Figures show Tipperary students prefer to stay close to home when it comes to college

Not surprisingly, universities and third level institutions close to home were the top choices for Tipperary students going on for further study, according to the list of top feeder schools released in this Tuesday's Irish Times.

Among the most chosen colleges were University of Limerick, University College Cork, Mary Immaculate College, the Technological College of the Shannon and the Technological College of the South East.

Two Tipperary schools made the top 50 schools list for the highest progression to third level - the Ursuline Convent, Thurles in thirty-second place, and Rockwell College, Cashel, at number 37 on the list, which means no Tipperary school was in the top 30 list for top progression schools to either universities or technological colleges.

However, when it came to the list for most improved schools between 2017 and 2023, four Tipperary schools made the grade - Coláste Dún Iascaigh, Cahir; Patrician Presentation Secondary School, Fethard; Central Technical Institute, Clonmel, and the Ursuline Convent, Thurles.

The top girls' feeder school was the Ursuline Convent, Thurles, with the Abbey School in Tipperary Town being the top boys' feeder school.

The top mixed feeder school was Rockwell College, which was also the fee paying school.

The Ursuline Convent, Thurles, was the top non-fee paying feeder school.