Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
https://doi.org/10.62574/rmpi.v5i2.381
14
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los
estudiantes
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
kellyrodriguez.est@umecit.edu.pa
Universidad Metropolitana de Educación Ciencia y Tecnología (UMECIT), Panamá,
Provincia de Panamá, Panamá
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1785-3547
ABSTRACT
Entering higher education is often a complex experience involving academic and personal
changes. The purpose of this study is to reveal the phenomenological experiences of
Colombian students in their process of entering higher education. Through interviews with
students from Comuna 8 in Medellín and following Van Manen's methodology, seven ‘motives
for living’ were identified: i) desire for social mobility, ii) vocation as a driving force, iii) emotional
independence, iv) fear of the unknown, v) existential economic obstacles, vi) perceived
academic fragility, vii) desire for emotional support. University admission constitutes an
existential transformation that transcends the academic, manifesting itself in four dimensions: i)
temporality (horizon of hope and uncertainty), ii) spatiality (territory of adaptation), iii)
relationality (need for emotional support), and iv) corporeality (physical manifestations of stress).
The university is revealed as an existential territory where family aspirations and processes of
identity reconfiguration converge.
Descriptors: admission requirements; educational management; educational planning.
(Source: UNESCO Thesaurus).
RESUMEN
El ingreso a la educación superior suele ser una experiencia compleja que implica cambios
académicos y personales. Este estudio tiene como propósito de investigación develar las
experiencias fenomenológicas de estudiantes colombianos en su proceso de ingreso a la
educación superior. Mediante entrevistas con estudiantes de la Comuna 8 de Medellín y
siguiendo la metodología de Van Manen, se identificaron siete "motivos del vivir": i) anhelo de
movilidad social, ii) vocación como motor vital, iii) independencia emocional, iv) miedo a lo
incierto, v) obstáculo económico existencial, vi) fragilidad académica sentida, vii) deseo de
acompañamiento afectivo. El ingreso universitario constituye una transformación existencial
que trasciende lo académico, manifestándose en cuatro dimensiones: i) temporalidad
(horizonte de esperanza e incertidumbre), ii) espacialidad (territorio de adaptación), iii)
relacionalidad (necesidad de contención emocional) y iv) corporalidad (manifestaciones físicas
de estrés). La universidad se devela como territorio existencial donde convergen aspiraciones
familiares y procesos de reconfiguración identitaria.
Descriptores: condiciones de admisión; gestión educacional; planificación de la educación.
(Fuente: Tesauro UNESCO).
Received: 08/01/2025. Reviewed: 03/02/2025. Approved: 08/02/2025. Published: 01/04/2025.
Research articles section
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
15
INTRODUCTION
Entering higher education can be a stressful experience for students, characterised by
transformations that transcend the purely academic, as it involves a complex phenomenon
where aspirations, fears, socio-economic challenges and identity-building processes converge,
which need to be understood from the lived experience of those going through it. However, in
Colombia, access to higher education is framed within a context of deep social and territorial
inequalities that shape different experiences depending on the socioeconomic, ethnic and
geographical background of students. In fact, the country has reached historic figures in
university enrolment, with 2,475,833 students in higher education by 2023, representing an
increase of 0.4% compared to 2022 and constituting the highest number of students ever
served by the system (Ministry of National Education, Vice-Ministry of Higher Education, Sub-
Directorate of Sectoral Development, 2024). Particularly significant is the fact that the higher
education coverage rate stood at 55.38% in 2023, the highest level in the historical series,
representing a growth of 0.45 percentage points compared to 2022 and returning to the growth
path that had not been seen since 2017.
However, these advances also reveal the complexities of the Colombian education system.
Thus, while the postgraduate level experienced significant growth of 7.4% (13,395 additional
students), undergraduate enrolment showed a slight decrease of 0.17% (3,790 fewer students),
mainly due to the reduction in the technological level. Consequently, these figures show that,
despite advances in overall coverage, approximately 45% of young people of university age still
do not have access to this level of education, with the greatest limitations concentrated in rural,
Afro-descendant and indigenous populations (Ministry of National Education, Vice-Ministry of
Higher Education, Sub-Directorate for Sectoral Development, 2024).
