Help in choosing a degree. Please!

LittleMissLost

I would be so grateful if I could get some help with this. I'm going to try and make it as short and sweet as possible!

I have just finished my Leaving Cert and have until the 1st of July to change the CAO. At the moment I have medicine at numbers 1 to 3 but there's a 99% chance I won't get it.

I know it's stupid but if I don't get medicine, I won't be heartbroken and don't really want to spent 9 years in college doing it another way. I haven't told any family or friends I did the HPAT so it's fine.

At the moment I have nothing down after medicine and am really struggling with what to put down!

I have said I wanted to be a primary teacher since, well, for ever but now am doubting it for various reasons.

In school I loved biology, but also English and French. Loved maths but dropped to ordinary because of how much time it took up. Liked geography, Irish and home ec too. As you can probably see I'm not specifically linguistic or mathematical or scientific like most people are, I like them all!

I got all B's in my mocks as well so there's none that I excel at over another.

I'm terrible at predicting results but I reckon worst case scenario is 450, best case 530/540.

Does anyone have an idea as to what degree I could do? I KNOW it's ultimately down to me but I really really have no clue.

Feel free to ask any questions, I could do with all the help I can get!

Big Lar

Well OP, If you dont know what to do then take a year out and go to Australia or something, It just might be that you find something that you like doing and want to expand on that.

It would be a waste of money and effort to apply for a career that you may never be happy in.

Go on get wild for a year, You know you want to.

If you don't have a clue what degree to do, then don't do a degree.
Take a year out, work, and think about it. There's no time limit on doing a degree, it's not going to disappear just because you don't pick a random one right now...

LittleMissLost

Big Lar wrote: »

Well OP, If you dont know what to do then take a year out and go to Australia or something, It just might be that you find something that you like doing and want to expand on that.

It would be a waste of money and effort to apply for a career that you may never be happy in.

Go on get wild for a year, You know you want to.

The thing is, I really want to go to college. There are so many subjects I love but am just finding it hard to pick the right one.

I'm not picking a career par se, just a degree. Thanks so much for your reply though, I understand what you mean. I just don't think I could trust myself to take a year out and actually go back to college. I think I'd enjoy having money too much.. ><,

LittleMissLost

LittleMissLost wrote: »

The thing is, I really want to go to college. There are so many subjects I love but am just finding it hard to pick the right one.

I'm not picking a career par se, just a degree. Thanks so much for your reply though, I understand what you mean. I just don't think I could trust myself to take a year out and actually go back to college. I think I'd enjoy having money too much.. ><,

If you don't trust yourself to go back to college one would question why you want to go there in the first place...?

LittleMissLost

bluewolf wrote: »

If you don't trust yourself to go back to college one would question why you want to go there in the first place...?

Because I've heard of many, many people who take a year out and get a job, then find themselves used to the working lifestyle and can't go back to living as a poor student.

PCPhoto

not all students live a poor lifestyle and many students use a year out to finance college, many work through the college year.

taking a year out is a decent option - one which allows you to assess your life, see what you like about your life... especially if you can't make a decision about which path to choose.

Fluorescence

I was in the same position as you two years ago. Finishing up my leaving, not particular better at one subject over another. I was fairly grand in them all. We all had meetings booked with the career advisor in the school, who just looked at my results and said that I didn't need to rule anything out because all my subjects were so even. She was worse than useless :pac:.

Anyway, I ended up going off to UCD to do an Arts course in the subjects I liked most: french, english and music. I dropped the french going into second year, and at the end of a spectacularly disastrous second year I decided to drop out of college entire. Now I'm back to where I was 2 years ago, trying to figure out what I want to do but having no idea.

My point is this: don't go to college right now if you don't know. It's ok to go work for a while and then come back when you've discovered what you want. It will save you a lot of money and heartache in the long run. Plus, if you save some money from working, you won't need to live a totally meagre lifestyle when you do return to college.

Ficheall

Of those advising the OP to take a year out - how many are speaking from experience of having done so? Just curious...

Fluorescence

I'm speaking from the experience of wasting two years of my life in a course I shouldn't have taken. If and when I decide to return to college I'll be paying 2 years full tuition fees. If I had waited beforehand I would have been much better off. I'd have money in my pocket from working, I'd have a better idea of what I want, and I wouldn't have a huge smear of failure on my record.

