This paper presents a key finding of a research study that examined barriers to student learning and completion from a dual-sector further and higher education institution in Northern Ireland. It explores the impact of social networks and the communication that occurs within them, on the decision making and understanding of students about higher education progression within a case study higher education institution. Specifically, this paper examines the students' use of ¿hot knowledge' (Ball and Vincent, 1998) to inform them about the demands of higher education study within a higher education institution in Northern Ireland. The study identifies that the nature, value and evolution of this knowledge within communities can become a barrier to pre-course selection, programme learning and, sometimes, course completion. The findings of this study indicate that often this knowledge is misinformed, replicated and reproduced within communities and consequently is of limited value to students when endeavouring to make informed choices about their learning careers. In doing so, this paper adds to and reformulates Ball and Vincent's concept of ¿hot knowledge¿ with respect to the context of student decision making regarding higher education progression within a higher education institution.