Depression/anxiety 33yo is it to late to finish school?

decisions77

Hi everyone. I’m going to tell you a bit about my self. I’m 33yo and I’m from another state in EU. When I was little my parents and I moved to states… when I was 16 we moved to Ireland. In states we learned different subjects then in Ireland. I had 3 more years till I’d finish secondary school. But the thing is my birthday is late in October and they’ve decided to put me a grade forward so I then had 2 years to finish school.

Fast forward it was leaving cert time and boy have I have I failed big time. I’m not stupid and I’m not smart either but the way they teach here is a lot different also new subjects that I’ve never learned in my life and also that one missed year was a lot for me. I wasn’t up for it for them to put me in a year forward but it wasn’t my decision.

Now I’m 33 I have a family and just got to thinking that god I’d love to go to college and do something with my life.

But in my head I just think it’s too late now. As if I was to go back and do my leaving cert again I just know I’m not gonna pass it because I just don’t know most of the subjects.

Or am I really that stupid and if I tried more back then would have I passed?

Was it my schools fault that they put me a year forward and didn’t pass my LC….

God just so many unanswered questions that are going through my head and don’t know what to do with my life.

Does anyone had this problem? Also if I wanted to do my LC again, how long would I have to go to school for? Or are there any schools that do online learning? Do I need a LC to go to college if I’m this old?

I’m so lost guys… for any help I would be thankful for.

Geuze

There are loads of routes into various forms of post-school education, for people who don't have a LC.

Simi

You might find some useful info here OP

https://collegeconnect.ie/your-education/your-journey/routes-to-college/

This website can tell you about specific courses in your area https://www.fetchcourses.ie/

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Eever too late - I retrained a few years older than you are and got a job within a year, and loads of people go back to third level as nature students.

The trick is to find something you genuinely have an interest in and study that. Find out what you need (if anything) and how to go about learning. You might not even need a leaving cert or can get into training and education without one

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058364280/depression-anxiety-33yo-is-it-to-late-to-finish-school

Never to late OP

I always say education is the thing most worth while investing in as it can never be taken away from you/you never lose it, you have it forever.

Schools are fundamentally flawed with regard to what happened you. Leaving Cert is just a piece of paper, matters to people going in on CAO (which is also fundamentally flawed).

darragh o meara

Its never too late, I personally completed my Leaving Cert at 22, went back to college at 30 and finished at 35. Im 43 now and looking to return part time to college again next year.

BTW, when I done the leaving cert most of the people on the course were 35+ up as far as 60!!

In college the age range was 25-55

As for your questions: At the time it was 2 yrs for Leaving cert and as far as I remember you need the LC to enroll in college but if your a mature student the points arent that important once you meet the enrollment requirements.

If you want to do it, the means are there to do it.. Look up VTOS, this is how I started.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/further-education-and-training/vocational-training-opportunities-scheme/

jethrothe2nd

I went to uni at 46. It's never too late.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122501359#Comment_122501359

Just be aware that the VTOS programme is coming to an end in some or all ETB's City of Dublin ETB are not accepting any new intake from the start of the next academic year. Other ETB's may still offer it.

LilacNails

What age is too late to start college?

Go for it op. I went back at 31, it's very difficult and a big adjustment but with support you'll be fine. So many people have done it and say it was the best thing they have done. There's been many days and weeks I wanted to pack it all in, but I reminded myself of the times I wish I'd gone back sooner, and what a better position I would be by going back and completing it.

Go for it. If it doesn't work out, or turns out not to be what you want, you can drop out. But I strongly recommend give it a year.

Best of luck

witchgirl26

Never too late! One of my best friends from college was in her late 30's when we started. She had a bad leaving cert as she'd been undiagnosed dyslexia so just called stupid (which she wasn't). She came out with a really great college degree thanks to supports given for learning to her & went on to get a professional qualification too.

L1011

The earlier year they could have put you in to would have been Transition Year and would not have helped with studying for the Leaving realistically - there is only some small amount of actual class work done during the year, and much of it is scattered across the elective subjects to help people pick those rather than giving any head-start of the LC course.

Its a huge effort to do in two years, with no experience of the subject material, way things are taught etc; and moving country just before it certainly makes it harder.

I know plenty of people who have done LC subjects, or the full thing, as adults. I also know people who have gone on to do degree level courses without it - some courses mature route entry doesn't require LC to begin with; others have done L5/L6 courses and gone on from there. Never too old.

Teapot30

If you contact your local ETB they should have a free guidance counselling service that can help you decide what you want to do. Allot of people go to college without a leaving cert, its not a big deal. You can do a Fetac course within an adult education setting in an area of study that you choose and you can work your way up from there. I have a friend who started this journey at 32, she started off by doing a level 5 in healthcare studies and now she's a qualified nurse, ive another friend who left school at 16 without a leaving and is now a teacher. Theres always a way. You'll get funding too so you wont have to pay it all by yourself.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/further-education-and-training/returning-to-education/