Going to college 2013 Welcome 6 th Years and Parents Presentation Secondary School Thurles Mr. Niall Murphy (Guidance Counsellor)

Going to college 2013

Welcome 6th Years and Parents

Presentation Secondary School Thurles

Mr. Niall Murphy (Guidance Counsellor)


1. Assess yourself, who you are…..• Likes/dislikes/What I’m good at– School Subjects– Interest profiler– My skills: people, task, personal– Experiences e.g. sport, transition year, hobbies,

achievements• Ask the opinion of those who know you well– E.g. Parents/Guardians,

Brothers/Sisters/Relations/Friends,– Teachers, Guidance Counsellor


2. Which course(s) ?• Content: what will I be studying?• Broad (eg business) or narrow (eg accounting)• Continuous assessment (takes pressure off final exams)• Length of course: 1 ,2, 3 or 4 years• Class size: big or small• College and Subject entry requirements• Student experiences….facebook, twitter etc• Course reputation• Work placement/experience/study abroad• Make a note of the advantages/disadvantages of each

course

Types of course & entry requirements

NFQLevel

Qualificationobtained

Course Duration

Entry requirements College Type

Apply to

5 FETAC Cert

1 year 5 passes LCE, LCA with distinctions, interview, some subject entry requirements.

PLC College Direct to PLC College

6 Higher Cert

2 years 5 OD3 LCE, FETAC Cert, college/course subject entry requirements, CAO points

Institute of Technology

CAO

7 Ordinary Degree

3 years 5 OD3 LCE, FETAC Cert, Higher Cert, college/course subject entry requirements, CAO points

Institute of Technology

CAO

8 Honours Degree

3 or 4 years

2 HC3 & 4OD3 OR FETAC Cert, Ordinary Degree college/courses subject entry requirements, CAO points

Institute of Technology or University

CAO


3. Which college?• Facilities eg library• Accommodation on/off campus?• Transport to/from college/home• Sports, clubs, societies• Disability supports• Local or away from home• Scholarships• Social life• City or large town? • Costs??


4. College Application

• Vast majority go to University/Institute (=CAO)– Most Leaving Certs have started their application

• Some do PLC course (= FETAC) e.g. 10%• You can apply to both to give yourself every

choice come August 2013


4. PLC/FETAC courses• 1 year courses • Done after Leaving Cert• Can be used :

– To train for a job e.g. hairdressing– As a stepping stone for a cao course e.g. art portfolio course for cao

art course• Academic requirements: usually 5 passes in Leaving Cert, some

specific subject requirements• Apply direct to the FE college, can apply to many• Apply by end Jan• Attend open days• Examples include: Thurles VEC, St Sheelans, Limerick CFE,

Waterford CFE, Ormonde College Kilkenny, Portlaoise College, Cork College of Commerce



4. CAO Application

• Cao administers the University and Institute of Technology application system

• It is your responsibility to read the cao handbook

• They are strict about deadlines • Apply online/on-time is cheapest and safest

New CAO App (all smart phones)• “mapping your future”presentation• Important dates inc calendar reminders• How to apply• Application checklist• Points calculator• Points• College names/contact details• Fees• How to communicate with CAO



4. CAO Timetable

• From Nov 2012 start application• Nov 2012– 1st July 2013 decide courses &

preferences• 1st Feb 2013 enter all restricted entry courses

e.g. medicine, art, music, drama• 1st Feb 2013 HEAR/DARE application started• Feb/Mar/Apr 2012 HPAT, auditions, portfolios,• 1st Feb- 1st May 2012: view CAO application only• 1st May- 1st July 2012: CAO ‘change of mind’

5. CAO: Genuine Order of Preference

• The courses in GENUINE ORDER OF PREFERENCE!!!…………….This means your favourite first, your second favourite second and so on…

• Your course list should be based on your interests and a realistic chance of getting an offer based on your expected results



