2: Access to the Elite

It is argued by many that one of the keys to social mobility lies in widening access to institutions, which educate most of the ‘elite’. In England, around 30 of the most highly selective universities are responsible for the higher education of a large proportion of those ending up in the most well-paid and powerful positions. These institutions have historically recruited most of their students from middle- or upper-class backgrounds, and still struggle to create more diverse student bodies. Investments in (so-called) widening participation (WP) have increased significantly, and institutions widely advertise their commitment to diversity. Still, increasing the proportion of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds is progressing incredibly slowly.

This chapter investigates how highly selective universities can best be held to account for their contribution to social mobility. It explores the direction of WP spending and the case for implementing a framework ensuring that institutions seek to achieve value for money. It ranks the progress of the most selective universities, and by investigating the approach taken at the most successful one, the LSE recommends a greater focus on contextualised admissions.