On the other hand, the determinants of access to higher education in Colombia have been
widely documented. In this regard, Acevedo et al. (2008) identify economic, academic and
family factors as central elements in educational demand, while more recent studies show how
the country's structural inequalities are reproduced in the university sphere. In particular, rural
education presents specific challenges for the transition to higher education (Herrera Arias &
Rivera Alarcón, 2020), characterised by limitations in infrastructure, educational quality and
opportunities to prepare for entrance exams.
Likewise, the experiences of specific populations reveal the complexity of the Colombian
landscape. In this regard, Afro-descendant students face additional barriers related to
discrimination and a lack of effective inclusion programmes (Escobar, 2021), while women,
despite representing 54% of university enrolment, continue to face challenges in traditionally
male-dominated areas (Garavito et al., 2018). Meanwhile, first-generation students, who are
particularly numerous in vulnerable contexts, navigate unfamiliar institutional systems without
family members to guide them through the process (Flanagan-Bórquez, 2017).
Equally worrying, the psychosocial context of university admission in Colombia presents
alarming characteristics. In this regard, González et al. (2019) document high levels of
depression, anxiety and stress among new students, phenomena that are intensified in contexts
of socioeconomic vulnerability. Therefore, it is clear that the transition to university is an
experience that affects students holistically, requiring comprehensive approaches that
transcend the purely academic.
Public policies have attempted to democratise access through programmes such as ‘Ser Pilo
Paga’ (Ruiz & Ramírez, 2017), but their impact on students' lived experiences requires greater
phenomenological understanding. It should be noted that research has favoured quantitative
approaches focused on academic results and access rates, leaving a gap in the understanding
of how students existentially inhabit this transition process.
Against this backdrop, hermeneutic phenomenology emerges as a relevant theoretical and
methodological perspective for addressing these experiences in the Colombian context.
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
16
Similarly, studies such as those by Castillo-Sanguino & Montes-Sosa (2018) have explored the
lived experience of new students, while Vázquez-Rodríguez (2023) has examined experiences
of sudden changes in the educational context. Indeed, these works demonstrate the richness of
the phenomenological approach for understanding the structures of meaning that underlie
educational experiences in Latin American contexts.
Consequently, the present study is situated within this framework, with the research purpose of
revealing the phenomenological experiences of Colombian students in their process of entering
higher education.
Theoretical reference
To begin with, the Colombian higher education system is characterised by institutional
heterogeneity and profound inequalities in access that reflect the country's social structures. In
this context, García-García (2013) points out that ‘equity and inclusiveness in higher education
in Andean countries, including Colombia, face structural challenges related to poverty, social
exclusion and territorial gaps’ (p. 140). This situation creates a context in which university
admission experiences are mediated by socioeconomic, ethnic, and geographical factors that
determine not only access but also students' subjective experiences.
On the other hand, the processes of admission to higher education in Colombia have
undergone significant changes with the implementation of computerised systems and
standardised tests. In this regard, García-Ojalvo et al. (2020) document how these systems,
while modernising processes, have also generated new forms of exclusion for students from
vulnerable backgrounds who are unfamiliar with digital technologies. Complementarily, the
analysis by Pérez-Pulido et al. (2016) on the results of state tests shows how previous
educational inequalities are reproduced in university selection mechanisms.
Hermeneutic phenomenology and educational experience in Latin American contexts
From a theoretical perspective, hermeneutic phenomenology, as conceptualised by Van Manen
(2003, 2016), offers a fundamental framework for understanding educational experiences in
Latin American contexts characterised by cultural diversity and social inequalities. In the
author's words, Van Manen (2003) argues that ‘hermeneutic phenomenology is not a simple
research technique; it is a way of living reflectively in the world and relating to it in an ethical and
comprehensive manner’ (p. 45). This approach is therefore particularly appropriate for exploring
experiences of entry into higher education in Colombia, as it allows us to capture the structures
of meaning that underlie student experiences in vulnerable contexts.
