Less well-off now more likely to attend college - ESRI

A study by the Government’s Economic and Social Research Institute has reportedly found that less well-off students are much more likely to go to college than they were five years ago.

Reports this morning said the study found that more than 48% of Leaving Cert students whose parents are semi-skilled or unskilled manual workers proceed to college, compared to 23% five years ago.

The ESRI research found that 55% of school leavers proceed to college at present, compared to 44% in 1998.

The highest rates of college participation were found to be among the children of higher professionals and farmers, with 89% from these backgrounds attending third-level institutions.