From today until the deadline at the end of this month, careeers expert Brian Mooneywill guide you through the CAO process, and outline the best possible options for you.
The choices available to tens of thousands of learners, looking to further their education, has never been so broad.
Profile of applicants is changing
In 2007, more than 65,000 applied for a place on courses offered by colleges through the CAO application process.
Some 40,000 of these sat the Leaving Certificate in 2007, but 25,000 other applicants had already spent at least one year exploring other opportunities.
What are the benefits of higher education? Why study at college? What does it add to my employability?
Undergraduate studies at third level allow you to develop beyond the institutionally managed second-level student. Nobody will tell you to pull your socks up any more or straighten your school tie. You will, if you succeed in graduating, have become an independent learner, capable of undertaking complex tasks without adult control. This will greatly enhance your skills.
Will my certificate or degree lead to a good job?
Maybe not, as the vast majority of courses on offer through the CAO are not career-specific, nor are they meant to be. They simply allow you to explore the subject matter you most enjoy in school independently and in much greater depth than is possible at second level. More than 50 per cent of undergraduates proceed directly to a postgraduate programme, which is career-orientated, and aimed at placing the student upon graduation in a specific job.
If not a career choice, what then should guide my CAO choices?
The key to your CAO choice is to ensure that your options reflect your own skills, interests and aptitudes, based on data relating to you, accumulated over your lifetime to date, including:
• The results of your school examinations;
• Results from any aptitude, interest or attainments tests you have taken in the past years;
• Skills or talents that may have manifested through formal training in music, art, sport, etc;
• Interests that have been explored as part of a work experience programme, during Transition Year, in the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, or simply through a part-time job;
• Innate skills or talents that have become evident as you have grown and matured;
• Interests arising from your own research, or from a visit to a particular college or faculty or college open day;
• Ideas arising from your interactions with the guidance and counselling service in your school;
• Life experiences since you have left school and explored other aspects of life.
Exploring the options available to you.
The entire national database of educational options is available at www.qualifax.ie detailing more than 16,000 courses.
If you are considering a CAO application log on to the CAO Courses section of the Qualifax website, enter a search word and you will immediately find a wide range of choices available to you.
Once you have thoroughly researched your options, studied the content of the courses you have explored, examined the entry requirements, the duration of the course, the progression options after successful completion of the programme, you can then draw up a shortlist for exploration in greater depth.
Exploring further the best options for you.
This may involve a visit to the college in question or to its website. It might also involve a phone call or visit to the faculty or department. Take time to discuss the course with a staff member. Colleges are usually very pleased to attend to inquiries from prospective students.
Who is this column aimed at over the next three weeks?
Those currently studying for the Leaving Certificate in June 2008 and those repeating it.
I will also be addressing issues of relevance to those completing post-Leaving Certificate programmes at Fetac level 5; those who received sufficient points for their preferred course, but who failed to meet a specific subject entry requirement in 2007 (such as maths) and are now repeating that subject to secure their place; those who deferred a place offered in August 2007, but who must now submit an application in 2008 to the CAO, listing only the deferred place; those over 23 years of age, who are applying to enter higher education for the first time and those who are considering applying from outside the State, presenting A levels mainly from schools in Northern Ireland.
If I am not at school or college, where can I get help?
If you are considering applying for a place on a course through the CAO, are not currently in school or college and do not have access to a guidance counsellor, you can find details of qualified guidance counsellors, working in private practice, on the Institute of Guidance Counsellors website, www.igc.ie
Adults who belong to specific disadvantaged groups can freely access professional guidance and counselling through the Adult Guidance service, operated by every VEC. Details are available at www.ncge.ie
Advice Podcast:
Listen to the podcast for advice on how to complete the application form, and an overview of teh CAO process at www.ireland.com/education
Tomorrow: Your CAO questions answered.