Can anyone tell me about Waterford IT?

Lollipop95

(I did post this in the WIT forum but it seems dead so I wantedto post here too..)

I'm thinking of going to WIT in September. I'm 20 and did a plc in Galway this year. Galway is where I'm originally from and Waterford is over 2 hours away so I'm quite apprehensive about going there seeing as I wouldn't know anybody and I've never even been to Waterford. But I also think this could a good thing and might mature me.

The courses I have down are childcare,business(marketing with French), digital media and marketing.

If anyone could give me any advice (like accommodation) or share with me their experiences of WIT I'd really appreciate it

fiachr_a

It's better than the Royal College of Surgeons!

http://www.4icu.org/ie/

Digital Society

Youre asking way too wide a question.

Short answer its Grand.

Lollipop95

Lollipop95 wrote: »

(I did post this in the WIT forum but it seems dead so I wantedto post here too..)

I'm thinking of going to WIT in September. I'm 20 and did a plc in Galway this year. Galway is where I'm originally from and Waterford is over 2 hours away so I'm quite apprehensive about going there seeing as I wouldn't know anybody and I've never even been to Waterford. But I also think this could a good thing and might mature me.

The courses I have down are childcare,business(marketing with French), digital media and marketing.

If anyone could give me any advice (like accommodation) or share with me their experiences of WIT I'd really appreciate it

I only have experience with Waterford so my answer will be a bit biased.

Waterford is a grand little city you can walk from point to point anywhere within the city, its a very small and compact city. As long as you avoid a few dodgy areas you will be grand here.

Waterford Institute of Technology is a good college (I think so anyway). There is 4 places to get food at lunch within the college, there is a bar, a centra and multiple vending machines. The lecturers are very hit and miss (I'm sure every college is like that). The library is nice and good for studying. I am an I.T. student and the IT rooms could do with a bit of an upgrade but I everyone just uses their own laptop.

I don't live in student accommodation but there is lots around to choose from. There is some student accommodation on the campus and there is lots more all around in the states surrounding the college so there is plenty of places to live.

I am not really a party kind of person so I haven't experienced much of the night life as a student but there is good night life if that is your kind of thing. You will meet plenty of people down here who are in the same situation as you so I wouldn't worry to much about moving down.

Whatsisname

Also, if you get childcare, thats located in College St campus, a smaller campus just outside city centre. Riverwalk, Manor Village, Railway Sq, Garden Apts, De Bruin, Aylsbury would be the best options for accomodation for College St. All within a 10 minute walk.

Wanderer78

pretty much agree with all above but i do think we re all gonna be a bit biased here. dont forget about overall costs op. galway has some great colleges and of the university, and living at home will save you a lot. best of luck with whatever you decide.

dzilla

Waterford IT is a top insitution, I always like my time there and after taking on postgrad after in CIT in cork I think that WIT is miles ahead... I had to see CIT to understand how good WIT was.

I find WIT campus to be very modern also and within walking distance of everyrhing if you dont have a cae.

Be careful with the business stream of courses, WIT have flooded the market with business graduates in recent years. Best of luck.

Wanderer78

dzilla wrote: »

Be careful with the business stream of courses, WIT have flooded the market with business graduates in recent years. Best of luck.

good advice there but i think people should study whatever the hell they want and ignore all advice on choices. only you will know whats right for you and you wont know that until you try it. best of luck with it op

callaway92

dzilla wrote: »

Waterford IT is a top insitution, I always like my time there and after taking on postgrad after in CIT in cork I think that WIT is miles ahead... I had to see CIT to understand how good WIT was.

I find WIT campus to be very modern also and within walking distance of everyrhing if you dont have a cae.

Be careful with the business stream of courses, WIT have flooded the market with business graduates in recent years. Best of luck.

This is incorrect.

callaway92

callaway92 wrote: »

This is incorrect.

Yeah the computers in WIT can leave a lot to be desired in fairness.

dzilla

callaway92 wrote: »

This is incorrect.

How?

dzilla

dzilla wrote: »

How?

Maybe he is talking about the ancient computers in some of the IT rooms or the really cold lecture halls?

WIT is a lovely campus but it does also have its problems.

callaway92

Deleted User wrote: »

Maybe he is talking about the ancient computers in some of the IT rooms or the really cold lecture halls?

WIT is a lovely campus but it does also have its problems.

Ya these. I don't know where to start really when I'm talking about how poor WIT is in some parts.

True to your name LightOfTruth, you are correct about the ancient computers. Not only in the IT Building though, but also the computers that lecturers have to use in the classrooms. I have had countless classes either severely delayed or cancelled due to either a mess up with the projector not in sync with the computer or just the computer being rubbish in general.

