The 93% Club

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Can a university club for the 93% who attend state schools improve social mobility?

Is a university club, started by Sophie Pender for the 93 per cent of students who attended state schools, helping to level the job opportunities playing field?

Sophie Pender was the first in her family to go to university. Getting into Bristol University to study law seemed like a dream after a tough upbringing. But what she found at university wasn’t quite a fairy tale ending. 

Top universities and elite professions remain disproportionately over-represented by the 7% of students who attend private school. Whilst valid attempts are being made to be more inclusive at some of these institutions, Sophie found that a history of elitism meant that university life was hard to navigate. So she set up the 93% Club and invited others to join her. 

Sophie and the team are building a members’ club to rival some of the most exclusive and expensive clubs in the UK. By using the power of networking they’re trying to challenge the ‘old boys network’ and repurpose it to change society and tackle social immobility.

There are now 93% Clubs across the country, at 36 universities, and Sophie hopes that these clubs can shake the status quo beyond university and into professional life. The clubs offer career advice and support into graduate schemes in areas like law, finance and the Civil Service. They hope that by getting students to network and learn what it takes to get into the top jobs they can create an ecosystem of opportunity for everyone.

In this programme, Sophie goes back to her roots to find out what has changed for state school students today and whether the 93% Club can fight against an unfair society.

Producer: Helen Lennard
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