College Options Brian MooneyThe last two days have been traumatic for many families following the publication of the Leaving Certificate results.
Guidance counsellors at the helplines have been listening to students, mothers and some fathers, pouring out their anxieties over the fall-out from the receipt of that fateful envelope. These conversations have often been in hushed tones so as not to alert other family members to the fact that support is being sought.
A typical comment from a parent is that the son or daughter is in their room and won't talk about their disappointment. The tension in so many homes, generated it must be said out of love and care, is all too evident.
In many cases, all that the caller requires is an empathic listening ear as the options for the child in question are considered. Practical suggestions are offered by the guidance counsellors to take the caller beyond the disappointing result.
What are some of those options? If the question is one of whether the student's points score is sufficient to get a place in a particular course, the answer is simple, wait until after the CAO offers are made at 6 a.m. next Monday.
Much anxiety will dissipate when the offers are published and a shortlist of suitable courses is secured. If a suitable offer is not secured, the option of reviewing a script or scripts must be decided upon immediately, with the form returned to the school by next Tuesday, August 24th.
The question of whether to review a script should be easy, the only cost being the time commitment to come into the school at the allotted time on either Friday or Saturday, September 3rd or 4th. One other person, who could be a teacher if available, may accompany the student.
Common sense would suggest that students who are five to 10 points short of their target are more likely to be successful than those further adrift.
Approximately 20 per cent of appeals are successful, but if you're not in, you can't win.
Having counted up your marks, if you are within 2-3 per cent of a higher grade then an appeal would seem to be a wise investment of €37, which will be returned if successful.
Where the student has missed a minimum entry requirement or has fallen some way short of a chosen range of course options, the question of whether to repeat or not arises.
Think long and hard about this question. It makes no sense to refuse to consider anything other than a degree when a student can now accept an offer of a Higher National Certificate and then progress on to that same degree having successfully completed that certificate.
If the student has secured the points requirement but is missing one subject from among the entry requirements, then repeating is a serious option.
For many disappointed students who have not secured their desired result, it may be a case of considering other options and moving on.
Fáilte Ireland for example, has places on a number of national certificate and degree-level courses in institutes of technology around the State, all of which are certified by FETAC, the Further Education and Training Awards Council, or HETAC, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, as appropriate.
They have organised a series of walk-in interviews from next Monday in a variety of locations. Interviews are informal and they will be using them not only to fill the available college places, but also to inform school leavers of the range of third-level courses available through Fáilte Ireland and the excellent career opportunities available in the tourism sector.
There are opportunities for students based simply on having sat the Leaving Certificate. Interviews will take place between 9.30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2 p.m.-5 p.m. and locations will be posted on its website, www.failteireland.ie
Further details are available by calling callsave 1850-256-256.
After the CAO initial offers next week, many courses will have vacant places available, which will be advertised through the CAO website, www.cao.ie
It is well worth seriously considering these courses as an alternative route to your preferred career than the one you originally envisaged.
The further education sector is a very dynamic part of the career path for thousands of students every year. There are still many places available. Contact your local PLC colleges for details of courses on which places are still available.
The private sector in education offers options to students through direct application and through vacant places through the CAO to those who can afford to pay fees.
For example, the Irish Times helpline has had many callers seeking places on law degrees, who have secured between 300 and 450 points. Both Portobello College and Griffith College offer law degrees awarded by British universities, which are perfectly suitable for progression in careers in the legal profession in Ireland. The only thing is that they are fee-paying.
Considered in the context of lifetime's earnings, such fees may not seem a particularly heavy burden to carry. Fees are also tax- deductible at the standard rate.
For many students who had their heart set on a particular course, the disappointment of a less than hoped for result could turn their thoughts towards considering progressing their career through immediate employment.
We live in one of the most dynamic economies in Europe. Employers are crying out for young motivated employees who are eager to move up the promotional ladder through hard work and further study on a part-time basis. Many an illustrious career has started in this way, so don't dismiss the direct employment route.
Whatever the cause for disappointment, it is now time to ask the question as to what unexpected opportunities this disappointment now opens up?
It is from that frame of mind that the best careers are built.
Next Monday: a special 14-page CAO supplement.
You can also email Brian Mooney on bmooney@irish-times.ie
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