Rachiee

while it may be nice to do a degree and go to college, you only get one shot at it without having to pay full fees, if you your parents have the money to experiment with college go ahead but the best thing to do with a degree is to use it to get a job if your not sure what you want to spend the rest of your life doing then college is a waste of time and money.

Why spend years going to college doing an irrelevant degree only to realise what you want to do with your life and have to go back to college and spend thousands of euro doing so.

QueenOfLeon

Theres no shame in not going to college this September. Taking a year out to think about what you want to do is what more people should be doing tbh. You sound like you have no idea whatsoever (which is no harm, loads more in the same position!) and you're not going to be able to figure it out in 2 weeks.

On a side note, if you're not that bothered about getting medicine or not, have a think about whether or not it should be on your CAO at all. Its not a course to go into lightly, and if you don't have a complete interest and dedication to it you'll find it very difficult.

Ficheall

fluorescence wrote: »

I'm speaking from the experience of wasting two years of my life in a course I shouldn't have taken. If and when I decide to return to college I'll be paying 2 years full tuition fees. If I had waited beforehand I would have been much better off. I'd have money in my pocket from working, I'd have a better idea of what I want, and I wouldn't have a huge smear of failure on my record.

I 'get' that you feel like you wasted two years of your life by choosing the wrong course. I was just curious to see if there were anyone who had actually taken a year out, as everyone seems so quick to be advising, and how they then came to a decision during their year out as to what they wanted to do with the rest of their life. It strikes me as a "greener grass" scenario if people are advising another to do something that they had the opportunity to do but didn't.

I'm on the other side of that fence, having taken a year out, and I think that was a waste of time, as I still went on to do a degree I shouldn't have taken. I'm not saying that it's not the best option for the OP - but it's not simply a "pause" button to give oneself more time to decide.

smeal

Have you thought about law? I seen you like English & French so what about french law? Im trying to get in to do law because I like the way its a broad degree I mean you dont have to be a solicitor but you can go into international relations and journalism and stuff even teaching. If your not entirely sure what to do I wouldnt recommend Arts. I know so many people who in the end just did Arts because they didnt know what else to do and thought it was a "handy" course. Now several of them have quit after their 2nd year and are looking for work in America. I definitly wouldnt pick medicine unless you are ENTIRELY dedicated to doing it and putting in the work:L Hope this helped!

LittleMissLost

Thank you everyone for your relpies.

The thing about taking a year out, I agree with Ficheall. No amount of contemnplating over a year is going to make my decision any better or worse. I understand where you're coming from but it's SO hard to find a job at the moment, even a part time one. I wouldn't have the money to go to Australia.

QueenOfLeon, I know what you mean about medicine, as you have probably guessed I'm not at all a decisive person so I'm uber confused about med now..

Smeal, I haven't researched into a Law degree at all but I shall definitely look into it. Is "Law & French" an Irish law degree with French language or is it "French Law"? Where is the best place to go.

Rachiee, As for my parents having the money to "experiment with college", they most definitely do not and even if they did I wouldn't get it. I shall be relying on the coco grant and hopefully a part time job. Am hoping and praying my results will be good enough to get a Scholarship of some sort because I know I am REALLY going to struggle.

smeal

Im not entirely sure. Theres Law Maitrise and i think its just complete french law and then theres Law with French. Both are over 500 points though in UCD. I think theres french law in trinity too but its 580..Pure law is 480 though in UCD, im hoping it goes down a few points though. If i dont get it then i hope for dcu 440 points:) look on qualifax.com for info about it or just go to UCD website:D

lilmizzme

LittleMissLost, if youre having such doubts about your course, and you really seem to be struggling with a decision, a year out could be the best thing for you. It will give you more time to think about what you want and really look at all your options. I started a course after my leaving cert because of all the pressure to go to college from family and teachers. I hated the course and dropped out after a month, I really hadn't put any thought into at all. I worked for the year, got a bit of money together, went travelling the following summer and reapplied to the CAO again. Second time round I knew exactly what I wanted and looked into different colleges and really did my research. When the CAO offers came out, I got my first choice. Im now going into my final year in colleg and couldn't be more glad that I dropped out of that course and took the year out.

