Cloé Ligtenberg started in vocational education and is now studying law: ‘Vocational students are labeled as unmotivated. That’s unfair.’

A language barrier, stigmas, and a different way of thinking. For second-year law student Cloé Ligtenberg, the path to academic education wasn’t easy. But now that she has secured her place at university, nothing can hold her back: ‘I want to build a stable and meaningful future.’

What path did you take to get to university?

‘My journey to university began at the VMBO theoretical track at Beatrix College, with the ambition of progressing to HAVO. However, due to circumstances such as moving in with my grandmother and adjusting to a new school environment, I ended up transitioning to the VMBO kader track.

‘After completing secondary school, I pursued an MBO-4 program in marketing, communication, and event management, which I completed in two years instead of three. I then transitioned to an English-taught HBO program in International Business. Although this program was more challenging than my previous studies, it didn’t feel like the right fit.

‘After earning my HBO propaedeutic diploma, I decided to pursue my long-held dream of studying at a university. I am now studying law, with the ambition of building a stable and meaningful future. For me, university is not only a place for intellectual growth but also an opportunity to fully realize my potential and build a career that brings me happiness.

‘Throughout this journey, my grandmother has been an indispensable source of support. She has always encouraged me to strive for the best in myself. Her positive attitude and motivating words have given me the strength to persevere, take one step after another, and stay focused on my goals.’

What is your dream job?

‘At first, I considered private law because I find it important to help vulnerable children in difficult situations. However, I decided to focus on corporate law first, due to the excellent job prospects and good salary. Building a stable future is very important to me. Private law, however, remains an option for the future.

‘My dream job? I’m thinking of a career as a lawyer, perhaps even specializing in fraud cases, although I’m open to other areas of expertise. What I know for sure is that I plan ahead and carefully think through my steps. I don’t believe I was ‘born smart.’

‘In my view, there are two types of people: those for whom studying seems to come naturally and those who have to work extremely hard. I belong to the latter group, which is why it helps me to define my goals early and make strategic choices. It provides both peace of mind and direction.’

Do you feel that there are prejudices about people with an MBO background at university?

‘Yes, and I think it’s important for people to realize that many MBO students are very young when they start their studies, often only fifteen or sixteen years old. At that age, you’re highly impressionable and still in development.

‘What particularly strikes me is the stigma that MBO students often face. They are sometimes labeled as unmotivated or disruptive, and that’s not fair. I think this stigma drives many MBO students to continue their studies, just to prove that they are more than ‘lazy MBO students.’ That’s a shame, because you should continue your education because you want to, not to meet societal expectations.’

Did you feel different from your fellow students as a first-year?

‘Yes, absolutely. I had taken a different path, which gave me a different foundation compared to students who came directly from VWO. They often seemed to have a head start, for example, in general knowledge. Many of my fellow students already knew how the government worked or were familiar with political issues, while I had barely encountered those topics.

‘Additionally, language was a challenge. I was raised speaking French, and Dutch has always been my weak point. In MBO, the Dutch classes didn’t amount to much, and in my HBO program, the courses were in English.

‘This made the transition to law even more difficult, as the program revolves around complex texts and legal language. When I first read legal texts, I thought, ‘What on earth is this?’ Keeping lists of terms and breaking down sentences became my survival strategy.

‘I also noticed a difference in terms of thinking. In VWO, students often learn how to reason scientifically, for example, by recognizing cause-and-effect relationships. To me, that felt like a new way of thinking. While VWO students effortlessly saw connections, I needed more time to sort everything out.’

Do you view certain topics differently because of your background?

‘Definitely. In MBO, it’s more about the social aspects, whereas in VWO, the focus is mainly on how to think perfectly theoretically, separate from real-life practice. I notice this in the answers we give: VWO students often reason exactly ‘by the book,’ while I look at things from a different perspective.

‘An example of this is the childcare benefits scandal. I experienced that up close in my own family, where we didn’t have much. In MBO, I knew more young people who were in or had been in a similar situation. At university, I know far fewer students who live in poverty. Yet everyone seems to have an opinion on it.

‘For example, I heard a student during a lecture say that the childcare benefits scandal was a mistake by the government and that it’s a good solution to give all affected families 10,000 euros. But for me, that’s definitely not the solution: it feels like a superficial band-aid on a much deeper issue. And you only understand that if you’ve been through it.’

Do you think the university takes students’ different backgrounds into account enough?

‘The first year was really tough, and I thought I wouldn’t make it. My student counselor, Dorine Roestenberg, immediately helped me by appointing an education coordinator and showing me which courses I needed to take in order to move on to the second year. She really made me believe in myself.

‘On the other hand, the government doesn’t take into account the situation of many students. With the reduction in student grants and the introduction of the long-term study penalty, it’s primarily students with fewer financial resources who are disadvantaged. The idea that you get a penalty because you need more time to study is unfair. It only widens the gap between the rich and the poor. That’s something I’m really concerned about.’

When Univers spoke with Cloé, the long-term study penalty had not yet been abolished. This may have influenced her statements and perspective in the article.

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