Stephen McKeon, a student entrepreneur at the University of Limerick, developed CourseCompass, a psychometric testing platform aimed at lowering college dropout rates by helping students make better course decisions. The concept emerged from his observations while still in school, where he noticed students dropping out of college in large numbers, often without clear direction, while guidance counselors faced growing volumes of CAO applications without scalable tools.
The platform integrates psychometric assessments with resources for students and counselors, including course recommendations, apprenticeship guidance, and subject-selection tools for younger learners. Additional features encompass accommodation guides for Irish universities, career profiles with automation risk assessments, and eligibility tools for schemes like SUSI, HEAR, and DARE. Counselors can track student progress in real time, allocate tests, and intervene when students flag difficulties.
The pricing model ensures accessibility. Students access resources and eligibility guides for free, paying only for psychometric testing or premium features. Schools receive the full suite through the book grant scheme, covering costs for all students once enrolled.
McKeon’s entrepreneurial journey began early. At 15, he worked at McDonald’s, where he created training videos that impressed corporate leadership and were later viewed by nearly 190,000 employees across the UK and Ireland since January 2023. By 17, he won McDonald’s Ireland Digital Guru Employee of the Year, and at 18, he delivered a keynote at the company’s 50th anniversary conference in Glasgow, addressing over 3,500 attendees.
His corporate experience influenced CourseCompass’s development. “My drive to work for myself has pushed me equally as much as I have wanted to solve problems,” he says. “I know what it is like to work under other people, so I have found it a huge breath of fresh air working for myself.”
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The startup operates without external investment, relying on grant funding. In 2026, McKeon received the University of Limerick Student Entrepreneur of the Year award, including a €5,000 prize. While Ireland’s startup ecosystem is supportive, Limerick’s local network is smaller, with the Local Enterprise Office providing key assistance.
The platform’s responsiveness has driven its growth. After feedback on university housing challenges, the team developed accommodation guides for every Irish campus, addressing application deadlines and rental costs. This followed reports of first-year students arriving without secure lodging.
Adaptability extends to career tools. The Career Investigations series, covering over 60 professions, now includes automation risk assessments after counselors requested data to aid student decision-making. An AI-powered CV builder was introduced following school requests for application support.
For counselors, CourseCompass streamlines tasks by enabling test allocation, progress monitoring, and alerts for student uncertainty. Schools benefit from the book grant scheme integration, which covers all tools at no extra cost. This model has made the platform particularly appealing to smaller institutions, where budget constraints often limit specialized guidance.
The core tests—Course Compass, Apprenticeship Compass, and PLC Compass—are designed for both students and schools. Younger students can use a Subject Interest Test to guide their Leaving Certificate choices, with each tool paired with resources to reduce uncertainty at critical decision points.
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