Children from poorer families face double hit at third level [Independent.ie]
- Published: 09 April 2011
CHILDREN from less well-off backgrounds suffer a double disadvantage when it comes to getting a third-level education.
It is well-known that fewer go to college. Now it emerges that even when they do get there, they are much older than the typical 18-year-old entrant.
The Leaving Certificate is the accepted passport to third-level education for students from the country's higher socio-economic groups.
More than 70pc of college students from professional families get into their degree course on the basis of their Leaving Certificate, according to new figures.
But children from lower socio-economic groups do not enjoy the same seamless school-to-college transition.
Only 55pc of students from an 'unskilled manual' socio-economic background progressed to college after the Leaving Certificate.
Not surprisingly, the situation is reversed in the breakdown for mature college entrants -- those who are over 23-years-old.
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