A frustrating situation. Advice would be appreciated.

RocketFalls

I got my results yesterday [some of you may be able to relate to this..], and while it was an extremely pleasant surprise not to have failed anything, I've fallen short of a course by one Higher level C3.

I got 315 points [which puts me firmly in the dimwit category, but that's neither here nor there], with no failures and points fairly in excess of what I actually need.
Anyhow.
My first CAO choice is Herbal Science in Cork IT, which stipulates that prospective students need two HC3s in order to get accepted.
The course, despite being a level 8, has an extremely low cut-off with regards to points [225 last year], and I have a feeling that this is an indication of fairly low demand.

I got three higher Level D1s, so there are three chances of getting a C3 by appealing. But I read today that the results of an appealed paper will only be released in October, by which stage the course will have already commenced.



-Basically, could Cork IT offer me a place, considering I was a fraction of a grade away from getting three Higher Level C3s, and that I've met the point requirements?

-Should I ring them and ask? Can one appeal and still get after the course is underway?

-Or should I just concentrate on getting into an Applied Science PLC [which is tempting, because I would love to learn Physics and Chemistry to complement my biological knowledge]?

Many thanks, and my apologies about the tl;dr.

johnmcdnl

Perhaps you could do the PLC if it's a 1 year course and also repeat one or two of the exams and get the C3 requirement - maybe get grinds or something or if you think you could do it yourself and are motivated enough to go and just study it yourself

It's worth ringing the college at least to see what they have to say about it - but don't get your hopes up - if they let you in do they let the next lad in

I think you might have to wait to get the papers rechecked before they'll let you in but they might suggest you wait til next year to start the course and that they'll reserve a place for you...

ring them up to see what the story is anyways - can't do any harm anyways

RocketFalls

johnmcdnl wrote: »

Perhaps you could do the PLC if it's a 1 year course and also repeat one or two of the exams and get the C3 requirement - maybe get grinds or something or if you think you could do it yourself and are motivated enough to go and just study it yourself

It's worth ringing the college at least to see what they have to say about it - but don't get your hopes up - if they let you in do they let the next lad in

I think you might have to wait to get the papers rechecked before they'll let you in but they might suggest you wait til next year to start the course and that they'll reserve a place for you...

ring them up to see what the story is anyways - can't do any harm anyways

But..if you get your papers rechecked, the new results will only arrive in October, no? by which point the course will already be underway.

And it's possible that I won't get the PLC. Bad things happen.

i like pie

RocketFalls wrote: »

But..if you get your papers rechecked, the new results will only arrive in October, no? by which point the course will already be underway.

yes they will arrive in october but sometimes you will be accepted to the course, even though it has already started, it depends on the course though. you should email the college to ask what they would do in this situation.

Aoifey!

RocketFalls wrote: »

But..if you get your papers rechecked, the new results will only arrive in October, no? by which point the course will already be underway.

And it's possible that I won't get the PLC. Bad things happen.

I'm not the most informed on this but surely you can be accepted once the papers are rechecked, if not, wouldn't that defeat the whole point of rechecking? And you could ring around PLC's now, and see anyway, if you don't get in, then you'll have to rely on the rechecks As I said, I'm not the most informed on it so I'm not sure

dambarude

Depending on the course you may be able to start it in October, but most people end up deferring the place for a year, starting the September after.

RocketFalls

Aoifey! wrote: »

I'm not the most informed on this but surely you can be accepted once the papers are rechecked, if not, wouldn't that defeat the whole point of rechecking? And you could ring around PLC's now, and see anyway, if you don't get in, then you'll have to rely on the rechecks As I said, I'm not the most informed on it so I'm not sure

This confused me as well. Accepting students in mid-October would be rather akin to throwing them in the deep end, and would probably lead to all sorts of muddling viz. syllabus pacing.

I have PLC interviews in the coming weeks.

KathOFlan

Hi - its a very frustrating position, but because you haven't met the entry requirement for level 8 degrees, you are not going to offered any level 8 courses on Monday regardless of your points.

I wouldnt worry too much about joining the course in October - if you're motivated enough you should be able to catch up and even if you cant, often the modules are semester based so you can repeat over next summer or compensate from modules starting in February. The college will be very quick to advise you if they dont think its a good idea or you've missed too much.

What have you applied for at Level 6/7? Most of these courses do not have the 2 HC3 requirements and if they are in a similar area, you could start off in them, and then if you are upgraded you have learned something relevant.

Any help?

LadyGaga!

Go and view the scripts and hope to gosh that there was a calculation error, if there is then you'll be given the mark immediately and your problem will be solved.

RocketFalls

KathOFlan wrote: »

Hi - its a very frustrating position, but because you haven't met the entry requirement for level 8 degrees, you are not going to offered any level 8 courses on Monday regardless of your points.

