Cao

Crania

Anyone filled out thier CAO Form yet?

I really don't know what I'll put down. Basically I have two different kinda strands to pick from. I think I'd really like Psychology so I'm considering putting that down No. 1(wouldn't get the points for TCD, but I'd say I'd get into UCD). However I'm also interested in something along the lines of History, Economics and Politics so I've been considering putting down HistPol in TCD, maybe a TSM in History and Economics in TCD, BESS in TCD, PPES(the new one) in TCD and then maybe also Economics, Politics and Law in DCU.

I think myself there's kinda pro's and con's to both options. For the Psych option, I think I would like it, but it's hard to know. I don't do a Science subject and maybe it might be to "sciency". Also, the long road to actually becoming a proper Clinical Psychologist is quite arduous and daunting and even after my initial 3/4 year degree, I would have to do a further 3 years of post-grad study which is a very long route. However I do think it would be a very interesting and varied career choice and I think I'd love it. But, even after you get your Clinical Psychology masters there's still not all that many jobs around.

For the History/Politics/Economics route, the advantages would be that I really love all those three areas and I know I would enjoy studying Histroy and Politics(maybe not Economics so much as I love it at LC level but a lot of people say it gets very mathematical at Third Level which I don't think I'd like). However, many people say that it's important not to fall into the trap of doing what you really like in college and there's also the possibility that I won't get a job of any real substance. However I'm not exactly sure what I want to do so maybe the more broader degree(something like BESS) would be better for me and wouldn't tie me down as much as something like Psych would.

I just really don't know! If anyone has filled in their CAO, post it up here so I can be jealous of your decisiveness!

kisaragi

Well.... You could always apply to psychology in Maynooth... that way in first year you combine it with 2 arts subjects (history and politic or economics or whatever if they don't clash with psych), and then in 2nd year you can A) continue with psychology or Drop psychology and continue on with your other two subjects.... Just a suggestion ^.^

PurpleFistMixer

many people say that it's important not to fall into the trap of doing what you really like in college

... why? I thought you're MEANT to do what you really like in college...

Did my CAO the other day, was meant to do it at the end of november but things sort of got in the way. It went as follows (If I can even remember right!):

Maths - TCD
Core - NCAD
Computer Science, Linguistics and Irish - TCD
Architecture - DIT
Engineering - TCD
Visual Communications - DIT
Visual Communications - IADT
Maths - Maynooth
Architecture - UCD
Computer Science - TCD

I'm probably going to change it later though, not really all that certain still!

And the one level6/7 I have down so far is:

Baking and Pastry Arts Management - DIT

Yum!

Woop_01

CoolCiaran wrote: »

Anyone filled out thier CAO Form yet?

I really don't know what I'll put down. Basically I have two different kinda strands to pick from. I think I'd really like Psychology so I'm considering putting that down No. 1(wouldn't get the points for TCD, but I'd say I'd get into UCD). However I'm also interested in something along the lines of History, Economics and Politics so I've been considering putting down HistPol in TCD, maybe a TSM in History and Economics in TCD, BESS in TCD, PPES(the new one) in TCD and then maybe also Economics, Politics and Law in DCU.

I think myself there's kinda pro's and con's to both options. For the Psych option, I think I would like it, but it's hard to know. I don't do a Science subject and maybe it might be to "sciency". Also, the long road to actually becoming a proper Clinical Psychologist is quite arduous and daunting and even after my initial 3/4 year degree, I would have to do a further 3 years of post-grad study which is a very long route. However I do think it would be a very interesting and varied career choice and I think I'd love it. But, even after you get your Clinical Psychology masters there's still not all that many jobs around.

For the History/Politics/Economics route, the advantages would be that I really love all those three areas and I know I would enjoy studying Histroy and Politics(maybe not Economics so much as I love it at LC level but a lot of people say it gets very mathematical at Third Level which I don't think I'd like). However, many people say that it's important not to fall into the trap of doing what you really like in college and there's also the possibility that I won't get a job of any real substance. However I'm not exactly sure what I want to do so maybe the more broader degree(something like BESS) would be better for me and wouldn't tie me down as much as something like Psych would.

