Based on analysis of an administrative dataset, which includes granular detail on 800,000 English students over a 10-year period, this article identifies an urban ‘escalator’ effect in entry to elite universities, with disadvantaged youth in the urban centres of England having higher rates of entry than similarly disadvantaged youth located rurally. Using multilevel modelling, as well as Geographic Information System (GIS) methods, the analyses show that while place in itself is not a major contributory factor in entry to elite universities overall, there is a distinct urban–rural patterning to progression. When raw progression rates by area alone are observed, rural areas typically have higher progression rates to elite universities. However, when the full range of individual differences are accounted for, including attainment, socio-economic status, ethnicity and accessibility to elite universities, the converse is true—localities within and surrounding major urban centres are those with the highest progression rates. A ‘vortex of influences’ is likely to favour urban disadvantaged youth, including the geography of social class and ethnic identities, a legacy of concerted policy interventions within urban areas, as well as the proliferation of widening participation activity in urban centres.

中文翻译：

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精英高等教育参与的地域：城市“自动扶梯”效应

基于对行政数据集的分析，其中包括 10 年期间 800,000 名英国学生的详细信息，本文确定了进入精英大学的城市“自动扶梯”效应，英格兰城市中心的弱势青年的入学率更高进入农村的同样处境不利的青年。采用多层次建模，以及地理信息系统（GIS）方法，该分析显示，虽然地方本身总体上不是进入精英大学的主要促成因素，但存在明显的城乡发展模式。当仅观察按地区划分的原始升学率时，农村地区进入精英大学的升学率通常更高。然而，当考虑到全方位的个体差异时，包括成绩、社会经济地位、种族和进入精英大学的机会，情况正好相反——主要城市中心内和周边地区的升学率最高。“影响漩涡”可能有利于城市弱势青年，包括社会阶层和种族身份的地理、城市地区协同政策干预的遗产以及城市中心参与活动的扩散。