It is a tough job market out there but you can go on the dole while you're job hunting so you have a bit of income to keep you going. If you do find work, you'll be able to put a bit aside to make your first year college a bit easier.

From your posts, I'd seriously advise thinking about taking the year out. Without meaning to sound harsh, if you're still this confused about courses and colleges, you may need more time to figure out what you want to do.

sarah.

fluorescence wrote: »

I'm speaking from the experience of wasting two years of my life in a course I shouldn't have taken. If and when I decide to return to college I'll be paying 2 years full tuition fees. If I had waited beforehand I would have been much better off. I'd have money in my pocket from working, I'd have a better idea of what I want, and I wouldn't have a huge smear of failure on my record.

This is a very broad question but did you hate the course you were doing? Did you hate the college or were you just not bothered? And when you were starting it did you have any idea what career path you wanted to go down? I ask because I find myself in the same position as you seemed to be in where you picked subjects because you liked them in secondary and didn't have a clue what else to do! Some people have advised me to take a year out but I really can't see that happening for many reasons!

daviekelly123

Im in the exact same position as you! Dont listen to these people sayin take a year out. We want to go to college. We are asking for course suggestions not year out plans! we still av 2 weeks to choose. It'll be fine

sarah.

daviekelly123 wrote: »

Im in the exact same position as you! Dont listen to these people sayin take a year out. We want to go to college. We are asking for course suggestions not year out plans! we still av 2 weeks to choose. It'll be fine

I have to say I agree with you, have been advised to take a year out but people don't really understand why that doesn't seem greatly plausible for us! I know people will read this and think I'm a bit of a waster and going to end up dropping out and I can completely understand why! But I know that I won't go travelling this year and getting a job, although possible won't be easy. I know that a year would pass and I'd be living off my parents and with no further insight into what I want to do. I'm literally praying I'll like what I end up doing Pray for me!!

Larianne

Well boards has lots of information on it. Use the search function and see what it comes up with.

Look up the college prospectus' and get an idea of what subjects are covered in the course. Then go from there.

Do you have a careers guidance teacher in your school that you could speak to about it?

Three people in my class had taken a year out before starting college. One had originally put down Engineering when she was in Leaving cert year but after the year out she decided on Physiotherapy instead.

Think about what you would like to do. Don't think about points - they won't necessarily determine how good a course is or that you'll like it.

Fluorescence

sarah. wrote: »

This is a very broad question but did you hate the course you were doing? Did you hate the college or were you just not bothered? And when you were starting it did you have any idea what career path you wanted to go down? I ask because I find myself in the same position as you seemed to be in where you picked subjects because you liked them in secondary and didn't have a clue what else to do! Some people have advised me to take a year out but I really can't see that happening for many reasons!

I know a year out doesn't seem plausible to you guys, but being in the position I am now I would seriously advise that you consider it as an option and not just dismiss it entirely out of hand.

Why did I drop out? Good question. A lot of factors were at play; not being very interested in my course was a big one. I scraped by in 1st year and passed stuff through last minute cramming and handing in assignments 2 weeks late. In second year I was even less bothered, rarely attending classes and not even attempting the coursework most of the time. I didn't care enough about my classes because I knew I didn't really want to be in that degree and I didn't see where I was going with it. It seemed pointless to me. I also was struggling with some mental health issues that made coping with the very lonely college environment tough for me. If I'd cared about what I was studying though, it would have made a big difference.

I chose the course because it seemed like the right thing to do - I was good at music in school and people expected I would continue with it. I also didn't know what else I could do (and, like you, I didn't want to consider a year off working or traveling).

Traveling isn't a plausible option for many, and I understand that (it isn't for me either), but I still say that you should consider a year away from school. There's no shame in working and taking time to really research the enormous amount of choices available to you and consider deeply what you want from life and how to achieve it. It's a very hard thing to muddle your way through a course that you only took because it was offered and you didn't know what else to do.

coffeelover

fluorescence wrote: »

I know a year out doesn't seem plausible to you guys, but being in the position I am now I would seriously advise that you consider it as an option and not just dismiss it entirely out of hand.