I just really don't know! If anyone has filled in their CAO, post it up here so I can be jealous of your decisiveness!

Ok for psychology it self . Yes it is very extremely problematical to study . And not like most people thing it will be . It require a vast amount of mathematics . And not to be done on computers . Only paper hand done . I would say form what most people have inform me about the psychology for science will be it would have a better help if you studied biology at higher level for LC. After all psychology does not look like what it is . That what happens to people when the study it in first year . And its third level maths after all. I hope this helps you with your choices:)

SRFC90

whens the deadline? 31st of january?

rainbowtrout

CoolCiaran wrote: »

Anyone filled out thier CAO Form yet?

I really don't know what I'll put down. Basically I have two different kinda strands to pick from. I think I'd really like Psychology so I'm considering putting that down No. 1(wouldn't get the points for TCD, but I'd say I'd get into UCD). However I'm also interested in something along the lines of History, Economics and Politics so I've been considering putting down HistPol in TCD, maybe a TSM in History and Economics in TCD, BESS in TCD, PPES(the new one) in TCD and then maybe also Economics, Politics and Law in DCU.

I think myself there's kinda pro's and con's to both options. For the Psych option, I think I would like it, but it's hard to know. I don't do a Science subject and maybe it might be to "sciency". Also, the long road to actually becoming a proper Clinical Psychologist is quite arduous and daunting and even after my initial 3/4 year degree, I would have to do a further 3 years of post-grad study which is a very long route. However I do think it would be a very interesting and varied career choice and I think I'd love it. But, even after you get your Clinical Psychology masters there's still not all that many jobs around.

For the History/Politics/Economics route, the advantages would be that I really love all those three areas and I know I would enjoy studying Histroy and Politics(maybe not Economics so much as I love it at LC level but a lot of people say it gets very mathematical at Third Level which I don't think I'd like). However, many people say that it's important not to fall into the trap of doing what you really like in college and there's also the possibility that I won't get a job of any real substance. However I'm not exactly sure what I want to do so maybe the more broader degree(something like BESS) would be better for me and wouldn't tie me down as much as something like Psych would.

I just really don't know! If anyone has filled in their CAO, post it up here so I can be jealous of your decisiveness!

There's no rush to make a decision, you can apply to the CAO and have 'pending' as you option on your course choice list (not sure how you do this online) and then make your decisions when the change of mind forms come out in May. The important thing is to have submitted your application by February 1st. Even that in itself is not the end of the world as there is a late application until some date in May, but it costs more. Once the change of mind comes into play you have until the 1st of July to change your mind as many times as you want, so conceivably you can still make changes after you have finished the exams.


The only courses you must put down on your CAO form before Feb 1st are those that require an interview/portfolio type assessment beforehand (eg Art) as the assessments normally happen before the end of the school year, but going on what you have listed, it doesn't apply to you.

So there's no big panic, you can always change it. Just don't try applying on Jan 30/31st when the whole country are trying to do the same and the system grinds to a halt (like last year).

On subject area I would say go for what you like, no point studying something you don't like just because it has better job prospects - who wants to end up doing a job they don't like. I wouldn't be too worried about how long a course takes, time passes very fast in college, better to spend a longer time studying something you like than 3 or 4 years studying something else just to get in and out of college quicker, and then end up going back in the future because you don't like what you're doing.

the few years (whether that be 4 or 7) you spend in college is very short in comparison with the 40 or so years you'll spend working after it.

good luck with whatever course you pick.

Xhristy

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qz

A word of advice for prospective Leaving Cert sitters, don't leave your CAO to the last minute or you'll find yourself doing it online at 4am the night before cause the website won't actually be crashing every other second. Seriously, get it out of the way before Christmas.

