80% of Irish students say they receive most of their information online while just 9% says they get what they want from books, 7% say TV and 2% say radio. Newspapers were not mentioned.

Over 200 students, aged between 12 and 19, from across the island of Ireland were surveyed – a survey commissioned by the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

65% of those surveyed maintain that school today is harder for students with an increased amount of pressure to get an excellent leaving certificate and to secure a place in university.

Surprisingly, 66% of participants said they are not attracted to entrepreneurship or start-ups with the traditional professions still largely endorsed.

Other findings include:
• 52% of students cited the jobs crisis as the main obstacle standing in the way of their chosen career;
• 57% of participants selected medicine, pharmacy or dentistry as their first choice career preference;
• 59% of students maintain that money is the biggest barrier to going on to 3rd level education with 33% of those surveyed citing getting the grades required as an obstacle to attending university;
• 80% of those surveyed selected ‘online’ as the main source they receive their information from above books (9%), television (7%) and radio (2%);
• 66% of participants disclosed that they are not encouraged down a route of entrepreneurship with the traditional professions still largely endorsed;
• 50% of students do not feel part of the community where they live.