Additionally, the application of phenomenology in Latin American educational research has
demonstrated its potential to reveal hidden dimensions of human experience. In this sense,
Castillo-López et al. (2022) highlight in their systematic review that the phenomenological
method allows ‘access to the understanding of educational phenomena from the perspective of
those who experience them, revealing structures of meaning that remain hidden in more
traditional approaches’ (p. 252). Consequently, this perspective is fundamental to understanding
how Colombian students existentially inhabit their transition to higher education.
Elaborating on this line of thought, Jiménez & Valle Vázquez (2017) conceptualise education as
a phenomenological experience in the Latin American context, arguing that ‘education is not
simply a process of knowledge transmission, but a lived experience that transforms the very
existence of the subject, particularly in contexts where it represents an opportunity for social
mobility’ (p. 260).
Therefore, this understanding is fundamental to addressing university admission in Colombia as
a phenomenon that transcends the academic realm to become an existential transformation
with family and community implications.
Experiences of admission in contexts of socioeconomic vulnerability
With regard to the particularities of the context, the specialised literature has documented the
characteristics that define admission to higher education in contexts of socioeconomic
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
17
vulnerability in Colombia. Specifically, first-generation students, who are particularly numerous
in the country, face specific challenges related to ‘the lack of family cultural capital, the absence
of close role models, and the need to navigate unfamiliar institutional systems’ (Flanagan-
Bórquez, 2017, p. 95). Certainly, in the Colombian context, these challenges are intensified by
persistent structural inequalities that limit educational opportunities from basic education
onwards.
Particularly relevant, Herrera Arias & Rivera Alarcón (2020) identify that rural education in
Colombia presents specific obstacles to the transition to higher education, including ‘limitations
in academic preparation, geographical access difficulties, limited connectivity, and economic
barriers that condition the possibilities of educational continuity’ (p. 92). Consequently, these
conditions shape differentiated experiences where university admission represents not only an
educational transition but also a geographical and cultural migration that involves complex
adaptation processes. From a psychological perspective, the emotional aspects of this transition
have been specifically documented in the Colombian context by González et al. (2019), who
identify high levels of depression, anxiety and stress among new students. These findings
therefore show that university admission is an experience that affects Colombian students in a
comprehensive manner, requiring comprehensive approaches that recognise the particularities
of the national context.
Vocational guidance and academic performance in the transition to university
Within the context of the transition to higher education, vocational guidance is a fundamental
element that mediates students' experiences during their admission to university. In this regard,
Camacho & Rubio (2007) point out that ‘the professional guidance of students entering higher
education is a comprehensive process that transcends the mere selection of a career to
become an existential accompaniment that facilitates adaptation to the new academic context’
(p. 18). Therefore, this guiding dimension becomes particularly relevant in vulnerable contexts
where students lack family members with university experience.
Complementarily, academic performance during the first years of university reflects the
complexity of factors that influence the student experience. In this regard, Ramírez (2014)
identifies that ‘the factors associated with academic performance according to the level of
undergraduate education and gender of higher education students in Colombia show significant
differences that need to be understood from a comprehensive perspective’ (p. 210). Specifically,
this author documents how socioeconomic, gender and prior academic preparation variables
interact to shape different trajectories of university success or failure.
From a broader perspective, the experiences of first-generation students and their assessment
of institutional support programmes reveal additional dimensions of this transition. In this
context, Guerrero-Valenzuela et al. (2022) document that ‘the experiences of first-generation
university students and their assessment of affirmative action programmes highlight the need for
comprehensive support that addresses both the academic and existential dimensions of the
university transition’ (p. 145). Consequently, these contributions suggest that the most effective
support programmes are those that recognise the phenomenological complexity of the student
experience.
In summary, the convergence between vocational guidance, academic performance and
support programmes constitutes a fundamental field of understanding for addressing the
experiences of entry into higher education from a phenomenological perspective. In this way,
these elements not only influence academic outcomes but also mediate students' existential
experiences during their adaptation to the university context, particularly in populations facing
multiple social and economic vulnerabilities.