6. CAO August 2013 Offer & acceptance of places/rounds

• “You will be offered a place in the highest of your course preferences to which you are entitled (if any)”

• “You are automatically excluded from all lower preferences”

• “Even if you have accepted your first offer you may subsequently be offered and accept a higher preference, if it becomes available”

• Rounds 0, 1, 2…………Vacant places• Some examples……………………

Special Access Routes: HEAR and DARE

• HEAR : Higher Education Access Route– Students from socio-economic disadvantaged background– Income, medical card, social welfare, under-represented

group, DEIS school, disadvantaged area• DARE: Disability Access Route to Education– Students with disabilities/learning difficulties– E.g. Dyslexia, significant ongoing illness, physical disability,

mental illness• Enter course on reduced points, must meet minimum

entry requirements• Apply via your CAO Application


Scholarships

• Can be based on – Academic performance e.g. entrance awards– Academic performance (but has had social or economic

disadvantages) plus economic/social assessment and interview e.g. Ciaran Patak (Pharmacy RCSI), Irish Tax Institute

– Sports performance (e.g. county/national/international)• How to apply …..direct to awarding body/college• When to apply– Some before LC, some after you start college

• Refer to College websites and Guidance Counsellor



Some general advice……

• The quality of your degree (e.g. 1st class honours) is more important than the name of the college

• If you are not sure about career broad-based degrees are better than more specialised ones e.g. do business now and specialise in accounting later

• Many students are choosing broad degrees first and following it with a specialised post graduate course

Accommodation• On campus is recommended for first years• There are a range of other types eg House-sharing,

part-board, customised off campus etc• Some can be pre-booked, with a part-refundable

deposit eg UCC• Some start booking in Dec 2012 eg Mary I• Others cannot be booked until after you are offered a

place in college eg TCD (Aug 2013)• UCD you can make a provisional booking from early

May 2012


Accommodation things to watch out for…..

• Cost?• Are bills included in the rent?• Nearness to college?• Public transport nearby?• Location in safe area?• General standard, facilities, utilities etc• Broadband• Get advice from friends, relations etc• Contact college accommodation office for all

types….they are generally v helpful and informative


Cost of going to college per year?• Discuss with your parents – Costs e.g. 7-10 thousand euros per year– Grants/Scholarships?– Bank/Credit Union Loan?

• Include– Accommodation– Transport– Food– Clothes– Books– Day to day expenses……..Social life?– Course trips– Registration fees 2750 euros


Student Maintenance Grants

• Means tested and different levels of grant• Citizensinformation.ie• SUSI………………Studentfinance.ie – City of Dublin VEC administer SUSI for the whole

country for new applications– Lot of documentation, evidence of income etc to

be gathered….start now!– Late applications may be = getting grant late!– Application starts June 2013 (tbc)


Jobs and Careers

• Doing a third level qualification gives you a major advantage: you learn many personal skills such as organisation, problem solving, independent thinking, analytical skills etc

• Broad is better than job-specific, gives you more choice later e.g. arts, business, science, technology, engineering


FAS/ESRI Job Trends Forecast 2015

• Growth areas– Science , engineering, food and information and

communications technology– Business services e.g. IT, Accountancy, Legal,

Advertising, Insurance, Technical sales etc– Consumer services: e.g. hairdressing, beauty

therapy, security etc– Managerial/professional ( excluding healthcare &

education)


FAS/ESRI Job Trends Forecast 2015

• Decline– Agriculture– Skilled manual work eg construction– Clerical– Some Retail sales



In conclusion………

• Do your research:– On yourself– On courses– On colleges– On careers

• Consult with parents, teachers etc• Be 90% sure of your courses before 1st Feb 2012.

Make minor changes, if any by 1st July 2012• GENUINE ORDER OF PREFERENCE !!!!!!

Documents

Going to college 2013 Welcome 6 th Years and Parents Presentation Secondary School Thurles Mr. Niall Murphy (Guidance Counsellor)