Even for some lecturers, they can't actually get WiFi in their own rooms if what they say is true, which is some serious load of shíte.

Numerous rooms don't have WiFi, especially the ones at the end of the E & F corridors.

Heating in F01,F02 and F03 (the big lecture halls) is non-existent.

1 WIT Card machine for the whole college - idiots.

This is more a personal gripe here, but torrent downloading on WIT WiFi is now blocked too

The lack of Adobe Suite in the majority of the IT Labs is alarming, especially coming up towards the business end of semesters. Countless times over the years their has been promises to students and staff about upcoming upgrades but as always, WIT never ceases to amaze me with its lack of truth.

I'd always commend them on lecturer quality though, even though again, that is more of a personal opinion of someone in the school of business, so I can't really speak for Humanities etc.

callaway92

callaway92 wrote: »

Ya these. I don't know where to start really when I'm talking about how poor WIT is in some parts.

True to your name LightOfTruth, you are correct about the ancient computers. Not only in the IT Building though, but also the computers that lecturers have to use in the classrooms. I have had countless classes either severely delayed or cancelled due to either a mess up with the projector not in sync with the computer or just the computer being rubbish in general.

Even for some lecturers, they can't actually get WiFi in their own rooms if what they say is true, which is some serious load of shíte.

Numerous rooms don't have WiFi, especially the ones at the end of the E & F corridors.

Heating in F01,F02 and F03 (the big lecture halls) is non-existent.

1 WIT Card machine for the whole college - idiots.

This is more a personal gripe here, but torrent downloading on WIT WiFi is now blocked too

The lack of Adobe Suite in the majority of the IT Labs is alarming, especially coming up towards the business end of semesters. Countless times over the years their has been promises to students and staff about upcoming upgrades but as always, WIT never ceases to amaze me with its lack of truth.

On the WIT card issue I would say just top up via the mobile app if that is at all possible for you. It is terrible that they made it so its only possible to top up via 10 euro now though, surely they should know that as students having the 5 euro top up issue was handy.

I'd always commend them on lecturer quality though, even though again, that is more of a personal opinion of someone in the school of business, so I can't really speak for Humanities etc.

Yeah, I'm in computing and the lecturer quality can be excellent but there is one or two who just shock me that they ever got a job as lecturers. I have lecturer who shouldn't work with the public is all, is clearly mentally unstable.

I have also had the problems with classes being delayed due to projectors/computers being slow but I'm sure that is an issue in every college not just WIT. The wifi is was really bad a year ago but this year I find that it has quite improved a lot, it is shocking though that one of the worst buildings to get wifi in is the actual IT building. There are people working on projects in there that are actually building apps for mobile phones but yet they can't get wifi. Apparently the IT building is getting a big upgrade this summer with computers but its hard to know if its actually true or not.

Torrenting is blocked now but I use a vpn at all times anyway so torrenting still works for me

Wanderer78

callaway92 wrote: »

but torrent downloading on WIT WiFi is now blocked too

Deleted User wrote: »

Torrenting is blocked now but I use a vpn at all times anyway so torrenting still works for me

i use xbmc/kodi these days. vpn maybe required on campus

Wanderer78

Wanderer78 wrote: »

i use xbmc/kodi these days. vpn maybe required on campus

Yeah I have kodi set up on an android box under the television. I use torrents very rarely.

NaNaNa1

WIT has it's problems like all colleges (like the dodgy Wifi for days on end and the mangled computers you sometimes have in the labs) but the main standing out point for me is how personal it is. I'm a student in the school of business (Marketing!) and we have such a small class that we get to know our lecturers. It's a lot easier to interact, question and learn in a class of 20 then it is in a lecture hall of 100+. For instance I've had lecturers who'll go around and work with individuals on what they need help with which isn't something you'll likely find in a larger uni/college. My dream college was always UCD and I'd still love to maybe get my Masters there or maybe do some further study but WIT is a great learning environment in my opinion. It's often over looked but we have one of the best business schools in the country and despite the grievances, it's an enjoyable place to study in (and we do have great banter too. See any report of the college's Christmas Day for more information)
As for accommodation, Most stay in the Lismore Lawn area or in student areas. Riverwalk is nice but some call it shiverwalk because it's freezing in the winter and is costly to heat. Manor is suppose to be nice but I've never seen any of the accommodations there so I can't comment.

