Primary Teaching CAO help

LC2016

So I've had my heart set on primary teaching for a while now and I currently have the 3 primary teaching courses as my top 3 with Mary I bring my preferred choice. However I'm starting to doubt now if I've done enough to get 470-480 to ensure I get the place with primary and fear I may miss it by 5/10 points.With that in mind I'm starting to wonder if I do miss it and still have primary teaching in mind, would it be best to the liberal arts course and then apply for the 2 year post grad or just do a business degree (which may be seen as a better degree and which I do have interest in) in UL and then apply for it after if I still want to. Will there be any benefits in doing liberal arts in Mary I over a business degree for getting into the 2 year post Grad and later becoming a teacher or are there any other better backways into teaching?

randylonghorn

Moved from LC ... I suspect the locals in T&L would be better able to advise you!

Crazyteacher

What subjects would you do within the liberal arts degree ? Don't panic and remove your primary teaching choices of your cao, keep them on and see what happens. You could do better than you think and points can drop. You need to them decide whether you would prefer doing the arts degree subjects or business. Make sure you have the one you prefer coming next after your primary choices on your cao. After that you have the option of doing the post grad in primary should you still want to at the end of your degree( either of them can get you in to primary), the arts one might have history or Geography or English which could would be beneficial to a primary teacher but also keeps you open for the option of secondary teaching. As would the business degree.

Just read the list on Limerick's liberal arts course. Loads of choice on it , if you were to do any subject , go with Irish ! Useful to primary and secondary.

mtoutlemonde

LC2016 wrote: »

So I've had my heart set on primary teaching for a while now and I currently have the 3 primary teaching courses as my top 3 with Mary I bring my preferred choice. However I'm starting to doubt now if I've done enough to get 470-480 to ensure I get the place with primary and fear I may miss it by 5/10 points.With that in mind I'm starting to wonder if I do miss it and still have primary teaching in mind, would it be best to the liberal arts course and then apply for the 2 year post grad or just do a business degree (which may be seen as a better degree and which I do have interest in) in UL and then apply for it after if I still want to. Will there be any benefits in doing liberal arts in Mary I over a business degree for getting into the 2 year post Grad and later becoming a teacher or are there any other better backways into teaching?

I concur with all information given but if there was even an inkling to teach at secondary - stay away from the business degree as it is seriously over subscribed so much so there is a quota on applicants for the PME (I don't know if this applies to the primary PME - probably not). Also if you are thinking of liberal arts - stay away from English/History/Geography as these are also over subscribed. As suggested by crazyteacher, take Irish as it will beneficial to both sectors. Best of luck with the results and have the confidence that you have done well.

James Bond Junior

Just to let you know that doing arts in Mary I is not a definite way into doing the postgrad. The amount of my peers who did arts with the hope of doing the postgrad was very high but the amount who actually got it was quite low. I don't want to be a grim reaper with that info but it's just something to bare in mind.

Pinkycharm

If you do go the liberal arts way, take the Irish. If you want to do primary teaching I would put that arts course before any in my opinion. If you want more information pm

everesteduc

Have a look at the PAC (Postgraduate Applications Centre) website. It will give you an indication of what grade you need in your degree to qualify for the PME. Points for entry to postgrad secondary teaching were higher a few years ago. They may have dropped because of the change to a 2 year course. You could always do the postgrad in the UK and return to Ireland. Just keep an eye on how the UK's exit from the EU will impact on Irish students in the UK.

everesteduc

Apologies. I thought you were talking about secondary teaching. Delete my above post Mod. Thanks

LC2016

Update: I ended up putting liberal arts above business and am now regretting it. Business has been my favourite subject to study and I think I would prefer the course over liberal arts. From what I gather, I have no option to switch to Business in UL from Mary I so at this point would my only choice be to repeat the LC if I don't get primary teaching even if I have the required amount of points for business?

