We've teamed up with IT Sligo to bring you these helpful tips.
Picking a college course has never been trickier than it is in 2020.
Nowadays prospective students are blessed with a smorgasbord of different pathways. So much so, that it can be quite difficult to actually decide which is the one is "the one" for you. That's why we've teamed up with IT Sligo, to try and make your tough task just a little easier.
IT Sligo are absolute professionals when it comes to helping students find their perfect match and of course everything else that comes thereafter. In fact, The Times University Guide recently published that IT Sligo has the smallest class sizes in all of Ireland and spends more per on facilities and on students, than UCD, UCC, UL and NUIG - good to know.
You can check it out for yourself at the IT Sligo CAO Information event on 14th January, from 5pm – 8.30pm, where you can get some one-on-one advice on all things from course choice to SUSI grant application.
Plus, it's the perfect chance to see the facilities and meet current students and speak to accommodation providers.
Now time for the tips:
1. Aim high, but be realistic.
Don’t get caught up in the points race and assume that the course with the highest points is the best choice in that field.
Points are often based on the demand for the course, but this doesn’t mean that a similar course in another institution won’t give you the same breath of knowledge and opportunities to excel within that area.
2. Leave no stone un-turned.
This is a major life decision, one that may well pave the way for your entire future...so due the research.
Read the prospectus, study the website, understand what the course entails. Study every aspect of the programme. Read the description of the modules. Research course content over the duration of the degree, looking at the modules covered in each course and identifying the ones which are more interesting or relevant to your career aspiration.
People sometimes leave a course because they didn’t do sufficient research on the course content.
So don't make that mistake!
3. Follow your heart.
Follow your heart... It has to be your choice, not based on other people’s dreams or on labour market trends.
Ask yourself: what are your favourite subjects, hobbies and interests? What would you love to know more about? Once you have identified a shortlist of 10 courses that are right for you, construct a table next to each course and write down the Leaving Cert entry criteria to see if you have the necessary requirements.
4. Use the assets at your disposal.
Speak to your school career guidance counsellor or the staff at the IT Sligo open day about your possible choices.
They will help you sift through all the options out there, point out any pitfalls and encourage you to go for it.
5. Decide how to study your chosen course.
Is moving out of home an option for you? Can you commute? Will you be living on campus?
Perhaps studying full time doesn't suit you best, luckily there are a number of different ways to study, including: accelerated degrees, part-time study, distance learning, and degree apprenticeships.
We're truly lucky to live in a time where we can mold our study to suit our lifestyles.
You can find out more about IT Sligo's open day here.
