Many of the main grind schools are performing no better than most "free" secondary schools, according to an analysis of students entering third level published in The Irish Timestoday.
New data shows the largest grind school in the State - the Institute of Education in Dublin - is no longer among the top feeder schools in terms of progression to third level.
Only one grind school - Yeats College, Waterford - is ranked in the top 50. Most of the county-by-county lists published today are topped by "free" second-level schools.
Last night, John White of the ASTI welcomed the findings. "It comes as no surprise to the ASTI that grind schools do no better in exam results than the local school."
Today's list also tracks students going to college in Britain. Schools like St Columba's and Wesley College in Dublin, many of whose students have traditionally gone on to further study abroad, are ranked highly. Schools along the Border are also given credit for students attending higher education in Northern Ireland.
The new list underlines the dominance of fee-paying schools and Gaelscoileanna when it comes to progression to third level in Dublin. Of the top 30 feeder schools in Dublin, only one - Muckcross Park in Donnybrook - is non fee-paying and non-Gaelscoil.
The new data is based on figures compiled by the State Exams Commission which were used by third-level colleges to identify the schools which their undergraduate students went to.
The feeder list also details special needs provision in Dublin schools, which is largely concentrated in poorer areas and non fee-paying schools.
Some of the top schools in the list, including Jesus and Mary in Galway, Coláiste Íosagáin and St Joseph of Cluny in Dublin, are sending virtually all of their Leaving Cert class of 2007 to third level.
John Morris of the Institute of Education on Leeson Street said that the Institute, unlike other schools, operates an open enrolment policy.
He said it is given no credit for the huge numbers of students from fee-paying and other schools that attend its courses.
Last night, the Teachers' Union of Ireland said State funding should be withdrawn from fee-paying schools "operating shameful, segregationist practices".