Preparing for College (Page 3)

It is probably fair to say that you have been preparing for third-level education since your Junior Cert year, but there’s more to know!

In this section we look at all and every aspect of preparing for college. That means we look at Transition Year and Leaving Cert options. We also look at finding the right college and open days. We have a college jargon buster, and we tell you what to expect during Registration Week and Freshers Week. Furthermore, we have advice on finding student accommodation, student services and a lot more to help you get ready for college.

Demand for college places to exceed supply by 2015

Demand for college places to exceed supply by 2015

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  According to the Higher Education Authority’s Chief Executive Tom Boland, this year’s crop of Leaving Certificate students may be the last to avail of the approximate equality between the…
The digital sector – learning to be social

The digital sector – learning to be social

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  So you’ve been caught looking at Twitter feeds, Facebook updates and Pinterest trends on your smartphone in class. This means trouble, right? Actually, no, it doesn’t. Quite the opposite…
Students urged to consider their college choices

Students urged to consider their college choices

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According to the EU Skills Panorama, when it comes to skills imbalance, Ireland ranks joint third out of 26 countries surveyed. Naturally, this is a major cause for concern for…
Lodging/Digs

Lodging/Digs

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  This form of accommodation encompasses a number of different living arrangements. These include a self-catering arrangement with a rented room in the landlord’s house, or living ‘in digs’ with…
Student Housing

Student Housing

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  Student dedicated accommodation, or student villages, comprise of apartments or housing available to students only. These residences can be on- or off-campus and are run by the college or…
Private Renting

Private Renting

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  Renting private accommodation can be the most risky of the accommodation options, as well as the most attractive to students craving independence and responsibility. Students looking at possible flats…
Accommodation

Accommodation

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Securing affordable and comfortable accommodation is a vital aspect of preparing for college life. If the location of your intended college makes living at home impossible, then you should start…
Why Further Education?

Why Further Education?

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  Further Education Colleges, or PLC Colleges as they used to be known, are a relatively new concept in Ireland, emerging from the traditional post leaving courses in existence for…
Learning at third level

Learning at third level

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  The transition from school to college is rather like one of those nature documentaries where an orphaned and bewildered bear or monkey is released from the care of doting…
Learning on the Job

Learning on the Job

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  The stereotype of the college student, cocooned within the comforting sanctuary of higher education and divorced from the hardships of ‘real’ working life, could not be further from the…
College Jargon Buster

College Jargon Buster

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  When you begin college you’ll hear a lot of terms and phrases thrown around. People will think you’re strange, simple or slow if you tell them you’re already wearing…
Freshers Week

Freshers Week

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  Freshers’ week is supposedly there to ease you tenderly into the swing of college life, but it often descends into an orgy of lost wallets, dinners and innocence. Drinking…
Registration Week

Registration Week

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  Going to the Registration (or Orientation) Week at your college is the best way of ensuring that you’ll find out all the ins and outs that you need to…
College Financial Assistance & Support

College Financial Assistance & Support

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  Entering college is a scary and complicated step for anyone; and if you’ve got a disability this adds to the daunting world of third level education. We’re here to…
Going To College

Going To College

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  Going to college can be a life-altering experience and in recent years it has become increasingly more common for school-leavers to go on to college or university. As your…
Transition Year

Transition Year

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  Not everyone decides to go straight onto the Leaving Cert following the completion of the Junior Cert. Some students feel like they need a gap between going from one…
Leaving Cert Options

Leaving Cert Options

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  Choosing which subjects to study for the Leaving Cert can be difficult for students and they will need as much support as possible when making their decisions. Most students…
CAO Application Process

CAO Application Process

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When applying for entry onto a third-level course at any of the universities, colleges or ITs students need to do it through the CAO. Applicants can apply on either a…
Going To College – Student Services

Going To College – Student Services

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  Moving away from home for the first time can be a daunting prospect for any student but often it is their parents who find it more frightening! It is…