MD20 for university entry

[Hattysbackpack]

Currently we live in a postcode that is classed as most deprived 20% according to the SIMD map. As with most towns in Scotland, our town has "desirable areas" and areas of deprivation side by side, and the way streets are grouped on the SIMD map has given us a rating that doesn't reflect our circumstances.

We are considering moving or extending but we would probably lose the MD20 status if we moved, so just trying to understand how much of an asset it would be in university admission. Our children are primary age but supposing in the future they wanted to apply for a highly competitive course like medicine or law. I know they would currently qualify for an adjusted offer, but it is more the likelihood of getting an offer rather than the grades that I'm thinking about. Eg the news story last year about no Scottish students admitted to Edinburgh law degree unless they were MD20/40. Is this sort of thing widespread?

At the moment, it does seem to be a help. That being said, if your children are primary aged, a lot can change between now and then.

That is why I think the whole MD20 thing it ridiculous - by the Scottish Government’s own admission the majority of deprived students do not live in deprived areas. It is as much a measure of housing density. If you are poor in a rural area you will have access to far less opportunities than those in cities due to lack of transport, libraries, university school outreach etc but your postcode will be large and cover multimillion pound farms and large country houses so your deprivation will be ignored.

At the moment it could make quite a difference to your application. Universities have targets to reach and some (eg Aberdeen) struggle to reach those targets as most of the qualifying postcodes are in the central belt and poorer students are much less likely to travel. So for some courses they are falling over themselves to get candidates who tick the ‘deprived’ box.

Thanks, yes @KielderWater I agree the SIMD thing is utterly ridiculous but it does seem to be the case that it would give my children a big advantage that they may or may not need, depending on what course they want to do.

@Eastcoastie it could all change, this is true, but my eldest will be doing the UCAS application in 7 years time, so it also doesn't seem all that far away.

A friend of mine lives in a massive, beautiful house right next to a really deprived area so qualifies. Some universities put on training specifically for students living in these postcodes on how to apply, and they got in on lower grades. It was a massive leg up for her kids. She admits they didn’t deserve it, but of course took as that was on offer.

This is basically the position we are in although we don't have a massive or beautiful house, just an ordinary good sized semi. However there is a street in our little SIMD neighborhood with beautiful Victorian detached and semi detached houses, one of which sold for 450k recently. Still counts as MD20.

I honestly wouldn't base your housing choices now on this if you're 7 years away from uni applications.
Anything could happen in that time.
I'd go for the housing that suits you best.

A lot of deprived areas have had big new build estates over the last few years and the universities may well get wise to the areas where half the postcode live in houses upwards of 300k! You could find in 7 years they've added in other more sensitive deprivation indicators as well as postcode.

The Edinburgh law thing is not common and I suspect caused by guaranteeing offers for certain applicants but not forseeing exam disruption.

My 2 who went to UofG and EdUni say that the Scottish students are generally Jordanhill, Bearsden, EastRen and the other city equivalents ie the top of the league table schools.

If you want to game it hang off as you are right it changes (my 3 were eligible but now aren't). I

Just to give balance my DD knows 3 people who got widening access offers -for her course - one care leaver, one with several close family members in prison and one from a school where As at Higher are extremely thin on the ground. Completely deserving not gaming the system.

Children living in wealthy families can be neglected too or have ASN that mean they struggled at their high achieving school, or were bullied throughout. None of which would be widening access. Or they could have a succession of supply teachers or a hopeless one, or suffer long term ill health.

I think the widening access criteria are much too crude. The whole thing is a bit of a game so just make the best of your own situation.

Agree postcode quite crude but most unis include other groups including carers, care experienced, estranged. Plus other ways of levelling the playing field with adjustments for exams. I presume schools highlight staffing problems and special circumstances in their references.

The datazones that portray the SIMD are currently being redrawn prior to the release of the next SIMD so I would be aware of that.