Keeping your options open

Keeping your options open


With the Leaving Cert results due to be released tomorrow (Wednesday), the advice on offer is to keep your options open

Anton McNulty

Tomorrow over a thousand Leaving Cert students from around the county will wake up with a nervous feeling in the pit of their stomach as they await their results with a sense of anticipation and fear. Since they entered second-level education, this has been the day they have been working towards and for many it will decide what direction their life will take.
For many waiting to get their results is one of the most excruciating periods in their life as they fret over whether they will get the marks to get the crucial points to put them onto the third-level course of their choice. Once the school principal hands them the results, in a matter of seconds their emotions will turn to either agony or ecstasy as they discover if they will have enough points or fall short of their chosen course.
Every year when the results are released the focus of the media attention is generally on how many people got the magical 600 point mark or what was the pass rate in tricky subjects like maths and science. For every student who leaves their school with broad smiles, there are many more who are left in limbo not knowing if they will have done enough to get a place in college.
It is a frantic time for both parents and students as they wait for the first round of CAO offers to come in the door before deciding what road to go down. For many they feel their whole future hangs around getting the points they need but Tony Deffley, a Career Guidance officer in Davitt College in Castlebar, advises students not to panic and think things through before making their mind up on what to do.
“Everyone is different and everyone’s circumstances are different and that is why it is wise to sit down and talk it through with people [before deciding what to do]. The best thing to do is not get too over excited but to stay calm and size things up carefully and not make rash decisions. You shouldn’t rush to judgement on anything and always talk things over with a parent or a teacher,” he told The Mayo News.
Tony explained that if the CAO forms were filled out in full, students should be expecting some offer even if it is not their first choice. He added that there are a number of other options available to students if they do not get their preferred choice such as completing a Post Leaving Cert (PLC) course which may be a stepping stone in getting to college.
“There are a lot of choices that need to be taken but like all choices in life there are never perfect choices and they all carry an element of risk. There are a wide ranging number of PLC courses which can be found on the FETAC website where students can seek expertise in their area of choice. There is huge competition for places and PLC courses are extremely competitive and it is not true that you will automatically get into college afterwards. With this is mind there is still a strong argument in favour of repeating your Leaving Cert,” he said.
The pressure on students at this time of the year can be often overbearing as they fear being considered a failure if they do not do as well as they feel they should. The Samaritans and other agencies have helplines open for students who find it difficult to deal with the pressure of what to do next.
Edith Geraghty of the Erris No Name Club explained to The Mayo News that through her work with young people she has noticed that there is huge pressure on Leaving Cert students to make the right choices. She said that there is pressure over studying, exams and the thought of paying for College but she stressed that students should realise that the Leaving Cert is not the be all and end all.
“Students are very conscious that a lot hinges on their Leaving Cert and there is huge pressure on them to make the right choices. We emphasise that you have a long life ahead of you to live and you do not know what lies ahead of you. We try to explain to the kids that there are many options out there and we try to advise them to help them achieve what they want. I feel that the education system needs to change a lot more because at the moment it leads to the impression that the Leaving is the be all and end all. All it is is a jumping off point in life and there are a thousand ways of jumping off,” she said.
Edith added that it was important that students who are worried following their results to talk to someone and not keep things to themselves.
“In our No Name Club, we have a committee of ten and the kids all have our numbers. We emphasise to them that if they have a problem they should call us because we will be there to talk and help them,” she said.

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Hotlines open to help students


A NUMBER of helplines have been set up to accommodate students and give information and advice to students receiving their Leaving Certificate results in the coming days.
The National Parents Council Post Primary launched HELPLINE 2010, the annual Exam Helpline which will be open from 8am, tomorrow, Wednesday. The helpline will be staffed by members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and students, parents and teachers alike can call the Exam Helpline for information and advice on all  third level courses, the points system, rechecks, repeats, CAO procedures, apprenticeships and further training.
Students can contact the Exam Helpline on 1800 265 165 and the opening hours of HELPLINE 2010  are from Wednesday, August 18, Thursday, August 19, Monday, August 20 and Tuesday, August 21 from 8am to 6pm.
HeadsUp, Rehab’s mental health promotion project for young people has also set up a text messaging service for students who may be worried about their results. By texting HEADSUP to 50424, students can access contact details and opening hours for a range of helpline and support services.
HeadsUp is also providing a dedicated ‘Leaving Cert Results Corner’ on its website – www.headsup.ie – which offers valuable advice to students on a range of concerns, including how to prepare for receiving results, handling any disappointment, dealing with stress and supporting friends and loved ones, should they need it.
NUI Galway have also launched a first year student hotline. The hotline will be open to the students, their parents and their advisers from Wednesday, August 11 and will run until September 24, 2010. Students, parents and advisers can contact the First Year Student Hotline at 091-493999 or visit www.nuigalway.ie/new-students/.
Anton McNulty

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What to do next?


There are always a number of questions asked by students after they receive their Leaving Cert results and what their next course of action should be. Here are a few guidelines to deal with the most frequently asked questions.

Accepting CAO offers
Once you have been offered a place from either level 8 or level 6/7 lists, you will never be offered a place on any course lower down that particular list. To accept the offered course do so by the reply date set out in the offer notice.

Have points but didn’t get the course
Some students will not get offered a place even though they have exceeded the required points. This can happen because particular courses require grades at certain levels, in particular subjects. If a student has sufficient points but has not achieved a basic entry requirement they can take that subject in next year’s Leaving Certificate.

Re-checking exam papers
All Leaving Cert students who wish to view scripts must return the completed application forms to their schools by August 24 and the closing date for receipt by the State Examinations Commission for Leaving Cert appeals applications is September 8.

Vacant Offers
If you have received no offer there are options open to students. If there are still vacancies on courses, the remaining places will be advertised on the CAO website and updated daily. Anybody can apply for a place, whether or not they have already received or accepted an offer, and in order to be eligible for a vacant place, an applicant must satisfy the minimum entry requirements of the course.

Further Education Courses
There are a number of one-year duration courses which can lead to reserved courses the following year on the CAO. FETAC awards are available through a wide range of providers including Adult Education Centres and to find a FETAC, Further Education or PLC providers in your area go on the FETAC website, www.fetac.ie.

UCAS Clearing System
This is the UK vacant place system which offers a wide range of courses and to apply you need to complete a UCAS application at their website, www.ucas.ac.uk. Applicants should check the entrance requirements and raise any other questions with the relevant college.

Apprenticeships
FÁS offers apprenticeships and traineeship programmes which can last from six to 24 months depending on the occupation and skill required. A list of traineeships and their location is available at www.fas.ie.
Anton McNulty