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Help in choosing a degree. Please!
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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.
I know exactly where you're coming from, but finding a job for a year is SO hard. Even for this summer I've applied to many, many shops, pubs, restaurants, hotels etc and all I have is 4 hours a week in a chinese, on minimum wage. Again, I know what you mean that it's a bad idea going to college for the sake of it but I actually enjoy so many different things that I think it's just a matter of picking the right one?
I finished the leaving cert last Thursday so no help from schoolWell 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.
When I was there I went to the careers teacher and she made me do a careers test which said I was "social, linguistic creative".
What I highlighted in bold is what I really really really need to remember!EuropeanSon wrote: »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.
I shall look into law over the next few days. I heard you needed to be a good "rote learner" for law though, which I definitely am not. I like to understand.
Uh-oh about med!.. that's scary.. I love biology and thought I may as well put it down 1st place just on the off chance, I'm not too sure whether on not to leave it there.tonsiltickler wrote: »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.
That's really interesting! I was thinking on doing human nutrition perhaps.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!
You're saying aloud what I really should be thinking. To tell the truth I'd love to do the "voice and dance" degree in Limerick but there's no way my stepdad would let me! Aside from that it's so hard to stop thinking about the job afterwards. I think that's why I was so drawn to primary teaching, because you have a job and a degree afterwards. I was thinking ed&psyc in Mary I but I don't really want to go to Limerick.. I just don't know it!
And about med, I've never been "really really sure" of anything in my life. You all have probably guessed by now that I'm a really indecisive person. I mean, it takes me an hour to figure out what to wear in the morning! :L I think the indecisiveness is probably a result of low self esteem but usually once I bite the bullet and make a decision it usually goes ok. That's why I put down med. I mean, I think I'd like it?whydoibother? wrote: »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.
My stepdad said I would be really good in business (he being a business man). I didn't do it for the Leaving though and I don't know if that would be a hinderance? How about business and French?willow tree wrote: »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:)
Thank you! I know you're right and once I've made the decision it will be fine. If I only knew what I enjoyed :rolleyes: .
Ok so basically I have to choose between:
Medicine (whether or not to leave it no.1 on the off chance I did get it)
Primary teaching
Psychology
Human Nutrition
Law (maybe)
Business/Business & French
Arts
9 days untill D day!
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I just did a career suitability test and it came up with:
Clinical Psychologists
Law Teachers, Postsecondary
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Counseling Psychologists
Political Scientists
Genetic Counselors
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Marriage and Family Therapists
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Why are all the teaching jobs post secondary 0 -
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You need a lot of patience and a good rapor with kids to make a good primary teacher. Academically speaking, I think you'd fly through a primary teaching degree with no problems but it might prove a little unchallenging for you. Subjects (except your main speciality subject choices) are kept very basic and although you will study psychology and sociology, they won't really be in great detail.
Thank you. There is a degree in Mary Immaculate in Limerick and it's B.Ed in Primary teaching and psychology which I might put down as my first choice? The only thing about it is that the points were 540 last year and that's pretty high.
Also I find it interesting you said I could fly the primary teaching degree? I know a girl who has just completed it and she said it was extremely hard.
I'm with you though, I can't see how it could be that hard? In comparison to medicine or even science or law?0 -
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LittleMissLost wrote: »Thank you. There is a degree in Mary Immaculate in Limerick and it's B.Ed in Primary teaching and psychology which I might put down as my first choice? The only thing about it is that the points were 540 last year and that's pretty high.
Also I find it interesting you said I could fly the primary teaching degree? I know a girl who has just completed it and she said it was extremely hard.
I'm with you though, I can't see how it could be that hard? In comparison to medicine or even science or law?
It would be harder than science and law, but not as hard as medicine! It's such a broad degree, similar to arts, yet according to students of it much harder! I suppose it depends on where your skills lie, considering there are so many subjects you have to study as part of a B.Ed, some you'll probably be excellent at, and some you'll despise.
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It would be harder than science and law, but not as hard as medicine! It's such a broad degree, similar to arts, yet according to students of it much harder! I suppose it depends on where your skills lie, considering there are so many subjects you have to study as part of a B.Ed, some you'll probably be excellent at, and some you'll despise.
Seriously?!0 -
LittleMissLost wrote: »Seriously?!
Well it depends on where your interests lie. If they lie with science/law, you're obviously going to find the B.Ed harder, but realistically, the workload from the B.Ed would be higher considering how many subjects are covered throughout the year, along with continuous assessment, group work, heading to the Gaeltacht, tests and then reading novels/poetry as part of the course! I'm only going on what I hear from my friends who have finished 1st year! Regardless of the work, they LOVE the course because primary teaching is what they want to do. If you're not 100% certain that it's what you want, then I wouldn't recommend going for it! 0 -
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