Crazyteacher

LC2016 wrote: »

Update: I ended up putting liberal arts above business and am now regretting it. Business has been my favourite subject to study and I think I would prefer the course over liberal arts. From what I gather, I have no option to switch to Business in UL from Mary I so at this point would my only choice be to repeat the LC if I don't get primary teaching even if I have the required amount of points for business?

You can still study business even if you get liberal arts in the cao. When the offers come out look for vacant place applications on the cao site. They may or may not places in u Limerick for you but you never know what demand will be like. You could look for vacancies in the IT's too eve

Crazyteacher

LC2016 wrote: »

Update: I ended up putting liberal arts above business and am now regretting it. Business has been my favourite subject to study and I think I would prefer the course over liberal arts. From what I gather, I have no option to switch to Business in UL from Mary I so at this point would my only choice be to repeat the LC if I don't get primary teaching even if I have the required amount of points for business?

You can still study business even if you get liberal arts in the cao. When the offers come out look for vacant place applications on the cao site. They may or may not places in u Limerick for you but you never know what demand will be like. You could look for vacancies in the IT's too even on the level 6 list too and move up to level 7/8. Loads of options there.

As for doing the PME in primary teaching after your business degree. Your leaving cert points don't matter after your degree. Just the result of your degree and whether or not you have an honour in Irish.

The next option would be repeating and going for primary teaching points for next year.

Did you keep primary teaching before liberal arts on the cao?

LC2016

Crazyteacher wrote: »

You can still study business even if you get liberal arts in the cao. When the offers come out look for vacant place applications on the cao site. They may or may not places in u Limerick for you but you never know what demand will be like. You could look for vacancies in the IT's too even on the level 6 list too and move up to level 7/8. Loads of options there.

As for doing the PME in primary teaching after your business degree. Your leaving cert points don't matter after your degree. Just the result of your degree and whether or not you have an honour in Irish.

The next option would be repeating and going for primary teaching points for next year.

Did you keep primary teaching before liberal arts on the cao?

Oh really? I've been told that if I accept liberal arts in Mary I, I can't switch to a course in UL. Is that true? Yes I have 4 primary teaching courses top 4 (the one with psychology #1) Hopefully if I do just miss it by 5 or so, I'll get accepted to Marino which was 5 points less than Pats and Mary I last year.

endacl

everesteduc wrote: »

Apologies. I thought you were talking about secondary teaching. Delete my above post Mod. Thanks

Off topic, but....

You do know you can do that yourself...?

Crazyteacher

LC2016 wrote: »

Oh really? I've been told that if I accept liberal arts in Mary I, I can't switch to a course in UL. Is that true? Yes I have 4 primary teaching courses top 4 (the one with psychology #1) Hopefully if I do just miss it by 5 or so, I'll get accepted to Marino which was 5 points less than Pats and Mary I last year.

Its not switching courses but applying for other courses that might become available.

https://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=aboutVPL

A placé might not become available in UL , going on past vacancies its more likely to be vacancies in IT's. Have a look at the 2016 vacancy lists for example.
https://www.cao.ie/courses/vpl_courses.php

Galway Mayo IT had vacancies in business.

Glad to hear you kept those up on the list. Fingers crosssed you get the course you want:)

everesteduc

endacl wrote: »

Off topic, but....

You do know you can do that yourself...?

No I didn't. How do I do it?

spurious

I think there's a time limit, after which you can't delete it, but if you ever want something deleted, just PM a mod. As long as it does not disrupt the flow of the thread, they can do it for you.

LC2016

Well I was right! 465. Not sure how to feel. Slightly happy/slightly disappointed. We'll see what happens Monday!

LC2016

Just to let ye all know, I got Mary I !!! 465* I cannot believe how lucky I am! I was sure it would go up if anything! Absolutely delighted, shocked and excited to begin my career as a teacher Thanks to everyone for the reassurance and advice

Crazyteacher

Yes!!!! Congratulations. Go celebrate