Ethnic diversity and differentiated experiences
In terms of ethnic diversity, Colombia is characterised by its cultural plurality, which shapes
differentiated experiences of access to higher education. In this regard, Escobar (2021)
documents the experiences of Afro-descendant students, identifying that ‘the social inclusion of
this population requires not only access policies, but also institutional transformations that
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
18
recognise and value cultural diversity’ (p. 235). These experiences reveal how ethnic identities
mediate university experiences, generating both additional challenges and specific cultural
strengths.
At the same time, the experiences of women in Colombian higher education have particular
characteristics. In this context, Garavito et al. (2018) point out that, despite representing the
majority of university enrolment, women continue to face ‘cultural and structural barriers that
limit their participation in certain areas of knowledge and condition their professional trajectories’
(p. 250). Consequently, these gender dynamics shape specific experiences that need to be
understood from a phenomenological perspective.
Inclusion policies and student experiences in Colombia
In terms of educational policies, affirmative action initiatives in higher education in Colombia
have sought to democratise access. However, their impact on students' lived experiences
requires greater phenomenological understanding. Specifically, the ‘Ser Pilo Paga’ programme,
analysed by Ruiz & Ramírez (2017), represented a significant effort to expand access, but also
generated debates about its effectiveness and sustainability. According to these authors,
‘beyond quantitative results, it is necessary to understand how beneficiary students subjectively
experience these programmes’ (p. 12). Complementing this view, Jiménez-Quiñones (2024)
advocates integrating phenomenology and intersectionality into the study of university
affirmative action policies, emphasising the importance of ‘understanding how students
subjectively experience inclusion programmes, considering the intersections between class,
race, gender and territory that characterise the Colombian context’ (p. 15). In this way, the
author recognises that student experiences cannot be understood in isolation, but must be
analysed considering how multiple forms of inequality intertwine to shape specific experiences
of access to and permanence in university. Student movement and meaning-making.
Additionally, the Colombian context is characterised by a tradition of student mobilisation that
shapes specific experiences of meaning-making about higher education. In this regard,
Serrano-Rojas (2019) documents how ‘the political participation of the student movement in
Medellín reveals imaginaries about higher education that transcend the individual to become
collective projects of social transformation’ (p. 78). Therefore, this political dimension of the
university experience adds complexity to student experiences, particularly in urban contexts
such as Medellín.
Leveling and preparation programmes
In this regard, the need for leveling programmes for students entering higher education has
been recognised in the Colombian context. In this regard, Alvarado-Bejarano & Quirós-Vargas
(2021) document experiences of levelling courses that seek to ‘academically and emotionally
prepare students for their transition to university, recognising previous educational gaps’ (p. 92).
Indeed, these programmes demonstrate institutional recognition that university admission
requires comprehensive support.
METHOD
The methodological approach was based on Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology (2016),
as this approach allowed us to explore human experiences in their deepest essence. As Van
Manen (2003) pointed out, ‘hermeneutic phenomenology is not a simple research technique; it
is a way of living reflectively in the world and relating to it in an ethical and comprehensive
manner.’ This method proved particularly appropriate for capturing the ‘motives for living’ that
we identified in the results, allowing us to understand how students existentially inhabited their
transition to higher education.
We adopted a non-experimental, descriptive and cross-sectional design, consistent with the four
existential dimensions that emerged in our results (temporality, spatiality, relationality and
corporeality). This approach allowed us to explore the phenomena as they presented
themselves in their natural context, respecting the uniqueness of our participants' human
experiences.
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
19
In terms of information collection techniques, in-depth interviews were our main technique,
selected for their ability to capture the subjective experiences that emerged as ‘reasons for
living’ in the results. Following Van Manen (2014), these interviews did not seek to explain or
predict, but rather to ‘clarify and understand the meaning of human experiences as they are
lived.’ Therefore, we designed open-ended questions to explore the three dimensions that we
subsequently analysed in the results:
a) Imaginaries and desires regarding the university experience
b) Perceived challenges upon admission
c) Support needed for successful admission
We selected our participants through intentional sampling of secondary school and university
students from Comuna 8 in Medellín (Caicedo, La Sierra and Villatina neighbourhoods),
following the principle of theoretical saturation. This selection allowed us to capture the diversity
of experiences that were later reflected in the seven ‘reasons for living’ identified in the results.
