STUDENT DESTINATIONS - Sutton Trust

STUDENTDESTINATIONS2006-2016

The Sutton Trust makes sucha huge difference to the livesof people like me, whosebackgrounds don’t necessarilymean that they would aim ashigh as they could otherwise.CONTENTSNatasha Holcroft-Emmess(UK Summer School 2008)Trainee Barrister, Matrix ChambersWELCOMEWhen I set up the Sutton Trust, I wanted to give more youngpeople from state schools the opportunity to study at the bestuniversities and access the most competitive jobs.Two decades later we give 5,000 young people each yearthe opportunity to change their lives. We do this through ouruniversity access and professional pathways programmes.As this report shows, when presented with this opportunity,more often than not, students on our programmes will seizeit. Our alumni are four times more likely to go to a Russell1 WelcomeGroup university than their classmates with similar grades and2Our programmesThe success of our alumni is told not just through facts and4UK Summer Schools6Pathways to Law8US Programme11Alumni storiesbackgrounds, whilst 8% have gone on to Oxbridge.figures, but through their individual experiences. Each of ouralums has a social mobility story to tell. I hope their journeysinspire young people across the country to apply for ourprogrammes, aim high and change their lives for the better.Sir Peter Lampl,Founder of the Sutton Trust14 Data explainer16 With thanks toSUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 1

OURPROGRAMMESThis experience, all of the people I’ve met, thethings I’ve learned, and the misconceptionswhich I’ve straightened out about university lifeare all possible thanks to the Sutton Trust.15,928Of these SuttonTrust studentsIdnaan Altaf (UK Summer School 2018)Current Year 13 studentyoung people took part in our three flagshipprogrammes between 2006-2016.14,06012,5809,10588%74%57%APPLIED TO A TOPUNIVERSITYWERE OFFEREDA PLACEACCEPTEDA PLACE24%21%13%A young person’s future outcomes should not be determined by their background or economiccircumstances. This is why we run our programmes.Working in partnership with top universities and leading employers, we support high achievingyoung people from less advantaged backgrounds to raise, and then realise, their aspirations.Our programmes increase access to highly selective universities and careers by developingCompared to agroup of similarstudentsyoung peoples’ confidence, supporting their decision making and helping them to navigatesystems and sectors.Between 2006 and 2016, just under 16,000 young people took part in one of our threeflagship programmes: UK Summer Schools, the US Programme and Pathways to Law.Using destination data obtained from UCAS, we can demonstrate the impact our programmeshave had on their educational journey.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 27,000The estimated number of young people who enrolled at atop university after completing a Sutton Trust programmethan otherwise would have.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 3

UK SUMMERSCHOOLS13,119young people took part in our UK Summer Schools between 2006 and 2016. Compared to theirclassmates with similar grades and from similar backgrounds, these students were 4xmore likely to apply toa top university4x4.5xmore likely to receivean offer from a topuniversitymore likely to acceptan offer from a topuniversity“It’s one of the best weeksI’ve had in my whole lifebecause you get to study thesubject that you love, andthe subject that you hope tostudy in the future.I think this experience isgoing to be better thanuniversity life, because ofthe close interactions youhave with your professors,and the new peoplethat you meet.”Ope Adagunodo(UK Summer School 2018)Current Year 13 studentLaunched in 1997, UK Summer Schools is theTrust’s flagship programme to increase access tohighly selective universities. Each year, over 2,000young people attend a week-long residential at aleading UK university. Students experience life as anundergraduate through academic taster sessions and aprogramme of social events, whilst receiving practical62%of those enrolled attend aRussell Group university(6,955 students)8%of those enrolledattend Oxbridge(930 students)support and advice on applying to university.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT10 YEAR IMPACTDESTINATIONSREPORT- -44SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 5

PATHWAYSTO LAW2,228young people took part in Pathways to Law between 2006 and 2016. Compared to theirclassmates with similar grades and from similar backgrounds, these students were 3.5xmore likely to apply toa top university3.5x4xmore likely to receivean offer from a topuniversitymore likely to acceptan offer from a topuniversityLaunched in 2006 following the release of theTrust’s Leading People research, Pathways to Lawaims to widen access to the legal profession.It is the Trust’s flagship access to the professionsprogramme and combines university tastersessions, a work experience placement in thelegal sector and a residential national conference.Students explore different legal career paths66%at university study,or have studied, law52%“Pathways to Law was anamazing opportunity toexperience what being alawyer was really like. Thework experience opened myeyes to the working world.”Hannah-Mai Flynn(Pathways to Law 2014)Business AdministrationApprentice, GovernmentEqualities Officeof those enrolled attend aRussell Group university(930 students)and benefit from the opportunity to network withprofessionals across the sector.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 6SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 7

