College Options Yesterday was a day of great joy for most Leaving Certificate students, which filled both themselves and their parents with pride and a sense of achievement.
Guidance counsellors were present in many schools to watch the class of 2004 nervously make their way to the school door, to collect that all important envelope.
Both principals and guidance counsellors had an opportunity to examine the results beforehand, to enable them to anticipate the reaction of students to the news contained in the envelopes, and to offer whatever support or advice is appropriate in the circumstances.
The best advice to offer all involved in this process is to reflect on the results for a day or so, and to seek support if necessary. Such support is available from the principals and guidance counsellors of the students, or from the various helplines operating at this time, which are staffed entirely by qualified guidance counsellors.
From the moment the service went live yesterday morning the phone lines lit up with calls pouring in from concerned students or their parents.
Most callers were seeking information about the implications of a particular Leaving Certificate result, although a small number of distressed callers required counselling support following disappointment from the result received.
This disappointment had many guises: there were those who scored well in excess of 500 points, but did not get enough for what is perceived will be the minimum points required for medical/paramedical courses; there were those who failed a core subject, such as maths, thus excluding them from most third-level courses on offer.
Some good news was offered to that latter group of students with an announcement yesterday from Portobello College, Dublin, that students who have failed maths may enter any of the Higher National Diplomas (two-year course) offered at the college. Students will be required to pass maths in the Leaving Certificate the following year.
Graduates of the Higher National Diplomas programme may enter Year Two of any of the three-year Business Degree programmes in the college.
Portobello is one of five private fee-paying colleges in Dublin. Another issues raised by callers was the question of viewing scripts.
The regulations in this matter were provided to all candidates in the same envelope as the results, so it is unusual that so many callers asked about it.
Numerous other callers were inquiring about the points requirement for particular courses offered through the CAO.
The answer to that question is simple. Nobody knows until after the admissions officers inform the CAO tomorrow how many places to offer on each programme.
One can speculate based on last year's points and the similarity of the pattern of this year's results to those attained last year. But it is just that, speculation.
The admissions officers don't know how many offers will be accepted in the first round. Therefore, the final places to be offered will remain a mystery to all for a few more days.
It is surprising that a significant group of callers had questions regarding the content of a particular course they had applied for, and were now anticipating receiving an offer of such a place on this coming Monday.
I would commend such honesty from students, even if it is a bit late to be exploring what a course involves. Large numbers of students drop out of courses each year because they did not research them properly prior to accepting a place. Better late than never is the appropriate motto in this case.
I would recommend that students use the Qualifax CD either in their old school or at home if they acquired the disk during the year from their guidance counsellor. It contains the entire course content of every programme available through the CAO, as well as at Post Leaving Certificate level.
A number of disappointed callers had failed to meet the minimum entry requirement for nursing, which is now only available at degree level.
Such callers may have taken heart from the news that a number of PLC courses are offered in pre-nursing, for which a small number of places are reserved in the degree programmes.
An expert from the nursing careers centre of An Bord Altranais will be on The Irish Times helpline, on Monday when the CAO offers are made.
Another group of disappointed students were those who had failed to meet the minimum Irish grade for entry to primary teaching.
The message to such students is that you can repeat a single subject in the Leaving Certificate next year to secure a place on a programme, provided you have sufficient points to gain entry.
In highlighting the areas of interest to both students and their parents, I do not wish to paint a picture of gloom.
Most callers were simply seeking clarification and a little reassurance prior to the CAO offers in a few days' time.
Most students were justifiably pleased with the results they received yesterday and look forward in anticipation to what the next few weeks hold for them.
The Irish Times helpline service will be available today, and again next Monday and Tuesday following the CAO offers.
Tomorrow: What to do if you are not pleased with your Leaving Cert results.
• You can also email Brian Mooney on bmooney@irish-times.ie
• Are you happy with your Leaving Certificate results?
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