Our analysis of the information followed Van Manen's method, which integrates description and
hermeneutics to capture both explicit and implicit meanings. This process allowed us to identify
emerging thematic structures (the ‘reasons for living’) and develop the semantic networks and
maps of meaning that we present in the results.
We used ATLAS.ti software to facilitate the organisation of the narratives and the construction of
the interpretative networks that revealed the connections between motives such as ‘desire for
social mobility’, ‘vocation as a driving force’ and ‘fear of the unknown’, allowing us to understand
the experience from the four existential dimensions identified in our results. Therefore, this
phenomenological-hermeneutic methodology allowed us to reveal the complexity of the
students' experiences, transcending mere thematic coding to achieve an understanding of how
they existentially inhabited their transition process to higher education.
RESULTS
Van Manen's approach allows us to interpret the profound experiences of students during their
transition to higher education, revealing how they existentially inhabit this critical process. It is
presented as follows:
Identified reasons for living
The testimonies revealed seven fundamental thematic structures:
1. Desire for social mobility: ‘I hope it will allow me to help my family get ahead.’
2. Vocation as a driving force: ‘I want to study something I'm passionate about, like
engineering.’
3. Emotional independence: ‘I'm excited about making my own decisions.’
4. Fear of the unknown: ‘I'm excited about studying, but I'm afraid I'm not prepared.’
5. Existential economic obstacle: ‘I'm worried about not being able to pay for transportation or
materials.’
6. Perceived academic fragility: ‘I feel that school did not prepare me well enough.’
7. Desire for emotional support: ‘It would be helpful to receive psychological help for stress.’
Triangulation and analysis
Triangulation between the narratives of secondary school and university students revealed
convergences in the desire for social mobility and anxiety about the future. Analysis by question
revealed:
a) Imaginaries: University as a space for personal transformation and a territory of challenges.
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
20
b) Perceived challenges: Anxiety, economic pressure, and lack of academic preparation.
c) Necessary support: Emotional support, vocational guidance, and academic preparation.
Existential interpretation
University admission represents a transformation that affects four existential dimensions:
1. Temporality: The future as a horizon of hope and uncertainty.
2. Spatiality: University as a challenging place that requires adaptation.
3. Relationality: Need for emotional support networks.
4. Corporeality: Physical manifestations of stress and anxiety.
This transition is a human experience that transcends the academic realm, requiring
comprehensive support that recognises both the vulnerability and the hope of students.
PHENOMENOLOGICAL THEORETICAL ANALYSIS
Phenomenological experiences reveal that entering higher education in contexts of
socioeconomic vulnerability is a complex existential phenomenon that transcends purely
academic or economic dimensions. In this sense, the seven ‘reasons for living’ identified form a
structure of meaning that shows how students existentially inhabit their university transition,
revealing the deep interconnection between life aspirations, existential fears, and identity-
building processes.
This demonstrates the relevance of Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology for
understanding educational experiences in Latin American contexts. In this order, the
identification of the four existential dimensions (temporality, spatiality, relationality and
corporeality) validates the theoretical proposal that education constitutes a lived experience that
transforms the very existence of the subject (Jiménez & Valle Vázquez, 2017).
It is particularly significant that the ‘desire for social mobility’ emerges as a central motive,
confirming the observations of García-García (2013) on how structural inequalities mediate
university experiences in Andean countries. Therefore, it is evident that, for students in Comuna
8, the university is not only an educational institution but also an existential territory of
transformation where family hopes and life projects converge.
Existential dimensions and social vulnerability
The manifestation of physicality through stress and anxiety confirms the contributions of
González et al. (2019) on the psychosocial aspects of university admission in Colombia.
