What's on your CAO 2013?

bluejay14

The time has arrived, the future is bearing down upon us. You all know what I'm talking about...........The rumours are true.........the CAO has now *nearly* thrown open it's doors to us, the class of 2013.

Whether you're going through it for the first time or not, what's on your CAO?

decisions

NUIM Science is probably my number 1 atm.

BrownBear11

This is what my CAO looked like from November through until July last year and most likely this year will be the same

Level 8:

1. Primary teaching - St. Pat's Drumcondra - PD101
2. Primary teaching - Marino - CM001
3. Primary teaching - Mary I - MI005
4. Humanities/Arts ( to get into teaching!) - St Pats Drumcondra PD103

Level 7:

Nada, zero zilch.

The beauty of being a repeat is I can still use last years points if things go horribly wrong this year so I'm guaranteed at least the Arts course Eases the pressure a bit


Who can guess what I want to do when I'm older? :pac:

decisions

^^^
Doctor?

:pac:

BrownBear11

decisions wrote: »

^^^
Doctor?

:pac:

What gave it away :pac:

bluejay14

I am the worlds worst for making decisions so filling in the CAO is my worst nightmare.

The only thing I'm kinda veering towards is Arts in NUIM, doing English, geography and something else.

More details will follow when I figure out what my own mind wants

Conor94

Science in NUI Maynooth is probably going to be my first choice. I'm not sure what area I'm most interested in pursuing so I think un-denominated science is probably the best way to go.

D3luka

english and history bachelor of arts in NUIG and NUIM

BroBeans353

BIS (CK203) in UCC is all I'm aiming for really, nothing else interests me in the slightest.

David1994

My cao last year was basically primary teaching and Arts.However I am can kinda looking into something in science and maybe English :P We will see! :pac:

Vito Corleone

Science most probably.

Eurovisionmad

My bad, CAO doesn't open until the 5th of November :L I'm surprised nobody checked when I said it!

bluejay14

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

My bad, CAO doesn't open until the 5th of November :L I'm surprised nobody checked when I said it!

*shakes fist*

ScummyMan

bluejaymraz wrote: »

*shakes fist*

Poufsouffle

Veterinary Medicine will be number one, and that's about it..

areyawell

D3luka wrote: »

english and history bachelor of arts in NUIG and NUIM

Why would anyone want to do a Arts degree? What are you going to get employed as? A teacher, thats it

bluejay14

areyawell wrote: »

Why would anyone want to do a Arts degree? What are you going to get employed as? A teacher, thats it

What's wrong with an Arts degree?

It mightn't be as many points as other degrees but that doesnt mean it's not just as much work. There's plenty of places it could take you afterwards. What if we want to be teachers? I hate the thought of doing something overly specific coming straight out of the lc, at least with arts you get a bit of choice.

CatEyed92

bluejaymraz wrote: »

What's wrong with an Arts degree?

It mightn't be as many points as other degrees but that doesnt mean it's not just as much work. There's plenty of places it could take you afterwards. What if we want to be teachers? I hate the thought of doing something overly specific coming straight out of the lc, at least with arts you get a bit of choice.

I feel like writing about my experience with Arts since CAO opens up Monday.

I did UCC Arts last year.
But it wasn't my first choice. Nursing was. And that's my story. I think you have to really, really want to do Arts to be 100% in it.
Arts is a good course, offering a variety of areas to study. English is a great option in fairness and I truly enjoyed it.
Arts deserves alot more recognition as the workload is crazy. In fact, double the workload compared to some courses.

The worst thing about Arts ?
- There's hundred's of people in one year. It's easy to get lost in the crowd.
- Some people have direction and drive - others slip into the floating and dossing business because either it was not their first choice OR mammy is forcing them to be there OR "as long as I get in to UCC/UCD/NUIG...." mentality.
- The classic saying : "You're a number, not a name" - Basically, defines Arts.
- Unlike other courses, Arts lacks discipline. And that is a big problem, one which universities really need to address as it has the biggest drop out rate and fail rate.