NaNaNa1

NaNaNa1 wrote: »

WIT has it's problems like all colleges (like the dodgy Wifi for days on end and the mangled computers you sometimes have in the labs) but the main standing out point for me is how personal it is. I'm a student in the school of business (Marketing!) and we have such a small class that we get to know our lecturers. It's a lot easier to interact, question and learn in a class of 20 then it is in a lecture hall of 100+. For instance I've had lecturers who'll go around and work with individuals on what they need help with which isn't something you'll likely find in a larger uni/college. My dream college was always UCD and I'd still love to maybe get my Masters there or maybe do some further study but WIT is a great learning environment in my opinion. It's often over looked but we have one of the best business schools in the country and despite the grievances, it's an enjoyable place to study in (and we do have great banter too. See any report of the college's Christmas Day for more information)

Yeah I do agree with you as a whole. WIT has its problems but overall I just like the college. It's a friendly place and a nice place to learn.

Wanderer78

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah I have kodi set up on an android box under the television. I use torrents very rarely.

what box have you? feel free to pm to keep thread on topic

Wanderer78

Wanderer78 wrote: »

what box have you? feel free to pm to keep thread on topic

Just the standard 40 euro one, can't remember the name of it even tbh. Just picked it up on aliexpress and its grand, nothing special but does the job.

callaway92

NaNaNa1 wrote: »

WIT has it's problems like all colleges (like the dodgy Wifi for days on end and the mangled computers you sometimes have in the labs) but the main standing out point for me is how personal it is. I'm a student in the school of business (Marketing!)

Ya same, and I've never had any issues

Digital Society

Id love to see this magical building that caters to over 10k people a day and has no problems.

callaway92

Digital Society wrote: »

Id love to see this magical building that caters to over 10k people a day and has no problems.

What are you talking about?

Digital Society

callaway92 wrote: »

What are you talking about?

You're saying W.I.T. isn't modern. Name me a modern college?

hardybuck

Digital Society wrote: »

You're saying W.I.T. isn't modern. Name me a modern college?

DCU.

callaway92

Digital Society wrote: »

You're saying W.I.T. isn't modern. Name me a modern college?

WIT is FAR from modern. Please don't try to spin it the other way.

callaway92

callaway92 wrote: »

WIT is FAR from modern. Please don't try to spin it the other way.

Ahhhhhh now


W.I.T. does have its problems and no one is saying that it doesn't, but there is some parts of WIT that are very nice and modern looking. The Walton building is a lovely building, only problem with it is the comptuers which are getting upgraded this year apparently. The new Tourism building is also very nice and modern. To say that WIT is far from modern isn't really fair, its not as if its some old sh!ithole or anything. It does have its problems, there has been cut backs, wifi can suck at times, rooms can be cold etc etc.

As a whole I think its a very modern and nice enough college, that does have some problems, but what college doesn't?.

Digital Society

Deleted User wrote: »

Ahhhhhh now

what college doesn't?.

DCU apparently.

Up there on their solid gold heated seats while the W.I.T. Marketing lads are sitting on bales of hay.

Digital Society

Digital Society wrote: »

DCU apparently.

Up there on their solid gold heated seats while the W.I.T. Marketing lads are sitting on bales of hay.

I don't know about Marketing but for example my Partner is doing Pharmaceutical Science in WIT. Apparently in WIT the students gets lots of lab tutorials which they don't get in DCU. When the students graduate the WIT students come out with lots more hand on lab experience, which can be is useful in the industry, thus puts them ahead of the people doing the same course in UCD when looking for jobs. Apparently DCU focuses much more on theory, that is an upside for WIT surely.

Maybe the Business side of things are different in WIT, I only know about the computing side myself and Science side through my gf.

Digital Society

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't know about Marketing but for example my Partner is doing Pharmaceutical Science in WIT. Apparently in WIT the students gets lots of lab tutorials which they don't get in DCU. When the students graduate the WIT students come out with lots more hand on lab experience, which can be is useful in the industry, thus puts them ahead of the people doing the same course in UCD when looking for jobs. Apparently DCU focuses much more on theory, that is an upside for WIT surely.

Maybe the Business side of things are different in WIT, I only know about the computing side myself and Science side through my gf.

Magpies is what they call them. People who think the shinier something is the better it is. Pretentious business ****e.

Keep it real with Pharma and I.T.

Thats where the jobs are.

Digital Society

Digital Society wrote: »

Magpies is what they call them. People who think the shinier something is the better it is. Pretentious business ****e.

Keep it real with Pharma and I.T.

Thats where the jobs are.

There is some brilliant IT lecturers in the college. There are one or two that are terrible but as a whole majority of them are excellent. I'd say Peter Carew would have to be best programming lecturer in the country or close to it.