate debt by source (average debt), 2001 and 2004
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- Figure 153: Those agreeing that ‘I am seriously worried about the debts I am going to incur as a result of going to university’ – students, 2000-05
- Figure 154: Agreement/disagreement with statement ‘I am very happy with my life as it is’ – students and non-students, 2005
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- Figure 155: Those agreeing that 'I like to enjoy life and don’t worry about the future' – students and non-students, 1998-2005
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