social engineering

[stuffthenonsense]

Hi, i have read a small amount, and heard bits and pieces on the news about social engineering for university applicants.

Does anyone know how this works? I am really very worried! My eldest daughter has worked so very very hard over the last 6 years to get great exam results so she can hopefully train to be a doctor, she spends every spare minute studying/revising/doing work experience to boost her chances, and now she is feeling disheartened and worried that she wont get a place because of our postcode!
Is it likely that she wont get a place? How do they determine what factors are social? For example, i am the non-earning spouse of her step father, was a single mum for a while following a divorce from a violent ex. I never had a universiy education myself as my mother thought it wasnt for the likes of us.
I have spent my daughters whole life trying to encourage her that her hard work is the only thing standing between her and her dreams and now i am very anxious that that lifelong advice is a load of rubbish! Where on earth do we go from here?

Is this the article that you're referring to? It sounds like utter bollocks to me. My nephew is just in the process of applying to study medicine, he should have zero chance of getting in under 'social engineering' rules on the grounds his dad is an Islington estate agent

Does she know how many people from her school who applied for medicine last year were successful? I really don't think you should worry about it, it sounds like you're encouraging her in all the right ways - thank goodness you don't have your mother's attitude to higher education!

Yes, thats the one! I really shouldnt read that paper i know, but it really worried me. Is your nephew aiming for 2012 entry? My daughter is going for 2013, i really hope this is all crap and that merit is the thing that is taken into account. Good luck to your nephew.

He's going for 2013 as well, so they will have to have a scrap over the one place that will be assigned in the whole country to middle class children, if the Mail is to be believed (and I am not sure I think the Mail is ever to be believed!)

I will check with his mum to see what support she's aware of for prospective students, but I have colleagues who work in the local Deanery who would be having kittens if they thought anyone was being put off applying for medical school because they might not get in on merit. I'm sure if she can have a chat with an admissions bod her mind will be put at rest, I'm just not quite sure how she accesses that support. I'm sure the school would know?

Good luck to your daughter too!

Thanks tribpot, maybe they will end up in med school together....i will get her to chat to someone at school.

Could be, stuffthenonsense! My dnephew has Leeds (both where I went to uni and where I now live) at the top of his list, I look forward to countless years of providing food, support and transportation for him!