At the entrance gate: students and biographical trajectories in the University of Lisbon

University 'failure' is the starting point of this article, which is based on a case study at the University of Lisbon. The objective is to discuss concepts constructing 'school failure' as a problem in higher education systems, with special attention being given to contemporary debates on 'youth condition' in strongly individualised societies. The study selects first-year students in the University of Lisbon's eight faculties in 2003-2004, to establish a social characterisation of this group by applying an extensive survey to first-year students. A database was constructed and statistical treatment of the information undertaken. This article relates these findings to school failure indicators at the university and its various faculties. As a result, we expect to sketch a social portrait of new University of Lisbon students in 2003-2004 consid- ered as a whole and in their internal diversity, and to illustrate links between their social trajectories and secondary school failure and success indicators.