What does it mean to be good at history? At certain times during their formal education students seem to be required to adjust their understanding of what studying history entails. Alan Booth writes from the viewpoint of a university tutor. He has collated ‘student voice’ on the experience of studying history at university and contrasted his findings with the views of university history teachers. The results highlight a need to consider transition programmes at this end of the secondary education experience. University history departments are concerned about the limitations of undergraduates in their construction of arguments, their critical reading skills and their sense of historiography. Students beginning university, however, are generally confident of their ability to write essays, take notes from textbooks and work independently. By the end of their first year at university, undergraduates’ understanding of what the study of history entails has changed dramatically. If teachers at school and university level can find ways to ease this transition, then surely this will enable further progression.