Expectations about higher education in City of God, Brazil: Does diversification in access make a difference?

The paper will explore some preliminary conclusions from a study conducted by the author over the last year regarding the factors that influence the choices and expectations of 3rd year high school students in the neighbourhood of City of God, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This area is known by low human development indicators and low level of education of its population.

Through a research among the students of the only high school in the community, the analysis will examine their views about the perspective of entering higher education in the future, which are the strategies designed for that and which are the reasons for possible lack of interest in this path. Moreover, ths study investigates how and if the recent policies adopted by Brazilian government to expand the access to higher education in Brazil are contributing for greater interest and positive expectations of these students to enter higher education.

For this reason it is also important to understand how these programs are being implemented by the higher education institutions located in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, where probably students from City of God might want to apply for. Among the access programs it is possible to find quotas for black and low income students, additional scores for low income students, fellowship programs in private institutions, public credit for university tuition. The study will also collect the data about how much of this information and types of access is known by the high school students in City of God.