I wouldn't worry too much about joining the course in October - if you're motivated enough you should be able to catch up and even if you cant, often the modules are semester based so you can repeat over next summer or compensate from modules starting in February. The college will be very quick to advise you if they don't think its a good idea or you've missed too much.

What have you applied for at Level 6/7? Most of these courses do not have the 2 HC3 requirements and if they are in a similar area, you could start off in them, and then if you are upgraded you have learned something relevant.

Any help?

I've applied for Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology [level 7 NFQ], but I'm not entirely sure I fancy studying that.
The course material interests me, but my long-term plan is to study botany in some shape or form, which Herbal Science would have provided. What is this upgrading you speak of, though? Essentially a course transfer based on good grades?

KathOFlan

I meant that if you get any of your subjects checked and they get upgraded to the C3 (or higher) you can then transfer on to the Level 8 course.

I think the thing would be to accept the Level 7 course. Then look at the scripts and if there seems to be a reasonable chance you'll get a higher grade on one with a recheck, start the level 7 course. Because it's also a science based course, you might find the content interesting and that there is some crossover to what is being covered on the Herbal Science course anyway.

When you get a decision about your rechecks, you will either be able to make a relatively smooth choice over to Herbal Science (hopefully with not too much missed), OR, if you haven't been upgraded you will at least be on a course that you never know you might like! And even if you hate it, it might make you clearer about what you do want and you can make a better decision then.

My other advice (for what its worth), is that if you are determined that Herbal Sc is for you and nothing else will do and you don't get upgraded in the rechecks, then all you need is to repeat one subject next summer to get a C3 in that. (Entry requirements can be combined from as many sittings of the LCert as you like, while points come from just one sitting). Then next year, you can use your points from this year, with your second C3 from next year, to get your place. Much better than going on a PLC I think. And you could use this year to travel, work etc. because taking just one subject shouldn't be too taxing.

You could even be doing your level 7 choice and if your not enjoying it or still want Herbal Sc, you could resit one subject next summer - think about how easy it would be to get C3 next summer in a science subject if you had done a year of it at Level 7. Then, this time next year, you'd have two choices: continue into year 2 of the Level 7, or, take up place on Herbal Science. The only drawback to this, is that you would be eligible for fees for Year 1 of Herbal Science as you only get one go of free fees!

Adriatic

I would probably get those three papers checked and then do the PLC course. PLCs are pretty easy going and you'll have a massive advantage over others who have not done a PLC course based on the course they are about to do in college in my opinion, well lets just say you will know a lot more about what to expect and not be shocked when you go to college and realise you hate what it is your doing. It's happened to me, I'm my own evidence.

Also you might want to check if the course you want is offering FETAC places which could be used instead of the (poxy!) leaving cert.

ilikesunshine

this is ok if one comes back you'll HAVE to be offered a place I'm pterry sure !!
Good luck with appeals !

RocketFalls

KathOFlan wrote: »

I meant that if you get any of your subjects checked and they get upgraded to the C3 (or higher) you can then transfer on to the Level 8 course.

I think the thing would be to accept the Level 7 course. Then look at the scripts and if there seems to be a reasonable chance you'll get a higher grade on one with a recheck, start the level 7 course. Because it's also a science based course, you might find the content interesting and that there is some crossover to what is being covered on the Herbal Science course anyway.

When you get a decision about your rechecks, you will either be able to make a relatively smooth choice over to Herbal Science (hopefully with not too much missed), OR, if you haven't been upgraded you will at least be on a course that you never know you might like! And even if you hate it, it might make you clearer about what you do want and you can make a better decision then.

My other advice (for what its worth), is that if you are determined that Herbal Sc is for you and nothing else will do and you don't get upgraded in the rechecks, then all you need is to repeat one subject next summer to get a C3 in that. (Entry requirements can be combined from as many sittings of the LCert as you like, while points come from just one sitting). Then next year, you can use your points from this year, with your second C3 from next year, to get your place. Much better than going on a PLC I think. And you could use this year to travel, work etc. because taking just one subject shouldn't be too taxing.

You could even be doing your level 7 choice and if your not enjoying it or still want Herbal Sc, you could resit one subject next summer - think about how easy it would be to get C3 next summer in a science subject if you had done a year of it at Level 7. Then, this time next year, you'd have two choices: continue into year 2 of the Level 7, or, take up place on Herbal Science. The only drawback to this, is that you would be eligible for fees for Year 1 of Herbal Science as you only get one go of free fees!

Thank you very much. I'm feeling a lot better about this mess now. Just need to deal with this quandary that your deluge of useful advice has created =P

Ideally, I would do the PLC. That would open a lot more doors than just Herbal Science, because the CASLT qualification is accepted by most laboratory-based courses.
I wouldn't mind doing Science [undenominated] at NUIG, for example. That one very much caters for specialisation, so I could definitely do botany.

Only problem with that option is that entry is subject to interviewer discretion, and I think that's too much of a gamble.