Despite the fact that colleges were left with an unprecedented number of vacant places after the first round offers were made last week, no offers were made to more than 12,000 students. Vacancies, however, remained on 27 degree and 72 cert/diploma courses.

It's worth noting that the majority of courses at degree level were in the private colleges. Nonetheless, even after the second round offers are made, a considerable number of students will be left without offers, while others will almost certainly be dissatisfied with the courses they have been offered.

If, for whatever reason, you're not taking up a college place in Ireland, it's time to take stock of your options. The situation may look gloomy but look on the bright side; it's possible that with careful thought you may well end up making a far more successful choice. Assuming you wish to continue in education rather than take time out or get a job, you have a number of options. You can decide to repeat your Leaving Cert, look for a third-level place in Britain or Northern Ireland, opt for a place in one of the private colleges or consider doing a PLC here at home.

This year, too, for the first time, you may have the possibility of embarking on an Open University honours degree course at the Bray Institute of Further Education, Co Wicklow.

Repeating

These days, repeating the Leaving Cert is a less popular option than it was a few years ago. Numbers started to drop in 1997. Before that, up to 8,000 students did Leaving Cert repeats annually. Nowadays, the figure has dipped below the 5,000 mark - partly, educators say, because of the increased options available to school leavers.

Making a decision about repeating your Leaving Cert, should not be taken lightly. You need to ask yourself a number of searching questions. If you gave it your all last time, are you really going to increase your points substantially next time? If you feel you didn't do yourself justice this time round, are you prepared to make a far greater effort at the next attempt?

It's worth noting that some people actually perform less well the second time; others get a points' increase only to find that the points required for the course they covet have also increased.

Anyone considering repeating should seek advice from their teachers and guidance counsellors. Many students say they gain from the repeat experience. The extra year gives them time to mature; they acquire new study skills and, as a result, believe they are better fitted to go on to college.

Repeating is a highly competitive business and most repeat colleges interview students to ascertain whether they will benefit from the experience. If you're intending to repeat, you have to decide whether you want to remain at your school or go to one of the repeat colleges, in either the State or the private sector. At the private colleges it can cost almost £3,000 to repeat the year. In the State sector, meanwhile, expect to pay around £280, which includes the exam fee.

PLCs

Post Leaving Certificate courses represent one of our education system's major success stories. They were given a further boost last year, when the third-level maintenance grant system was extended to the PLC sector. There are currently over 1,000 PLC courses on offer in more than 200 centres catering to some 24,000 students.

PLC courses, which are of one, two and three years' duration, are tailored to the jobs' market. The majority lead to NCVA level 2 awards. In some instances, students with NCVA level 2 certificates are able to progress to third-level courses.

An Institute of Technology pilot programme, which allowed a number of students entry via the PLC route, has been mainstreamed this year. Some 2,000 places on selected courses in the ITs have been set aside for students who have successfully completed PLC courses. Some PLC colleges, too, have direct links with third-level colleges in Britain, which have enabled a number of students to study for degrees there.

Traditionally, PLC courses have had a good record on jobs. Even in years when the economy was less buoyant than it is today, it was estimated that 80 per cent of those entering the job market with Leaving Certificate and a vocational qualification found jobs within 12 months.

Private Colleges

If you're determined to embark on a third-level programme and are anxious to remain here at home, it's worth checking out the private colleges. In the early days, the private colleges offered programmes validated by British universities. Increasingly, however, they are offering courses which are validated by the National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA).

The private colleges are feepaying and courses cost around £2,500 annually. While students at these colleges are ineligible to apply for higher education maintenance grants, fees for NCEA validated courses are subject to tax remission at the standard rate. Thanks to the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999, students following NCEA approved courses at private colleges are now in a stronger position than ever before. The new legislation requires bonding for all courses leading to qualifications from State awarding bodies. Up until now, the area was largely self-regulated.

This year, for the first time, three degree courses offered by the Open University will be available on a full-time basis at the Bray Institute of Further Education, Co Wicklow, which is a VEC college. Ideally, students should have passed the Leaving Cert, but they will be admitted to the courses in psychology, social sciences and health and social care following an interview. The college says that it is seeking students who are committed and motivated. Fees for the three year courses start at £1,280 sterling for the first year.

Britain and Northern Ireland

Every year at this time the British colleges advertise thousands of vacant places. The UCAS clearing system has been in operation ever since the A-Level results were published, just over two weeks ago. Places tend to be snapped up quickly, so if you're interested in going across the water to college you need to act quickly. Go through the list of vacant places, which are advertised regularly in London Independent until September 16th, and on the UCAS website www.ucas.ac.uk, decide which courses you are interested in and phone the colleges directly. Find out as much about the courses as you can.

If you have your Leaving Cert results to hand, the course tutor will tell you whether you merit a place. If you're offered a place on a HND course consider it carefully. In many cases students can transfer to degree programmes later. There are up to 15,000 students from the Republic currently studying in the British system, but the number of applications is decreasing, partly due to the introduction of means-tested tuition fees, which this year amount to £1,025. Students taking up third-level places in Britain and Northern Ireland are eligible to apply for third-level maintenance grant in the normal way.