At Calasanctius College, Oranmore, the process of deciding upon a grounded and well-researched Third Level decision, is honed throughout the lifespan of a student’s time. It involves all members of the whole school community, particularly our school guidance counsellors Ms Grace Denny, Ms Donna Curran, Mr Niall Loftus and Ms Deirdre Tobin along with each subject-teacher.
Calasanctius College ensures that the seeds of onward Third-Level progression are sown early, and that students are given every opportunity to fully understand and enhance their innate abilities and aptitudes. Students’ career and professional aspirations are explored and the available progression opportunities open to them are thoroughly researched.
From First Year, students begin a programme of work, specifically targeting Third Level progression and the raising of educational expectations of onward success. This impetus to effectively support students in their transition to Third-Level, continues throughout the remainder of their Junior and Senior Cycle years.
This is achieved with key interventions, supports and academic modules of learning, interwoven into their secondary school experience. As a result, students’ personal development, self-awareness and suitability to varying progression options, are fully explored through a wide range of mediums e.g. programmes of learning, outside speakers, career and college events, work experience opportunities, personal development workshops, psychometric testing and academic testing.
Throughout Senior Cycle, Calasanctius College hosts regular career and college presentations and events, from various universities and colleges faculties. During COVID times, these have all been run online, ensuring our students never miss out.
Past-students are always invited back into school, to share their college and career experiences and relay this valuable information to our current students. In collaboration with our Guidance Counselling Department and active Parents’ Association, an annual Careers Day is organised with the help of volunteers from our school and local community. Such a forum allows our students actively chat to all volunteers about a myriad college and career options.
What you can do as a student? (Parents/guardians may need to encourage )
Research, research, research to ensure you make a well-informed decision. This means fully exploring all courses you have an interest in. It is most important to research specific modules taught, elective modules, Erasmus opportunities, contact hours, methods of course delivery and methods of assessment.
Having plans A, B, C, D is of utmost importance. There is a myriad of ways to pursue course options in all career areas. Therefore, it is always a good idea to have researched other avenues aligned with your area of interest. The points required for courses differ from college to college. Additionally, while commencing on a Level 8 degree may be your preferred option, an alternative perhaps could be commencing at Level 7, 6, or 5, and then gradually progressing into your desired level of qualification. Remember there are many options available in most course areas, and thorough research is essential to formulate a ‘back-up’ plan.
How can you research?
Your school will have provided a large scope of guidance and an array of opportunities for you to explore Third-Level courses and career choices. Active engagement in all of these school guidance activities is essential. Meet with your Guidance Counsellor and talk to your teachers, as they will know you and will understand your capabilities.
Talk to your parents/guardians, friends and family about what you are considering. Chat to people who are studying these courses or who are working in those career areas. All of this will allow you the opportunity to acquire more in-depth knowledge of what is involved, and a thorough grounding in that career area. Knowledge is power. Bíonn fear feasach féinmhúineach.
Which college to choose?
While certain courses are specific to select colleges, the majority are offered within most institutions. Therefore, location is a critical factor and something that should be discussed at home. Different colleges will have differing accommodation options, extra-curricular opportunities, college life experiences, Erasmus and work experience opportunities. Discuss each of these nuances at home, and decide which college is best suited to your aspirations. The financial realities and implications of each option is critically important.
Visiting your desired college to get a feel for the campus and accommodation options, would also be advantageous. Your holistic enjoyment of the college experience, and sense of ease in the physical environment, will have a tremendous bearing on eventual academic success.
How to complete your CAO form?
It is crucially important that you detail your CAO choices in a strategically accurate and correct manner. There is a real art to completing a CAO form correctly. Speaking with your Guidance Counsellors on how best to structure your CAO choices is highly recommended. There is a certain complexity associated with completing the form. The CAO is not one application, but two. A Level 8 list of choices (4-year honours degree ), and a Level 7 list of choices (3-year ordinary-level degree ), need to be placed in a genuine order of preference, and should relate to each other according to interest and career path. The course you most want should be added as first preference, with the course you want least, added as number 10.
There are various pitfalls to making an error on a CAO choice list, e.g. if you select a course high up on your choice list that is purely aspirational, you may be offered this course if the points for the course dropped. Whilst one would expect that you should be delighted to get a choice high up on your list, you may not be, if it was merely placed on the list with limited expectation of receiving it. It is therefore essential that each course on a choice list must be honestly appraised according to your personal interests. CAO will offer you a course as high up on your option lists as they can, dependent on your points and minimum entry requirements.
Additionally, it is important that the Level 7 list reflects course choices of the Level 8 list. A successful completion of a level 7 degree, can lead to direct progression onto a level 8 degree, within the same institution.
Finally, please be mindful that your guidance counsellors, your teachers, your school, your parents/guardians, your family and your friends will always be there to assist you. Remember that there are often multiple pathways into a desired course or career area, not just one. Give yourself as many course options and progression opportunities as possible, to allow yourself a chance of realising your dream.
If you are unsure of what you wish to pursue, speak with someone. There may be another avenue or pathway that you have not considered. Whatever course you eventually choose, remember it is a stepping stone, not a lifetime commitment. There are always twists and turns in life. Lessons come from the journey, not the destination. There will always another opportunity to grow, adapt and change.
All you can do now is research and choose courses based on how you feel at present. Never forget that everything always works out in the end of the day.
Tá leigheas ar chuile rud seachas bás. Go n-éirí go geal libh!
