Question about UCC reserve list for courses

Saoirsef

Hi all, thanks in advance for reading my post.
Well my situation is that i applied for occupational therapy in UCC this year, i had my interview in May and it all seemed to go well, they said that a requirement for mature students was a HC3 or equivalent in a science subject, and i have that. So i called admissions yesterday to see if there was any news on my application and they said they only have 5 mature places but im one of the two people on their reserve list,and i get an offer if any of the chosen 5 do not accept or back out.

I'm really distraught and in limbo right now, i will call back in July but i don't fancy my chances. It was always my first choice and year 1 of applying i got nowhere and this year i managed to get to the interview process and on the reserve list.I will apply again but i really didnt want a break in my education again. I wanted to carry on to degree level now.

But i dont know what the reserve list means really, i dont know what exactly my chances are. Has anyone else been offered a place after being on the reserve list??

I have tried the ucc website and i have tried googling and have had no luck.

Thanks

Larianne

Although I don't want to get your hopes up, you are in with a good chance of getting a place on the course. Some applicants decide not to take the place or get offered a place in another college. Others might decide it's not the best time to go back to college and decline the offer.

My friend in college was on the reserve list but got offered a place on the course a month later.

Saoirsef

Thanks Larianne my hopes can't go back up though, they have already been slashed.
I read all of your tips on applying as a mature student when i applied too, so a thank you for all the info you gave is in order also, thank you.

I have thought about the fact that some people may not have occ therapy as their first choice like i do, and also that some people may not get btea or grants, stuff like that and they may decline the offer.
But i guess it could happen.

What course did your friend apply for?? Occupational therapy is tough to get into, i knew that. Really annoyed i didn't put trinity on my list as they take way more matures than Galway and Cork.

Larianne

Saoirsef wrote: »

Thanks Larianne my hopes can't go back up though, they have already been slashed.
I read all of your tips on applying as a mature student when i applied too, so a thank you for all the info you gave is in order also, thank you.

I have thought about the fact that some people may not have occ therapy as their first choice like i do, and also that some people may not get btea or grants, stuff like that and they may decline the offer.
But i guess it could happen.

What course did your friend apply for?? Occupational therapy is tough to get into, i knew that. Really annoyed i didn't put trinity on my list as they take way more matures than Galway and Cork.

She's doing Physio in TCD.

Yes, that's a shame you didn't apply to TCD. But the 5 applicants who applied to UCC may have been offered a place there and take that instead of UCC so you never know!

Saoirsef

I hope your friend is doing really well! She is so lucky.

I guess i will just keep the admissions lady on speed dial and count down the days. And hope that people would prefer Galway or Dublin!
I wouldn't wish people were refused grants or btea, thats tough enough as it is.

Thanks for your reply

Saoirsef

:D

Hi, im just logging in to post an update!! I received a call from ucc admissions today to inform me that since they have received fetac exams results and taken another look at all applications, i have been bumped up to the definite offer list!
I received all distinctions in my results.

Good luck to everyone else, i want to specially thank Larianne, i read all of your info on applying as a mature student and i took a fetac course last year, and here i am delghted that i got a place on my first choice in UCC in occupational therapy, and ill be starting in september.

So so happy x

Larianne

Brilliant news. Well done you!

I hope you go out and celebrate it. You deserve it.

trishawisha

Well done Saoirsef you must be delighted!
I hope to do the same next year, can I ask what fetac course you did, that may have given you the edge?
Best of luck with it!

Saoirsef

trishawisha wrote: »

Well done Saoirsef you must be delighted!
I hope to do the same next year, can I ask what fetac course you did, that may have given you the edge?
Best of luck with it!

Hi and thanks!
I did a fetac level 5 pre nursing course at the college of commerce in the city centre. I acheived all distinctions, but the main distinction UCC were looking at was Anatomy&Physiology, which they took as the equivalent to a HC3 in a leaving cert science subject, you must have a science subject. After that it was luck, i think good luck with your application x

spacecat

Saoirsef wrote: »

Hi and thanks!
I did a fetac level 5 pre nursing course at the college of commerce in the city centre. I acheived all distinctions, but the main distinction UCC were looking at was Anatomy&Physiology, which they took as the equivalent to a HC3 in a leaving cert science subject, you must have a science subject. After that it was luck, i think good luck with your application x

Hello, and well done on getting an offer from UCC
Can a I ask you about the course you did at School of Com? I did look it up but I was wondering what the hours were like eg is it every day Monday to Friday, 9 to 5?? Many thanks

Saoirsef

Hi the timetable changed maybe four times during the year, but it was flexible. They are strict on attendance, and do it by class and not by the day you attend. If you don't have 80% attendance on most modules they wont look well on it.

The last few months my timetable was 9-2 Monday, 9-5 Tuesday (the longest day), 11-3 on Wednesday, 11-4 on Thursday and 9-12 on Friday.

I thought that was fairly flexible and easy to work around, lunches are also very good.