College is a time when you get to experience so many new things and have some of the best years of your life. Choosing what one you want to put down on your CAO however, isn’t quite a walk in the park.
Constant ads are constantly put in your face about which college is truly the best. Today, we’re going to make it a little easier for you to choose what suits you and help you to look out for what is important. There are hundreds of open days due to take place around Ireland over the next few weeks, pick up a few of our tips to make sure you get the most out of each trip.
It’s important to look around when on campus to see what facilities the college provides. For example, what kind of restaurants they offer, the shops they have and what times they open and close at. If there are limited options, then there’s a chance you’ll be stuck with the same eatery every day, even if it’s expensive. See if the campus has a nice atmosphere too. Is there some any nature for you to relax between study and exams?
Depending on who you are, you might feel a bit down if there is nowhere to sit or no nature around you to enjoy. The size of the campus is also important as the bigger the campus the less likely you are to get to know people or encounter events. So, see what makes you comfortable.
The outskirts of campus are very important. When going to a new college, you will be expected to travel or live near the campus. If the campus is in the middle of nowhere it might be harder to live within walking distance if that’s what suits you. If it is in a town or city however, the accommodation prices are likely to be more expensive.
Moving out isn’t always something students want to do, so if you are looking for somewhere far away check out what commuter options there are. A good tip when visiting on an open day is to take a walk through the town, see what facilities are on offer and if you could see yourself living in this place and going to college there every week.
If there’s anything that should set your mind on a college, it’s what courses they have to offer. There are lots of options to choose from. A good way to find out if you would like to do the course is by getting to know students who are currently enrolled in the course or past alumni and asking them questions.
See how they view their experience and the structure of the course. Compare that to other places and see what you think has the best outcome. Looking at what jobs some people have got from the course can also be a good way to see if this is the one for you.
It’s good to look at your student’s union. A step most incoming students choose to skip. It’s not all about the parties and events. See who’s the presidents, who supports your welfare and equality and read into what’s being done to improve your student experience.
You want to be part of a college that cares about you. But also check out what they do to make the place fun for you, see what events they have and how often they are run because nobody needs a boring SU.
Getting a tour of the place will show you what it feels like to walk around and experience this college. It will introduce you to the buildings, where stuff is and most importantly what services are available to you.
Student services can be very important and it’s also fun to hear the history of the college you are going into.
By going on a tour, you will be informed of the student services that are there for you if you need any help. These include doctors, counselors and financial advisors. Asking questions about these services is helpful to any incoming student.
For the next couple of years these people will be the ones to help you if you need anything. College can be a stressful time so it’s important to find out about these things.
In secondary school, you are given a pile of textbooks to read from and that’s it, job done. In university, you will find these textbooks in the library. When visiting Open Days, the library can seem like a simple thing.
Looking inside is useful, you can see how much space it has to offer, the collection of books and material that is open to you and any other facilities like lab rooms for courses that require graphic design or development.
Everybody is different! You won’t find anything out if you don’t ask, it would be good to come with a couple of questions written down and ask whoever is around. It might be the difference maker and decide if you are going to this college or the other one.
Even if you are unsure about a subject but kind of like the sound of it then go to the talk. In university there is plenty of chances to choose subjects or electives and if you don’t have more than one you like, you might get stuck. Write a list of the ones you find even the slightest bit interesting and go to the talks.
You should get a pretty good idea from the talks whether this subject is something you would like or not. If you do get accepted to a college there are generally subject talks on again so if you forget something go again to refresh the memory.
When visiting a university, you’ll know how you feel about it after stepping into it. Don’t fight that gut feeling. Don’t go to a college simply because of the parties or because this is where your friends are going. Go somewhere because that’s where you want to be.
With all these tips and tricks, hopefully the stress of the leaving cert and CAO can get dropped down a peg. It’s all going to be over in the not too distant future and in the meantime you can make sure you are well prepared. Good luck and enjoy it!
Passionate about all things creative including food and hoping to spread a few good messages. I believe the most important thing you’ll ever do is stay true to yourself, so be free and be you!
Comments are closed.
