Not the best results? but still want to go to college? Here's how

Shano1996

Ok, so I thought I would let most of you that didn't do the best on the leaving cert that there is another way into college. It involves doing an extra year but its well worth it!

So this time last year I got 215 points on my leaving and was devastated and received no offers on CAO because i aimed for high science courses. I didn't want to go out into the world of work and be put on minimum wage for a job I'd hate so I applied to several colleges of further education and did interviews for plc course ( FETAC level 5 ).

I got a place in Laboratory Techniques course in Colaiste Dhulaigh and did the following subjects: biology, chemistry, physics, maths, anatomy & physiology, work experience, word processing, communications and laboratory skills. I finished in may 2014 and came out with 5 distinction grades which is what is required by most colleges to get in with a FETAC level 5 cert.

I got a round zero CAO offer for NUI Maynooth Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Chemistry which is what I wanted to do last year but my leaving cert results wouldnt allow me to.

I recommend anybody who is unsure whether they will get an offer next week or not, to apply to colleges of further education, just incase you dont get an offer! if you do, get an offer, ignore the letters for interviews from the college of further education and if you dont get an offer do a FETAC level 5 course for a year and get the results you need.

FETAC level 5 courses are so much easier than leaving cert because of continuous assessment (lab practicals and lab writeups) which is usually 40% of your overall mark and a end of year exam which accounts for the other 60%. Don't get me wrong, most of the material on the course is the same as leaving cert, its just easier to cope with as you have 40% before you even go into your exam because of continuous assessment and to be honest, the teachers mark your exam so easy so you're bound to get your distinction as long as you're determined and willing to put the work in. One more thing about the science exams is theres none of that " learn 28 experiments off by heart " bullsh*t like the leaving, you dont even have to remember the experiments because they are taken care of in the continuous assessment.

I did this for science but i'm sure there is other plc courses for other areas of study to use to get into college.

Thanks for reading, just wanted to help you boys and girls out there who f*cked up the leaving like me but still wanna get into a level 7 or 8 course.

If you have any questions about any of this, post them and I'll get back to you and let you know the suss.

rainbowtrout

I'd agree with what you have written above Shane. I am a PLC tutor myself and PLC is an excellent alternative route to college and the students that have come through my PLC over the years have had great success in going on to college.

However you mentioned one thing 'your teachers mark the exam so easy that you're bound to get a distinction'.

Not true. Now you obviously did well and best of luck in Maynooth, but PLC tutors have marking schemes to stick to, they also have external assessors coming into the check the work completed, who can and do change grades that don't meet the standards required.

It would be wrong to give out the idea that once you hand in any old piece of work that you would get a distinction, as it does a great disservice to the tutors working in PLC and to the students who work hard to earn those grades.


We had a student in our course this year who we were having a hard time getting projects out of towards the end of the year, when a tutor challenged him on it he said 'Sure won't it look bad on you if you give me a bad mark'. He was under the impression that we wouldn't fail him as it was a reflection on us.
We failed him as he didn't submit the work and didn't make the passing grade.

spurious

If you get a letter about an interview for a PLC place and will not be attending the interview, have the courtesy to ring them.

CheyK

I would definitely recommend the PLC route to anyone that wasn't happy with their results. I did a level 5 course in Business and IT and received a round zero offer to study Business in UL. If you don't feel like repeating is the way to go, then seriously consider a PLC. Once you're willing to put the work in, the course will open so many doors for you!

Rubberchikken

My son did a plc course in college of com cork this past year.
Believe me he earned his results, no easy marking there!

Would definitely recommend plc.