Less well-off students doing better than peers

STUDENTS from disadvantaged backgrounds are doing better at University College Cork than the general student population.

Research among students who received supports under a UCC programme to help those from less well-off homes and communities shows they have outperformed and maintained a higher exam success rate than all other students since 2004.

UCC Plus+ was set up in 1996 to increase the number of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds enrol and graduate from the college.

It involves outreach to young people in disadvantaged schools to increase their aspirations, special admissions routes to help them gain entry to UCC and supports once they begin courses.

The study shows those who participate in the programme are just as likely to complete their course as other students, with more than 450 graduating from UCC and 95% of them graduating with honours, including 15% with first class honours. Despite not all having the same Leaving Certificate points as other students for entry, they have managed to graduate with strong degrees and secure relevant employment.

This shows strong performance in comparison with national figures, as a recent Higher Education Authority (HEA) report showed those with lower Leaving Certificate results were more likely to drop out of college during or before the second year of their degrees.

The Gateway to Success report published yesterday examined the career destinations of students supported by UCC Plus+ who graduated from 2001 to 2008.

Almost three-quarters had gone on to do postgraduate studies and almost 90% of those who are working are employed in areas that require a third-level qualification.

“As a result they now earn a higher-income level, experience greater job satisfaction and have increased chances for promotion than if they had not attended third level,” the report states.

The supports offered to participants of the programme include extra tuition, a financial bursary, one-on-one meetings and ongoing social support.

To qualify, students must be from families with little history of higher education participation, have studied at a second-level school linked to an access programme, come from an under-represented socio-economic group and be from low-income families.