College is a time when you get to experience so many new things and have some of the best years of your life. Choosing what one you want to put down on your CAO however, isn’t quite a walk in the park.
Constant ads are constantly put in your face about which college is truly the best. Today, we’re going to make it a little easier for you to choose what suits you and help you to look out for what is important. There are hundreds of open days due to take place around Ireland over the next few weeks, pick up a few of our tips to make sure you get the most out of each trip.
It’s important to look around when on campus to see what facilities the college provides. For example, what kind of restaurants they offer, the shops they have and what times they open and close at. If there are limited options, then there’s a chance you’ll be stuck with the same eatery every day, even if it’s expensive. See if the campus has a nice atmosphere too. Is there some any nature for you to relax between study and exams?
Depending on who you are, you might feel a bit down if there is nowhere to sit or no nature around you to enjoy. The size of the campus is also important as the bigger the campus the less likely you are to get to know people or encounter events. So, see what makes you comfortable.
The outskirts of campus are very important. When going to a new college, you will be expected to travel or live near the campus. If the campus is in the middle of nowhere it might be harder to live within walking distance if that’s what suits you. If it is in a town or city however, the accommodation prices are likely to be more expensive.
Moving out isn’t always something students want to do, so if you are looking for somewhere far away check out what commuter options there are. A good tip when visiting on an open day is to take a walk through the town, see what facilities are on offer and if you could see yourself living in this place and going to college there every week.
If there’s anything that should set your mind on a college, it’s what courses they have to offer. There are lots of options to choose from. A good way to find out if you would like to do the course is by getting to know students who are currently enrolled in the course or past alumni and asking them questions.
See how they view their experience and the structure of the course. Compare that to other places and see what you think has the best outcome. Looking at what jobs some people have got from the course can also be a good way to see if this is the one for you.
It’s good to look at your student’s union. A step most incoming students choose to skip. It’s not all about the parties and events. See who’s the presidents, who supports your welfare and equality and read into what’s being done to improve your student experience.
You want to be part of a college that cares about you. But also check out what they do to make the place fun for you, see what events they have and how often they are run because nobody needs a boring SU.
Getting a tour of the place will show you what it feels like to walk around and experience this college. It will introduce you to the buildings, where stuff is and most importantly what services are available to you.
Student services can be very important and it’s also fun to hear the history of the college you are going into.
By going on a tour, you will be informed of the student services that are there for you if you need any help. These include doctors, counselors and financial advisors. Asking questions about these services is helpful to any incoming student.
For the next couple of years these people will be the ones to help you if you need anything. College can be a stressful time so it’s important to find out about these things.
In secondary school, you are given a pile of textbooks to read from and that’s it, job done. In university, you will find these textbooks in the library. When visiting Open Days, the library can seem like a simple thing.
Looking inside is useful, you can see how much space it has to offer, the collection of books and material that is open to you and any other facilities like lab rooms for courses that require graphic design or development.
Everybody is different! You won’t find anything out if you don’t ask, it would be good to come with a couple of questions written down and ask whoever is around. It might be the difference maker and decide if you are going to this college or the other one.
Even if you are unsure about a subject but kind of like the sound of it then go to the talk. In university there is plenty of chances to choose subjects or electives and if you don’t have more than one you like, you might get stuck. Write a list of the ones you find even the slightest bit interesting and go to the talks.
You should get a pretty good idea from the talks whether this subject is something you would like or not. If you do get accepted to a college there are generally subject talks on again so if you forget something go again to refresh the memory.
When visiting a university, you’ll know how you feel about it after stepping into it. Don’t fight that gut feeling. Don’t go to a college simply because of the parties or because this is where your friends are going. Go somewhere because that’s where you want to be.
With all these tips and tricks, hopefully the stress of the leaving cert and CAO can get dropped down a peg. It’s all going to be over in the not too distant future and in the meantime you can make sure you are well prepared. Good luck and enjoy it!
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Passionate about all things creative including food and hoping to spread a few good messages. I believe the most important thing you’ll ever do is stay true to yourself, so be free and be you!
Comments are closed.