GCSE, A-Levels...

Dizz

Hiyas I'm looking for info on GCSE's and A-Levels here in the Republic. I've a couple of Q's that maybe some enlightened soul could answer for me.

1) If one has GCSE's and one move down south where does one stand educationally?
2) Does one have to do another year in secondary schooling to get to 3rd level?
3) Can one go straight to 3rd level with just GCSE's?
4) Can one do A-Levels down south?

Also any links, sites, docs on the subject would be appreciated

Cheers

Dizz

Seraphina

methinks they only accept a-levels for getting into college, you'd really need to contact the department of education, or the college you're looking to attend.

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by IrishDizz
Hiyas I'm looking for info on GCSE's and A-Levels here in the Republic. I've a couple of Q's that maybe some enlightened soul could answer for me.

1) If one has GCSE's and one move down south where does one stand educationally?
2) Does one have to do another year in secondary schooling to get to 3rd level?
3) Can one go straight to 3rd level with just GCSE's?
4) Can one do A-Levels down south?

Also any links, sites, docs on the subject would be appreciated

Cheers

Dizz

1) GCSE's are equivalent to JC so you won't have to worry about sitting the Junior Cert here.
2) If you want to get into third level you'll need either a Leaving Cert or A-levels.
3) For the most part no, although there are some courses in certain colleges (not universities or IT's) that will let you in with just a Junior Cert.
4) Yes, there are some schools here that let you do A-levels, a few up in Dublin, one in Cork i think. If you are living in the middle of nowhere you might be in trouble though.

If you don't mind me asking what is your situation? ie what year are you in and what qualifications do you have?

Dizz

Cheers for the info Raskolnikov! It's not my situation, fortunately. It's a friend of my family's. I'm a big bad postgrad student! The thing is the gal wants to move down south (Dublin) and naturally wants to continue on with her education, naturally, but with only GCSE's under her belt she is unsure of the situation as regards moving down south. You mentioned that there are a few schools here in Dublin that do A-Levels - do you know of a few of them off hand?

Chowmein

You can do A-levels down here but as far as i know theres only one school in dublin that does it (Dublin Tutorial Institute). There fine for geting into collage here.

Dizz

Thanks Chowmein - Where abouts are they? They got a webpage?

Dizz

Dizz

Found them http://www.dtc.ie/

Anyone else know of places in Dublin that teach A-Levels?

Dizz

Raskolnikov

Originally posted by Chowmein
You can do A-levels down here but as far as i know theres only one school in dublin that does it (Dublin Tutorial Institute). There fine for geting into collage here.

Hmm i thought there were a few other places but as this website says i'm quite clearly wrong http://www.dtc.ie/

If she has just done her GCSE's then she could do the Leaving Cert without too many problems, however if she has already done a year with A-levels then she's best sticking with them.

DTC is fee paying though so your cuz might want to think about doing the LC if money's a problem.

Dizz

Yea GCSE's are done. If she was to go the LC route would that mean starting off in 5th year as opposed to 6th (my understanding is the GCSE syllabus is akin to 5th year here)? Who wants to spend an extra year in 2ndary - I mean no beer promos! Yea DTC is fees :S tho not as expensive as the institute (E4400!!!)

Dizz

claire h

Originally posted by IrishDizz
Yea GCSE's are done. If she was to go the LC route would that mean starting off in 5th year as opposed to 6th (my understanding is the GCSE syllabus is akin to 5th year here)? Who wants to spend an extra year in 2ndary - I mean no beer promos! Yea DTC is fees :S tho not as expensive as the institute (E4400!!!)

Dizz

Yep, she'd have to start in fifth year, the LC is a two-year course, like the A-levels. It doesn't mean an extra year though. 6th year in the north is the same as 5th year here.

eth0_

Originally posted by claire h
6th year in the north is the same as 5th year here.

Are you sure. UK education is more advanced than here, that's why degrees are only 3 years long in the UK.

Dizz

Yea I think it's the other way 'round 6th here is 5th there.

Dizz

claire h

Originally posted by IrishDizz
Yea I think it's the other way 'round 6th here is 5th there.

Dizz

Maybe in terms of what you're learning, but their final two years of school are sixth and seventh year, the equivalent to our fifth and sixth year. The A-levels are supposedly more advanced (although the English course, for example, is pretty much the same) but that's due to the fact that they only have three or four subjects to concentrate on, as opposed to seven (minimum) here.

Some degrees here are three years, btw...

eth0_

Originally posted by claire h

Some degrees here are three years, btw...

All degrees in ROI can be done in 3 years. 4 years is for an honours degree.

The UK education system is broader and of a better standard than the Irish system, believe me, I have studied under both, and I'd much rather have done my A-levels than my leaving cert.

seamus

Originally posted by eth0_
All degrees in ROI can be done in 3 years. 4 years is for an honours degree.

The UK education system is broader and of a better standard than the Irish system, believe me, I have studied under both, and I'd much rather have done my A-levels than my leaving cert.

Most degree here don't have a 4th year Honours degree, so your honour/pass grade is judged on the results of your finals.

Irish children tend to perform far better than English children at the same levels, so the system can't be better. That said, The A-level system is big difference, and is definitely something we should have here.

It should be noted though, that while the majority of Irish children go on to complete a leaving cert, more English children leave the system at GCSE level than go on to do A-levels.

Woden

Originally posted by eth0_
Are you sure. UK education is more advanced than here, that's why degrees are only 3 years long in the UK.

sorry i saw this and had to say thats just utter bollox, the UK education system is no more advanced than ours, in fact i would say the opposite, our education system forces us to study at least six subjects for the leaving cert while most english students take less A-levels than that, while they may study individual subjects in more detail, we have a more rounded education, also the length of ones degree is nothing to do with the education it is dependent on the course itself, nor can one stereotype the degree system by saying all pass degrees are over 3 years while all honours degrees are over 4 years. Another point of note is that not all degrees are judged on your final exams result, personally mine is split 40% based on 3rd year and 60% on fourth year

thats my tirade for the day

c ya's

Data