UP TO 120 DCU students spent a day last week being shadowed by second-level pupils from 15 schools in Finglas, Cabra, Ballymun, Coolock and other parts of north Dublin.

This is the second year of the DCU student shadowing scheme, which gives second-level pupils from families with little background in higher education a taste of university life. "They came in the day before to meet the students they were to team up with," explains DCU's access officer Maeve O'Byrne. "This took a bit of the sting out spending a whole day with a stranger. On the day, they met up with the students and accompanied them around the campus.

"Whatever the student was doing that day - going to lectures, to labs, to the library or the sports hall - the pupil went too. They each had individual experiences depending on what the student was doing." The young students had indicated in advance the courses in which they were interested. "A good number were interested in biotechnology, computer applications and business studies. The DCU students were all volunteers and in only a few cases did we have to double up."

The feedback has been positive, O'Byrne says. "The kids were pleased with the day and guidance counsellors say they were very positive about their experiences."