Secondary School Students Team Up with TCD Undergraduates to Experience College Life

Posted on: 18 February 2011

The annual Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) Shadowing Programme saw over 100 second level students pair up with current TCD undergraduates for two days of hands-on activities designed to help them make informed decisions about their future education. 

The event allows 5th year students from TAP linked schools experience firsthand the physical, academic, cultural and social aspects of student life in TCD.  During the course of the programme the secondary students ‘shadow’ TCD students who are studying courses in which the young pupil is interested in pursuing at third level.  As well as attending lectures, students were brought on tours of the campus, shown the College’s sports facilities and introduced to the range of college societies on offer to students at TCD.  This year the most popular choices among the visiting students were Medicine, Psychology, Nursing and Computer Science.

Students take part in TAP lectures at TCD.

2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the TAP Shadowing programme which has been rated by participating pupils as one of the most beneficial and enlightening programmes offered by TAP.  The Shadowing Programme is just one of a suite of programmes available to students from TAP linked secondary schools designated as disadvantaged.  The programmes aim to give students from socio-economic groups currently underrepresented in the Irish third level education sector a unique opportunity to experience college life and gain a firsthand insight of the College.  The Shadowing Programme is sponsored by NCB Stockbrokers.