what to do

gleeber

Hi , new to this but pulling my hair out at this time, i have a 19yr son with Leaving cert completed and not enough points to go into tru the college gates !!! He kept hedging his bets on one particular college to do a plc course and now they tell him the course is full , so what now , leave it for this year and apply earlier next year and try get some work this year, or what, or register with fas and see what they say, i really would appreciate some advice.. thanks in advance

Is he dead set on doing the course he was thinking of doing? Perhaps repeating may be an option if he didn't get the points for it?

Ms Happy

gleeber wrote: »

Hi , new to this but pulling my hair out at this time, i have a 19yr son with Leaving cert completed and not enough points to go into tru the college gates !!! He kept hedging his bets on one particular college to do a plc course and now they tell him the course is full , so what now , leave it for this year and apply earlier next year and try get some work this year, or what, or register with fas and see what they say, i really would appreciate some advice.. thanks in advance

It saddens me how many times I have heard of similar scenarios to yours over the past few years! A combination of higher points and more students taking up third level/plc courses has made this time of year a nightmare for many a parent and student!

I would be very angry with your sons guidance counsellor at the mo! (don't want to open the floodgates here...) he/she should have gone through a lot of options with your son with regards to training/PLC/third level courses. It is a very bad idea to only have one course as a choice on CAO even if it is what he wanted to do. Students really need to have a few courses of interest at level 6/7 and 8

How did he do on points? is there any places on CAO vacant places he is eligible to apply for or interested in??

I would need a bit more info and can give you some real advice if you want to send me a PM??

gleeber

Hi thanks for replying to my query, yes your right i have asked the question "where were you when CAO advice was been given by career guidance teacher" but to be honest i had not a clue what the hell it was all about and we now know that he put down too high a level choices when knowing he was not doing enough honours subject to aspire to level 8. So what are we left with, 120points and pass in all except higher level tech, he has done interview for one plc and unfortunately course full, he eventually would like to join the Garda but thought of doing a security course or something along that line to enhance his chances for entry. His passion is photography and does some work for our local newspaper, I feel so sorry for him as the prospects of sitting around all winter is not what he wants.. any advice would be great. thanks again .

gleeber

hi Donal, no he is not dead set now on that course , repeating is not an option for him, there has to be something he can do for the year , or where would i take him to get advice or have we just left it too late.

Ms Happy

How about something like this > http://www.tippinst.ie/courses/TI114/

It's on vacant places here > http://www.cao.ie/courses/vpl_courses_popup.htm

Looks like he's grand on the entry requirement side. It could be a good platform to what he wants to do??

gleeber

hi Ms Happy thanks for that info will get him to check it out and email them if it suits him he has been intouch with Rathmines college today and has sent app in there so we will see, the link you sent looks good too.

ShayK1

I'm going to move this to the Leaving Cert forum.
I think you'll get more advice there.

Mod Note: Moved from Carlow IT

Chuchoter

I'd be getting on to that guidance counselor, letting him put down one thing on his CAO was highly irresponsible of them and it was their job to make sure everyone knew what they were doing, that thing is hard to fill out! What course was he going for?

It could be too late to do anything now, but he could make great use of the year practicing his photography (a photo blog even, check out the photography section on here) or get work experience with a photographer.

gleeber

yes , your right it may be too late he has applied for some today so we will see what comes out of it, will check out the photography section too, sometimes you just need to think things out here to calm all down...:rolleyes: thanks again

randylonghorn

crayolastereo wrote: »

I'd be getting on to that guidance counselor, letting him put down one thing on his CAO was highly irresponsible of them and it was their job to make sure everyone knew what they were doing, that thing is hard to fill out! What course was he going for?

In fairness, careers guidance teachers can only advise, they can't and shouldn't tell people what to do. You wouldn't believe how many people have been in here over the last year complaining that the CG teacher was encouraging them to play it safe and put down a few courses with lower points even though they weren't interested in them. And they were right, there's not much point in putting down courses you're not interested in.

And yes, it's their job to try to make sure everyone knows what they're doing, but that presupposes that people are paying attention and taking heed. I put stickies in this forum every year about the CAO, and regularly the third or fourth post on that thread asks a question which has been answered in the first paragraph of the OP because the person just hasn't bothered to read it.

Nor did gleeber say he had put down one thing on his CAO, she said he was hedging his bets with one course at a PLC college (which doesn't go through the CAO) and that

he put down too high a level choices when knowing he was not doing enough honours subjects to aspire to level 8.

I don't normally go to the defense of CG teachers, tbh, because I have found that like every other group they can be a mixed bunch ... but in this case, I've seen no real evidence so far of a CG teacher at fault.

rainbowtrout

randylonghorn wrote: »

I don't normally go to the defense of CG teachers, tbh, because I have found that like every other group they can be a mixed bunch ... but in this case, I've seen no real evidence so far of a CG teacher at fault.

Neither have I, but I agree. Countless students come on here mid-July/early August saying they want to change their mind on the CAO, despite the fact that it closed on July 1. Plenty more come on in late August saying they got their first choice but wanted their second, or got their second and never had any intention of doing the course but put it down as back up. None of this has anything to do with the CG counsellor, in fact most of the time they know it's their own fault but they still want to see if the CAO will make an exception just for them.

The OP said her son applied for courses where he couldn't get the points and he knew this. That was just silly. He also applied for one PLC course rather than widening his options. I can't see how this is the CG counsellor's fault. Was s/he supposed to fill in all the PLC applications for the student as well and accompany them to the post office to make sure they applied?

gaeilgegrinds1

Could he try an alternative PLC? Lots of people dropping out this week so he could possibly get a place somewhere else?

gleeber

no more hair pulling he has secured a plc and is happy out thank god...thanks for all your help when i really needed it...:P

randylonghorn

Glad to hear that!