However, our results deepen this understanding by revealing how these physical manifestations
are expressions of an existential vulnerability that transcends the individual to reflect structural
conditions of inequality. Therefore, temporality as a ‘horizon of hope and uncertainty’ highlights
the complexity of living in a present marked by economic limitations while projecting a future of
social transformation. This temporal tension reflects what Flanagan-Bórquez (2017) identifies as
the specific experience of first-generation students navigating unfamiliar systems.
Implications for understanding the Colombian context
Phenomenological experiences reveal that inclusion policies, such as those analysed by Ruiz &
Ramírez (2017), require a more comprehensive phenomenological understanding of student
experiences. In this context, the identified ‘desire for emotional support’ suggests that the most
effective support programmes are those that recognise the integral nature of the human
experience, confirming the observations of Guerrero-Valenzuela et al. (2022).
On the other hand, the emergence of the ‘existential economic obstacle’ as a fundamental
motive shows that economic barriers are not simply material limitations, but existential threats
that condition the very possibility of projecting a different future. This understanding deepens
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
21
quantitative analyses of university access by revealing the structures of meaning that underlie
coverage statistics.
Emerging theoretical contributions
Phenomenological experiences reveal the need to conceptualise university admission in
contexts of vulnerability as a process of existential habitation that involves:
1. Identity reconfiguration: Students not only access knowledge, but also reconstruct their
understanding of themselves and their life possibilities.
2. Territorial mediation: The university as a physical and symbolic space that requires
complex processes of cultural and geographical adaptation.
3. Construction of futurity: The ability to project temporal horizons different from those
determined by conditions of origin.
Limitations and projections
Although phenomenological experiences reveal the experiences in Comuna 8 in Medellín, the
transferability of these contributions to other Colombian contexts requires additional research
that considers the regional and ethnic particularities documented by Escobar (2021) and
Herrera Arias & Rivera Alarcón (2020). In this sense, the phenomenological methodology,
although revealing experiential structures of meaning, could be complemented by approaches
that integrate the intersectional perspective proposed by Jiménez-Quiñones (2024) to capture
the multiple forms of inequality that are intertwined in student experiences. This
phenomenological understanding contributes to the field of higher education studies in
Colombia by offering an interpretative framework that can guide both future research and the
design of more effective and humanising institutional interventions.
CONCLUSION
Phenomenological experiences reveal that entering higher education in contexts of
socioeconomic vulnerability is a complex existential phenomenon that goes beyond purely
academic dimensions to become a process of integral transformation of the self. Using Van
Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, seven ‘motives for living’ were identified
that show how students from Comuna 8 in Medellín existentially inhabit their university
transition, revealing that this experience simultaneously involves aspirations for social mobility,
vocation as a driving force, the search for emotional independence, but also fears of the
unknown, existential economic obstacles, perceived academic fragility, and deep needs for
emotional support.
From the above, it is revealed that the university represents for these young people not only an
educational institution, but also an existential territory of transformation where family hopes, life
projects and processes of identity reconfiguration converge, expressed through four
fundamental existential dimensions: temporality as a horizon of hope and uncertainty, spatiality
as a challenging place of adaptation, relationality as a need for emotional support networks, and
corporeality expressed in physical manifestations of stress and anxiety. Consequently, these
results show the urgent need for educational inclusion policies and institutional support
programmes to adopt a comprehensive phenomenological perspective that recognises the
human complexity of this transition, going beyond purely quantitative approaches to honour the
dignity, vulnerability and existential aspirations of students seeking to transform their realities
through higher education.
FINANCIAMIENTO
No monetario
CONFLICTO DE INTERÉS
No existe conflicto de interés con personas o instituciones ligadas a la investigación.
Revista Multidisciplinaria Perspectivas Investigativas
Multidisciplinary Journal Investigative Perspectives
Vol. 5(2), 14-23, 2025
Ingreso a la educación superior y experiencias fenomenológicas de los estudiantes
Access to higher education and students' phenomenological experiences
Kelly Vaneza Rodríguez-Ramírez
22
AGRADECIMIENTOS
A los estudiantes que participaron en la investigación.
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Derechos de autor: 2025 Por los autores. Este artículo es de acceso abierto y distribuido según los términos y
condiciones de la licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional (CC
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