“I got five out of five university offers” – Ellie’s journey with The Access Project

Students and young people are at the heart of everything we do at The Access Project. Today, we’re spotlighting Ellie – a recent graduate from our A level programme who is ready to take her next steps at university.

Ellie is one of 230 students enrolled on our programme who placed at a top university this year.

Ellie, who lives in the West Midlands, joined The Access Project for extra help with her geography studies. “I wanted to improve my grades in geography and get some support on my academic journey”, Ellie said.

“Over the past year, my University Access Officer has always been there for me when I felt like I was struggling emotionally”, she said. “She made sure I was taking care of my mental health and balancing my school days, which helped me find coping mechanisms for when I’m feeling stressed”.

Studying on our programme, Ellie received weekly one-to-one tuition in geography and regular workshops from her University Access Officer – our dedicated mentors working in schools. Our mentors provide more than just academic help. They equip our young people with the skills they need to succeed and thrive at university and later in life, delivering workshops on topics such as interview skills and finance.

Ellie found the support of her mentor to be paramount in her education journey.

“My Officer also helped me with my UCAS application and personal statement. She listened to my experiences and helped me make my application more personal”, Ellie said.

And her hard work paid off. She got five out of five offers back from UCAS, meaning she had her choice of university in September.

University is one of the most effective ways to achieve social mobility, with young people who attend university four times more likely to become high earners. But for students like Ellie, university isn’t a done deal. Under-resourced young people are three times less likely to attend university compared to their more advantaged peers.

Our programme increases students’ chances of placing at university by 50%.

On results day, Ellie smashed her target grades and got a place at the University of Birmingham to study geography, her first choice course and uni.

After university, Ellie has dreams to pass on her love of geography to the next generation. “In the future, I’d love to become a geography teacher, and hopefully get my master’s in geography”, she said.

“The Access Project has helped me in many ways”, she said. “I’m thankful I got the opportunity to be part of The Access Project”.

The Access Project helps young people from under-resourced backgrounds achieve their academic potential and place at top universities. By donating to our programme or volunteering with us, you’re helping the country’s most under-resourced young people find their way to a brighter future.