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Worried about which University course to choose? A guide for students and parents

If you’re not yet sure which third-level college is going to suit you, why not hear what students and staff at the University of Galway have to say as they give the low-down on what it’s like to study here

When we asked our students how they felt about starting at the University of Galway last September, three words came up again and again: excited, nervous and anxious. Our students told us they were looking forward to making new friends, studying subjects they’re passionate about as well as having the opportunity to live in Galway City, but that excitement came with understandable nerves as they began a new chapter in their lives.

We know how daunting starting college can be for students and parents at the best of times. Add to that the pressure of the Leaving Cert and CAO points alongside an overwhelming range of courses and subjects and filling in the CAO application form becomes even more complex. In advance of our Open Day on March 25th, some of our staff and students have provided some tips to help Leaving Cert students (and their parents) as they decide on the next steps in their educational journey.

How will I know if I am making the right course choices in my CAO application?

“The open day definitely helped; it was great to see the whole campus. I remember attending a talk in the health sciences building and several lecturers spoke about the different courses offered such as Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatric Medicine and Nursing. I can still picture where I was sitting and took in a lot more information from the talks than I would have from just reading about the courses online. It was nice when I stated in college because the campus was familiar, and I knew some of the lecturers faces from the open day which was really nice.”

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Eabha Joyce, Year 4 Speech and Language Therapy Student (former student of Tullamore College, Co. Offaly)

Who do I turn to if I need help in making decision?

“Remember that your school Guidance Counsellor will be a wealth of independent, student-centred information and advice. University websites will also provide details of the programme director or point of contact for each undergraduate course and prospective students are welcome to reach out by phone or email to ask questions. Overall there is great support to be found in universities through programme directors, school liaison teams, admissions offices and access centres to help demystify third level education and allay any concerns. So don’t be afraid to ask!”

Caroline Duggan, Undergraduate Recruitment Officer

How can I make friends and settle into university life?

“The first week (orientation week) of college was an absolutely excellent way of making friends. The university set up an amazing week of activities to attend. To be truthful, I signed up for as many societies as I could, and did not attend a lot of them, but had the option to. I would really recommend people to join the Trad Society if they play an instrument as you come together once a week to play with peers. I only started going to the sessions in 4th year of college, and I feel I really missed out. I signed up for some sports teams also, and went to a couple of GAA trainings, which is also a fabulous way to meet other students with similar interests.”

Eabha Joyce, Year 4 Speech and Language Therapy Student (former student of Tullamore College, Co. Offaly)

What I can expect from my first few weeks on campus?

“We know that there is a lot to get used to when starting university so your journey with University of Galway will start before you even arrive on campus as we have an online module, “Tús Maith” to introduce you to university life which almost 100% of the students rated as really helpful last year.

The first few weeks on campus include a formal orientation where you meet our staff and Students’ Union, and as well as ensuring that you understand the academic requirements of your course, you can participate in workshops on a range of topics including Active Consent and university IT systems. You can also take campus tours as well as a variety of other walks including our biodiversity trail, nature and health walk and even a dusk bat walk to find the families of bats we share the campus with! Our Fresher’s Fest in the first week will give you multiple opportunities to make friends with activities to suit all personalities and interests including silent discos, sports events, speed friending, comedy bingo, yoga and much more!”

Josephine Walsh, Head of Student Engagement Projects

What are the accommodation options in Galway?

“We have an additional 674 bed facility opening this year with our new student residence; Dunlin Village. This will bring the number of beds available on campus to over 1,800 and the additional supply will take some of the heat out of the student accommodation market in Galway in September. The booking for on-campus accommodation for 2023 is now closed and the waitlist will open shortly. There are an additional eight off-campus, independent student residences offering accommodation to our students, some of which are still accepting applications for this September. Our advice is to start the research early and don’t hesitate to contact us in the Accommodation Advisory Service if you need support (accommodation@universityofgalway.ie).”

Shane Callinan, Accommodation Advisory Service

What will I get from an open day?

“Nothing compares to stepping onto a campus to inspire students on the possibilities of third level education. Open Days give students an opportunity to explore more thoroughly career, course and subject options. More importantly, visitors can get a sense of the more holistic student experience by exploring the campus and facilities, and meeting face-to-face the professors and lecturers who teach on courses and hearing about the experiences of current students.”

Sarah Geraghty, Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach

Why should I choose University of Galway?

“University of Galway is one of the largest and oldest universities in Ireland. We offer over 60 world-class undergraduate degree courses covering Business, Law, Science, Engineering, Arts, Humanities, Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. As well as holding an excellent internationally recognised degree, you will benefit from the university’s strong links with research networks, business and industry both in Ireland and globally. An exciting part of many courses is the opportunity to study abroad. The Erasmus programme runs within Europe, and the Study Abroad programme operates further afield, extending as far as USA, Canada, China, Australia and Hong Kong. In addition 80% of our courses now offer a work placement opportunity so our graduates are workplace ready with a global focus.”

Caroline Duggan, Undergraduate Recruitment Officer

Galway’s the Place to be inspired. Visit University of Galway’s riverside campus in the heart of Galway City for Open Day on Saturday, March 25th. There you can meet lecturers, current students, tour the facilities and attend some of the over 100 talks scheduled covering topics such as courses, subjects, careers and student support.

Visit https://universityofgalway.ie/opendays/ to register and find out more