But career wise - yes there are a lot of options. I think you just need to know how to use and manipulate it afterwards.

areyawell

Yes but the only job you will get from an Arts degree is as a teacher and that's in a bad way in Ireland at the moment. It doesn't matter about the workload etc because ye only having 8 hours of lectures with degrees like computing, engineering computing have 30 hours + and the workload in computing is nearly unbearable. Arts degrees are really a waste of time and don't fall for the trap that you get to study a lot of subjects. All it is is essay writing. Its not actually learning anything productive.
I know a lot of friends who did them and said it was the worst mistake they ever made. Can't get a job as teachers and can do feck all else with the degree. Look at irishjobs.ie and you will not see one job advertised that want someone with an arts degree. All had to go on and do a higer diploma in business or IT and then another year in Masters.

Whats an Arts degree students favorite phrase?
Do you want fries with that.

The mentailty seems to be as long as I can get into a university I'm happy

CatEyed92

areyawell wrote: »

Look at irishjobs.ie and you will not see one job advertised that want someone with an arts degree.

Hang on?

Presuming you are in college, I am sure you know jobs are not in abundance in any sector these days.
To defend arts since I have actually studied it, companies appreciate Arts graduates as they can analyse and dissect information making for good workers/managers in many sectors and can be trained easily. By the time myself, yourself and other young people in Ireland come out of degrees in 3 to 5 years time, things could turn around - who's to say they won't?

Furthermore, Arts students/Hdip students last year received great news in the department - a current baby boom has guaranteed an increase in teaching posts all over Ireland in 2015+ I believe. So any students interested in being a primary/secondary teachers will be delighted.

Even though I left Arts, I can appreciate it's value despite the department flaws or narrow minded student's opinions.

Do you think there are jobs in Law? Business? Or is it the fact they are more points, therefore, more respectable than an Arts degree?

It's what you make it. You get out what you put in. An Arts degree goes hand in hand with societies and clubs - building the CV. Sheer, who's gonna employ someone who did any degree for four years but has no sports/hobbies down on the CV or portfolios to say 'I am also good at XYZ'?

Again, not sure if you are in college but surely you must know that Arts students pride themselves on building up portfolios with Radio/Journalism/Peer support etc etc = experience.

8 hours for Arts? I am baffled - I had 25-28 hours last year ? Whichever of your friends who had 8 hours was having a great aul time!
30+ hours for computer science/engineering? Not sure which college or year that was but I have friends in those courses who are now in second year skipping out the gates at 1-2pm everyday and they attend everything.

Arts students work very hard. Just as hard as others, maybe more so.

And as for your last cliché comment about fries.. Not very mature or funny. Some people unemployed right this minute would be glad to say that. It's a job at the end of the day.

Long post but really felt you are doing an injustice there to prospective student's.

To the other posters and CAO'ers - with any degree, sport, job - you get out what you put in. And if you have a passion for history, flare for english - do it! The economy is forever changing.

Arts degree can be built around!

G'luck to everyone!

CatEyed92

areyawell wrote: »

at the moment.

Therefore, not relevant to CAO'ers on Monday.

So, any course goes.

By the way, I do see where you are coming from but honestly, I know many people at university etc who are paving a great career for the future.

randylonghorn

areyawell wrote: »

Why would anyone want to do a Arts degree? What are you going to get employed as? A teacher, thats it

areyawell wrote: »

Yes but the only job you will get from an Arts degree is as a teacher and that's in a bad way in Ireland at the moment.

As someone whose first degree was an Arts degree, who is gainfully employed and who has never taught in a secondary school, I respectfully beg to differ.

areyawell wrote: »

It doesn't matter about the workload etc because ye only having 8 hours of lectures with degrees like computing, engineering computing have 30 hours + and the workload in computing is nearly unbearable.

The reason there are lower contact hours is because Arts / Humanities requires a lot of reading and self-directed learning rather than long-drawn-out labs where someone holds your hand through every facet of the process. And that is its strength for those who are interested, and yes, it's also what makes it unrewarding for those who are uninterested and really just looking to doss, you're right to that extent.

areyawell wrote: »

I know a lot of friends who did them and said it was the worst mistake they ever made.

