This study was commissioned by New Era, the programme at University College Dublin (UCD) which promotes and facilitates the entry of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The work is largely conducted in association with thirty-two link schools, designated disadvantaged by the Department of Education and Science. Most of these are located in Dublin, all in the southern and western parts of the county. UCD is also a party to the Direct Application Scheme, established in 2003. This has boosted the numbers of under-represented students entering, although not from the Dublin schools. Notwithstanding development, twenty nine students who had entered under New Era's arrangements or been supported by it, in the academic years 1997/1998 to 2002/2003, withdrew from the university. The study was undertaken to try and establish the reasons for this and to make recommendations.Pre-entry experienceThe communities from which the students come to UCD have social, cultural and economic capital which differs from that of the dominant groups on the campus, so that the campus is under- representative of the wider society. As a result, it is far from being a zone of comfort for many of them. The students also have different educational capital, deposits which are not as resource-rich as the majority on campus, 64% of traditional third level students being reported as having been supported by some form of extra tuition. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds do not have the economic capital for this and the range of other non-formal learning opportunities that their counterparts from more privileged socio-economic backgrounds enjoy. In the Dublin-based schools, in particular, only a minority transfer into higher education. The majority vote with their feet to embark on different journeys. Those under- represented students who do decide to enter university arrive encumbered with some handicaps. The influence of the traditional patterns of transfer in their schools means they have not been orientated towards the kind of teaching and learning approaches that still predominate in universities. In addition, they are likely to arrive without sufficient advance exposure to subjects and courses they have opted for in making application such as higher level Mathematics and certain modern languages. New Era makes a significant contribution towards greater orientation through a range of activities it is developing. The flagship pre-entry event is the Orientation Programme, seven days of activities on campus; attendance at this is obligatory. At UCDWhen students commence their studies, the reality of a changed and charged lifestyle impacts immediately and leaves some unable to accommodate it all. Some young people who, a few months earlier, walked to the local school, now find themselves commuting for up to five hours a day. To this they must often add the need to work to make a contribution to low household. Compounding this is the unexpected encounter with different and all- pervasive social, cultural and economic norms. Academic difficulties confront most students but most have more resources to hand in coping with them. New Era monitors progress and to this end has a practice of inviting students to meet with the Internal Support Officer, following the first semester. The practice would profit from being brought more upfront, and repeated, if possible. Inevitably, some students withdraw. Ultimately, a university is under an obligation imposed by the University Act, 1997, to 'have regard to - the promotion and preservation of equality of opportunity and access.' This indicates that responsibility transcends New Era and is university-wide. Discharging this responsibility requires that a commitment be visible in UCD's strategic statement and that it be embedded in custom and practice throughout the institution.