STUDENTS and parents seeking comfort in this worrying season of college applications should consider the little known educational acronym AQA. It puts worries about getting into college in context.
AQA stands for All Qualified Applicants and it appeared 27 times in the CAO list of the minimum levels at which college places were offered in 1996. So, last year, there were 27 third level courses on offer where students needed only five Leaving Cert passes.
These places were almost all in regional technical colleges and, amazingly, included electronics/ product development, electronic engineering, mechanical engineering and civil engineering - the areas where jobs are booming.
There were a further 87 courses with cut off levels of less than 200 points. The average Leaving Cert result is about 240 points. This means students with an average Leaving Certificate could select from a wide range of choices, from engineering to business studies to food quality to applied physics.
OK, so medicine is notably absent from this list and most of these courses were at certificate, not degree, level. And yes, many were in places outside Dublin, such as Letterkenny, Co Donegal, or Tralee, Co Kerry.
Let's look at the perceived certificate problem first. Many students do not read beyond the course listing in the CAO/CAS handbook when deciding on their intended area of third level study. They see certificates, diplomas and degrees listed separately and decide their only option is a degree. They do not realise that a well trodden path leads from certificate to diploma to degree. The national certificate is a valid qualification in its own right but it is also a very good starting point for people with aspirations to continue to degree level.
A common misunderstanding is that the points level is some measure of the quality of a course. Following this logic, low points means poor quality while high points courses equate to superb tuition. In fact, points have nothing to do with course quality. Points levels are set by the students, not the colleges. The more applicants and the fewer the places, the higher the points.
Geography is also responsible for some skewing of the points. A quarter of the State's population is based in Dublin and the surrounding areas and this quarter has a serious reluctance to travel. Students who live in rural areas are used to the idea of leaving home at 17 or 18 years of age to go and study in a city - but the reverse is rarely true. There is a financial implication, but this exists for rural as well as urban students. All of this means it's more difficult to get into colleges in the Dublin area.
And false snobbery also plays a part. Students do not want to go to regional technical colleges - they prefer universities. The fact that an RTC may fit their needs better is nothing to the fact that their friends may not be suitably impressed. Remember, it's your life and the opinion of your friends will be cold comfort if you miss a college place through ignoring the list of certificates and diplomas.
Fashion also has a lot to answer for when it comes to points levels. For a few years, science may be the trendy, desirable option and points levels soar accordingly. Then, for some reason, a sea change occurs and the test tube loses its allure. Instead, Leaving Cert students opt for arts, abandoning sciences to lower points levels and pushing up the arts points. Of course, the quality of the courses or the qualifications have not changed with the points level. It is the perceived desirability that is responsible for the hike in points.
Certain careers appear perennial favourites. Becoming a doctor, a lawyer or a pharmacist remains desirable. The jobs situation in law and medicine is not particularly encouraging, but this seems to have little bearing on the lure of the wig and the white coat, There are only 340 places available in medicine and 70 in pharmacy, so the huge numbers applying annually mean that the points levels remain consistently above 500 (the almost genius level).
Choosing a course is a matter of overcoming some of these prejudices and deciding what your really want for yourself. The most important thing you can do to set some time aside, and research the areas you are interested in. Look at all courses irrespective of college location or qualification level.
It is not enough to thumb through the list of courses in the CAO/CAS handbook. Deciding on your future on the basis of one line of information would be more than foolish. At the very least, get the college prospectuses, and read the detailed information about the courses. These will take you through the subjects studied in each year, whether the course includes a period of work experience and the type of career you are likely to end up in.
Your guidance counsellor will have copies of these brochures but it is a good idea to get your own copies so you can read them at home at your leisure. Your parents will be better able to advise you if they have access to as much information as possible. The inside front cover of the CAO/CAS handbook has a list of college phone numbers so you can ring around to get prospectuses.
Visiting a college, seeing the labs and libraries, and meeting staff and students can give you a very good feel for a particular course. A number of colleges will hold open days or information days this month. Go and see these colleges. Staff will be on hand to answer your questions.
Yes, it is all very daunting You are making a very important decision and the order in, which you list your course choices on your CAO/CAS form.is vital. As most students know, you can list up to 10 choices on the degree list and up to 10 on the certificate/diploma list. The two lists operate independently so you should invest a similar amount of care and attention in both. Far t9o many students leave the cert/ diploma list blank or cursorily select one or two courses they do not intend to accept.
Your guidance counsellor will have done much of this work with you already, but getting an up to date picture of the jobs scene can be difficult. New opportunities are opening in areas such as teleservices and software localisation. Over the next few weeks, this column will inform you on various careers and courses.
Group orders: Schools can get group orders of 10 or more copies daily of The Irish Times during the four weeks of Countdown to College (including tomorrow's College Choice supplement) at a reduced rate. To avail of this, call freephone 1800 798884 between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. (including lunch time).
College Choice: Tomorrow, in addition to this column, there will be a 20 page tabloid colour: supplement on CAO/CAS applications. It will carry a full list off points for all courses last year, master chart of essential subjects required by the different courses and detailed advice on filling out the CAO form.
Open days Later this month, look out for a feast of open days in the Limerick area. The University of Limerick and Limerick RTC will hold open days on January 14th and 15th. Mary Immaculate College of Education, which offers an arts degree as well as B.Ed. qualification, will open its door to prospective students on January 14th. Undecided students may be able to visit all three colleges on the same day.
DIT's annual information day will take place in DIT Bolton Street on January 18th. A total off 20 talks will be held simultaneously and they will be repeated four times during the day. First, talks begin at 9.30 a.m.
Dun Laoghaire College of Arts and Design will hold open days on January 15th and 16th. There, will be two sessions each day, one beginning at 10.00 a.m. and the other at 2.00 p.m.