Less than 8% of Leaving Cert students from poorer secondary schools are attaining places in high-point courses at third-level institutions.
High-point courses make up the courses in seven universities across the country including; teacher-training colleges, the Royal College of Surgeons, and DIT. These courses tend to have higher points requirements.
The Irish Times reports that schools in Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Longford, Wexford, Louth, and Sligo failed to send more than 10% of their students to higher-points courses in 2017, while some schools in Dublin North Dublin have sent fewer than 8% of their students to higher-point courses and several schools in Waterford and Wexford failed to send any students.
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Students from more affluent schools progress to college at a far greater rate.
16 of the top 20 schools that send the majority of their students to higher-points courses, 16 are fee-paying private schools. Many schools from more affluent areas, such as South Dublin have a nearly 100% progression rate where every student who sat the leaving with them progressed to a high points course.