I know a lot of people who did degrees in computing and say it was the worst mistake they ever made; they did it because they felt it enhanced their immediate employability (quite possibly a valid argument, especially in the current climate) and are bored silly and frustrated and itching to make a change.

Are we even now, or shall we continue to make sweeping generalisations on the basis of our personal circle of friends?

areyawell wrote: »

Look at irishjobs.ie and you will not see one job advertised that want someone with an arts degree.

You're right to that extent; few enough jobs will specifically seek someone with "an Arts degree", especially without specifying in what area, yet it is a perfectly acceptable qualification in many areas.

areyawell wrote: »

All had to go on and do a higer diploma in business or IT and then another year in Masters.

It's normal enough to do a postgrad of some sort and specialise after an Arts degree, yes, there we will agree. That said, I can only think of one person I know who chose to do it in either IT or business, but that may be down to the circles we move in. Perhaps because your own interest lies towards the computing area, you tend to know more people who share your interests?

Mind you, these days it's far from uncommon to do a postgrad / Masters anyway, regardless of area ... such as a Masters in Software Engineering, perhaps?

areyawell wrote: »

Whats an Arts degree students favorite phrase?
Do you want fries with that.

That "joke" is so old that it would probably have been scrawled on the walls of the loos in the Colosseum if they had had French fries back then! :rolleyes:

Of course it would have been scrawled in Latin, so nowadays it would take an Arts student to actually understand it ...

areyawell wrote: »

The mentailty seems to be as long as I can get into a university I'm happy

Sorry?

Oh, you mean 'mentality', I beg your pardon.

Yes, there are people like that in almost every degree course, but I would agree that Arts gets more than its fair share. They're the people who lead to the French fries joke, and the graffitti of "pull here for Arts degree" over the bogroll in university loos. Have you seen that one? ... it's an even older chestnut than the one you pulled out of your hat.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!!

In the eyes of those who can't be bothered to look too closely but prefer to rely on worn-out vapid cliches, they tend to obscure the majority who actually take their chosen field seriously and go on to become journalists, writers, youth / community / social workers, economists, lawyers, linguists / translators, teachers, psychologists, diplomats, etc., etc.

shawnanana

I have no idea what to put, i change my mind nearly every day! Probably something to do with Healthcare though and definitely something that involves working with people
I know I shouldn't base it just on the college but I'd love to go to UL or DCU!

internet_user

mind changes every day what course to pick! more than likely something business/I.T related

jamo2oo9

Jesus! Is it really open tomorrow? I thought it wasn't open till the end of November. Time really does fly when you're in 6th year :-O

Eurovisionmad

With regards to Arts up above:

FueledByAisling

Poufsouffle wrote: »

Veterinary Medicine will be number one, and that's about it..

I've always wanted to do vet nursing, I'm not the brightest of the bunch so with hard work 430 was achieveable. That shot up to 470 min now I know it's all like 'oh there's more than just ucd' but so many friends will be there,close to home,close to work, they have an equine team and they are the best college to do it in!

Brb while i go cry myself a river and torture myself for months to most likely fail to get 470.

Poufsouffle

FueledByAisling wrote: »

I've always wanted to do vet nursing, I'm not the brightest of the bunch so with hard work 430 was achieveable. That shot up to 470 min now I know it's all like 'oh there's more than just ucd' but so many friends will be there,close to home,close to work, they have an equine team and they are the best college to do it in!

Brb while i go cry myself a river and torture myself for months to most likely fail to get 470.

I've met a few vet nurses, all lovely people I'm sure if you put your mind to it you'll get the 470, hopefully we'll be seeing each other in the vet building in UCD in a few months

sganyfx

1st. Trinity - Economics and Maths
Other choices no yet ordered.

Trinity - Law, Mathematics, and BESS
UCD - Law With Economics, Economics and Finance, Mathematics, Actuarial and Financial Studies, and Law

UCAS (UK universities) - Economics at Cambridge, Warwick, University College London, London School of Economics and Politics, and the University of Bristol.

ScummyMan

Electronic and Computer Engineering in UL for me hopefully.

Flabangav

1. DN300 Veterinary Medicine - Undergraduate entry
2. DN451 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
3. TR911 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
4. DC218 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
5. DN450 General Nursing