Why did I drop out? Good question. A lot of factors were at play; not being very interested in my course was a big one. I scraped by in 1st year and passed stuff through last minute cramming and handing in assignments 2 weeks late. In second year I was even less bothered, rarely attending classes and not even attempting the coursework most of the time. I didn't care enough about my classes because I knew I didn't really want to be in that degree and I didn't see where I was going with it. It seemed pointless to me. I also was struggling with some mental health issues that made coping with the very lonely college environment tough for me. If I'd cared about what I was studying though, it would have made a big difference.

I chose the course because it seemed like the right thing to do - I was good at music in school and people expected I would continue with it. I also didn't know what else I could do (and, like you, I didn't want to consider a year off working or traveling).

Traveling isn't a plausible option for many, and I understand that (it isn't for me either), but I still say that you should consider a year away from school. There's no shame in working and taking time to really research the enormous amount of choices available to you and consider deeply what you want from life and how to achieve it. It's a very hard thing to muddle your way through a course that you only took because it was offered and you didn't know what else to do.

Just wondering what course did you do?

EuropeanSon

I'd agree with Law as a good choice for somebody who is a good all rounder, much more so than medicine. Med is insane (I've gathered this from living with and being friends with several med students), and I would genuinely advise anybody who needs sleep to live and wants a social life too to stay clear.

Fluorescence

coffeelover wrote: »

Just wondering what course did you do?

Ba in Music and English in UCD.

tonsiltickler

Hi OP,

You seem to really want to do medicine. There are many different dimensions related to medicine that you could consider. I was in a similar boat to you, ended up doing mechanical engineering, after getting my dip did an hons degree in biomedical engineering and ended up doing research into orthopedics, dental cements etc.. Now I'm doing research on feeding tubes. You could also work designing and maintaining hospital equipment.

And if your really not sure just take a year out and consider all your options.

coffeelover

fluorescence wrote: »

Ba in Music and English in UCD.

Awh really.. Im not doing my Leaving until next year but everyone just presumes I'm going to do music in college :rolleyes: but I don't know if I want to to be honest

djk1000

Instead of thinking about a career you want (which you don't have an answer to) Just think about what you'd like to learn, what you'd enjoy. To be honest, it doesn't matter too much what degree you do, once you enjoy it and do it well.

That will give you 3-4 years to decide where you want to go in life, you can always do a post grad then in an area that interests you.

I was 30 before I got around to doing a degree, I was sure of what I wanted to do and what career I wanted to have afterwards. I'll have my degree soon at the ripe old age of 35 with a 30 year career ahead of me!
What I'm saying is, do what you enjoy and if it doesn't take you to the career you want in 3-4 years, it's not the end of the word at all.

And for God's sake don't do medicine unless you really really want to be a doctor!

whydoibother?

Just throwing it out there but business/commerce if you have any interest is a good broad option. You can go accounting, economics, finance, management consultancy, marketing ... etc. You generally don't have to choose your direction in first year (or sometimes you don't really have to commit to one at all). Business is arguably a very suitable degree for all the areas I've mentioned. The beauty of this is you don't face the hurdle of having studied an "irrelevant" degree because it's relevant to so many things. Don't get me wrong, I know lots of jobs are open to graduates of all disciplines whether the two are related or not, but there is usually a preference for someone who has studied something in the field. business sort of allows you to not have a clue but look like you always knew (assuming you go into a business field). With your points I'd imagine you could have your pick of the courses/colleges generally - maybe one or two exceptions, but plenty choice.

willow tree

hi op,
you dont sound totally indecisive at all. you sound like you know yourself. you want to go to college you are just unsure what to do. you could do an aptitude test, even just for fun. you could talk to someone in a local employment agency, they are a free service that help people make decisions on what they would like to do. i think if you follow what you enjoy, instead of focusing on the job, you will find what you love. also arts degrees are handy as you can go on to teach with them or you can specialise in something..so win win. good luck with it and enjoy every minute:)

wayhey

I hope this isn't breaking rules or anything, feel free to remove it mods if it is. But there are some really great websites with, as willow tree mentioned, aptitude and interest tests. I know they've helped me look at careers/courses that I wouldn't have considered before. You can find some on www.careersportal.ie (which has interviews with people in specific jobs as well, it's a really great resource) Then for another test there's http://www.skillsandinterests.co.uk/indexAR.htm. Keep in mind qualifax.ie when you're looking for courses and everything

Good luck making your decision - I completely understand how confusing it can be!