My son says he’s not interested in applying to go to college via the CAO. He says there are lots of alternative options which sound more appealing. I worry, though, that he will lose out on career opportunities and earning potential by not getting a degree.
The key to choosing the right course is focusing on what kind of learning experience you will have – and this differs hugely between further education, apprenticeships, traineeships and college degrees.
So many influences can distract and distort a school leaver’s perspective on what is, in many cases, a three-to-four-year commitment. These can include parental expectations (or their perception of such expectations), peer influences and misunderstanding the actual content of a course.
The reality of life once a school leaver commences their studies or training in whichever option they choose is this: they must meet the requirements of the course, attend lectures, engage in tutorial groups, submit essays or papers, commute in good and bad weather to early morning lectures, no matter what they were doing the previous evening.
Unlike second level there are no guard rails to support them, no teachers monitoring them daily, no parent-teacher meetings to help keep them on track. They must do it all on their own. When the reality of that becomes self-evident as the autumn days turn into winter, their perceived parental or peer expectations won’t get them out of bed on a cold January morning.
[ Apprenticeships: ‘It’s like the country got nearly a bit too snobby or elitist when it came to education’Opens in new window ]
The only thing that will is a student’s genuine interest and engagement with the course.
Remember that thousands of students drop out of their courses in first year. Many do not realise there is a heavy financial penalty if they wish to go back to college again and take another course.
The State – through the Higher Education Authority – funds each eligible applicant for one funding round in each year of a student’s academic journey only. A student who is funded, for example, through the first year of a level eight degree will face a charge including registration of €8,000–10,000 for a repeat year.
[ Change of mind: A selection of courses for school-leavers to considerOpens in new window ]
The saddest scenario occurs when a student realises that they are in the wrong course but do have not the courage to inform their parents and pretend to be still engaged with their programme and inadvertently continue to use up their HEA funding. (The relevant funding cut-off dates to drop out of a course are in October and February.)
So, don’t get too hung up on whether he goes to further or higher education. These days there are more ways than ever to move between further and higher education. The key is that he makes an informed choice on whatever course or career path he opts for – and that he makes it for the right reason.
