My sixth-year daughter has been grappling with mental health issues at school and is now approaching her Leaving Cert. She’s uncertain about what she aims to pursue at university, which has me apprehensive. Most of the courses she’s considering needing high CAO scores, which she may struggle to achieve. Could you guide us in the right direction?
A lot of students find themselves in a similar situation – facing their Leaving Cert, making career decisions, and feeling uncertain. However, even if her thoughts about career options are still vague, there’s no need for undue concern. Although the CAO application process begins in early November, she doesn’t have to finalise her course choices until 1st July 2025.
If a particular field or university appeals to your daughter but high CAO scores seem unreachable, there are myriad degree courses available via one-year further education (FE) level-five programmes.
It’s a common misconception that colleges which allocate places through the standard CAO round-one application process don’t also reserve thousands of places annually for these programme graduates. The Leaving Cert results are not pertinent in these cases.
Understandably, you may worry that your daughter won’t achieve high CAO scores. But are there other paths to university?
The latest research has yielded answers on the necessity of homework for students. But do we fully comprehend the impact of the Irish education system on our youth? For example, a posthumous degree has recently been awarded by UCC to a victim of the Tuskar Rock air disaster.
Each year, in early August, over 4,000 offers are extended based on students’ performance in their FE programmes. Several of these FE colleges will be present at Higher Options, providing an excellent opportunity to learn about the CAO courses that link with their FE offerings.
The new National Tertiary Office (nto.ie) additionally presents degree options outside of the CAO process, a benefit to hundreds of students.
Alternatively, European universities employ a contrasting admissions procedure. Entry to various courses demanding over 500 points in Ireland may be accomplished with simply two H5s and four passes. Further details can be found at Eunicas.ie.
The fees for programmes in medical and paramedical fields at universities in Eastern Europe start from around €10,000, while tuition fees at many universities in Western Europe are either minimal or non-existent.
While your daughter might not have yet established definite career choices, constant endeavours have been underway for the previous two years via career discovery activities conducted during her transition and fifth year at school.
University open days and the Higher Options function in the RDS this week serve as excellent avenues for gaining more insight into various courses. They create an opportunity for face-to-face interactions with university personnel, thereby enhancing understanding of the requirements.
Concurrently, the World Skills Expo is being held in the RDS, coinciding with the Higher Options showcase. This presents a valuable chance to scout potential offerings via apprenticeships, both in traditional construction domains and amongst the 70 or more new apprenticeships organised by Solas.