Self-confidence and perceived importance of pre-arrival sport students at an English higher education institution: Exploring gender and programme of study differences

Transitional issues into higher education (HE) are evident for all students with many encountering academic and social obstacles. Of particular importance is the need to understand the pre-entry confidence and perceived importance of students and move away from relying on exit metrics to dictate practice. Three hundred and sixty-eight first-year undergraduate sports students at a post-92 United Kingdom (UK) university completed a Pre-Arrival Survey. Findings highlight significant gender and programme of study differences in pre-arrival confidence and perceived importance. Practical implications are proposed to develop practice that supports with the integrating of student populations into HE and the continued learning of skills needed for a successful university education.