USPROGRAMME673young people took part in our US Programme between 2010 and 2016.40%won places at topUS universities(267 students)30%5%accepted a place at aRussell Group university(205 students)accepted a placeat Oxbridge(35 students)“The connections I made,both professional andpersonal, only happenedbecause I was able toexplore a world beyondmy school in Newcastle.Without physically breakingout of your bubble it canbe hard to imagine a lifebeyond what you know.”Andrea Simmons(US Programme 2012)Senior Audit Assistant, KPMGEach year the Sutton Trust’s US ProgrammeCompared to their classmates with similar grades andfrom similar backgrounds, these students were helps 150 state school students to apply and winfunding to study at top US universities. Followinga trip to visit different universities in the US,participants who decide to apply to an Americanuniversity receive support with their applicationsand entrance exams, as well as advice onscholarships and college choices.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 86xmore likely to apply toa top university4.5xmore likely to receivean offer from a topuniversitySUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 9

Ella Mae Lewis(UK Summer School 2009)Director of ProductApoliticalTell us about your personal background After the programme, how did your career develop?I grew up in a small town in West Sussex, where Iwas one of seven children. The school I attendedwas always under pressure and it didn’t have thebest reputation. Ofsted eventually put it in specialmeasures, and after my GCSEs I went to a sixthform in another county so I could do all the A levelsI wanted.I attended Oxford the next year to study history, whichwas a brilliant, eye-opening experience, but whenI graduated my path was not at all clear! I moved toBarcelona and started working for the United Nationsvolunteering service. After writing forty letters seekingpaid work in non-profits, I was offered a position at theWalk Free Foundation as a research assistant. I washungry and I wanted to prove myself, which meant I gotpromoted quickly.The difference was stark. There I was one of fewwho had come from a less privileged backgroundand I think this was what led one amazing teacherto recognise my ambition – and my background –and they suggested I apply for the Sutton Trust’sSummer School.What was your experience as a Sutton Trust student?I had never been to Oxford before, nor anywhereparticularly like it. When I arrived in the city it was a littleoverwhelming and so beautiful. It was like somethingout of a storybook. The way Oxford approached learningwas completely new to me and transformed my attitudeto education.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 10I then moved to Washington DC where I worked for theGlobal Fund to End Modern Slavery and was put on fieldinvestigations in sub-Saharan Africa, investigating casesof child labour, sex trafficking and indentured servitude.It was then that I offered to join and help set up thecompany – Apolitical – which would connect governmentsaround the world to the best ideas, people and partnersin order to solve the most difficult policy. In my role nowas Director of Product, I manage around half the peoplein the London office, covering engineering, design, dataand community.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 11

Tahmid Chowdhury(US Programme 2012)Anu Damale(UK Summer School 2012)Senior Account ExecutiveM&C SaatchiCo-founderHere for GoodMasters studentScience Research Policy UnitTell us about your personal background Tell us about your backgroundI grew up on a council estate in Dalston together withmy parents, who emigrated from Bangladesh in the1970s. I have four older siblings – all of whom went tostate school, too.My parents emigrated from India just before I was bornand moved to Southall, West London. I attended a localstate school, which looking back, could have been areally negative experience. We were in a rough areaand the school was underfunded. But I have fantasticmemories of school and I think this comes a lot down tomy parents’ positive attitudes.What was your experience as a Sutton Trust student?The US Programme was incredible. It wasn’t just aboutvisiting Yale. It was an inclusive and varied experiencethat opened my eyes to a world beyond East London.Although I didn’t end up studying in the US, I feltstrongly affiliated to the programme and passionateabout its impact on young peoples’ lives. I later internedat the Fulbright Commission, was a team leader fortwo future cohorts and supported an initiative called‘Fulbright 1:1’ that offered UCAS and careers supportto UK-based students.It’s so important that initiatives like the Sutton Trustexist – young people need to be able to make informeddecisions about their future.Do you have any advice for the next generation of SuttonTrust students?One thing I have learnt is that being proactive is key.You have got to put yourself out there and I promise thatpeople prefer this attitude – making the initial move willencourage people to invest in you!SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 12What was your experience as a Sutton Trust student?I remember arriving on campus and thinking ‘yo, physicsis amazing!’ I couldn’t have envisaged anything betterthan five days drowning in physics. The main things Itook away were interpersonal skills and confidence. Wewere treated as adults and this made a huge difference.How has your career developed after the programme?During university I was heavily involved in outreachprogrammes and spent a lot of my time in CountyDurham encouraging kids, especially girls, to studyscience. Since university my love for science hasonly grown, but my work in outreach also sparked myinterest in issues beyond the lab. I currently study atthe Science Policy Research Unit and my specialism isscience technology and security.SUTTON TRUST - STUDENT DESTINATIONS - 13