JC 2K3

CoolCiaran wrote: »

However, many people say that it's important not to fall into the trap of doing what you really like in college

Thats bollocks. You should 100% do something you like and not be thinking about job prospects at this stage.

Timans

Yeah, don't know what you mean Ciarán. Surely that's a typo?

I did mine today.

Level 8 Choices wrote:

1. TR005 Philosophy.
2. TR209 Economics/Philosophy.
3. TR660 Philosophy/Psychology.
4. TR213 Economics/Spanish.
5. TR015 Philosophy, Political Science, Economics and Sociology.
6. LM114 Music, Media and Performance Technology
7. DN059 Arts (International) - Spanish
8. DN012 Arts
9. DC132 Journalism

I know it's stupid to have Phil/Psych as option 3 when it's higher points than my first choice but meh, I'm thinking of doing Psychology and I thought I'd throw it down, I'm sure I'll be changing my mind multiple times with the order. I'll be throwing Arts in UCD down there soon as well.

Level 7 Choices wrote:

1. LC701 Music Technology and Production.
2. DK761 Applied Cultural Studies (Language).
3. CR640 Culinary Arts.

Always been interested in sound engineering so want to keep that option alive.

Cokehead Mother

Timans wrote: »

I know it's stupid to have Phil/Psych as option 3 when it's higher points than my first choice but meh

A) The points aren't higher, they won't be announced until August 2008.

ORDER OF PREFERANCE.

Why people can't grasp these things I'll never understand.

Timans

I agree, it is order of preference. I am just saying that is pointless having it down at all as if I get 565, I'll be offered Philosophy anyway, regardless. So, it's pointless having it there.

And, Phil/Psych WILL be at least above 530 so, it WILL be higher than Philosophy.

PurpleFistMixer

Xhristy, which language are you choosing for CSLL?

1huge1

Haven't sent it off yet as I might change it over x mass

1:BCom International with chinese (commerce with chinese basically): UCC
2:Commerce: UCC
3:Business Studies: UL
4:Business Information Studies:UCC
5:Business Studies with German: UL
6:BCom International with German: UCC

Xhristy

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JC 2K3

Trinity is the best college, nothing poncy about wanting to go there.

PurpleFistMixer

Xhristy wrote: »

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Ah I'd be doing Irish, I'd say all the CSLL students would know each other though.

Xhristy

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regob

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Trinity is the best college, nothing poncy about wanting to go there.

prove to me that it is the best

PurpleFistMixer

25 sounds a bit optimistic.

I was at the 12 talk, missed the first one. CSLL is only my third choice though so I dunno if I'll be doing it.

Xhristy

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PurpleFistMixer

Ahh right. I do recall that. I was the girl in the second row, near the edge, asking about Irish and Gaeltachts and stuff.

Timans

Irish.

Ewww..

Xhristy

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Mark200

Xhristy wrote: »

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You will see ME in the computer science ones (I'm just doing CS....)..but it's definately my first option and I presume we'd be in some of the same classes.

philologos

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Trinity is the best college, nothing poncy about wanting to go there.

It depends on what course you intend to study.

Xhristy

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JC 2K3

It's actually a third of your classes.

But that's just me being pedantic.

I'm glad to see such an interest in CS/CSLL.

PurpleFistMixer

The CS component is actually 50% of the course.

JC 2K3

Perhaps it is, but they're only in 1/3 of the pure CS course's classes(ie. they do Programming and Maths classes whereas CS students do Programming, Maths, Computing(hardware/assembly code), Digital Logic, Electrotechnology/Telecommunications and Computers & Society). I think CSLL students have an extra seminar on other aspects of computing that CS students don't do, but I don't know anything about that.

PurpleFistMixer

But to be pedantic, it is still technically 50% of the CSLL course, which is what you were referring to. : p

Now who doesn't love a bit of nitpicking on a wednesday afternoon.

*gets back to her leaving cert*

carlowboy

Out of interest, what programming language is used in TCD for first years? Over here in DCU, for Computer Apps and Financial and Actuarial Maths students, it's java which is quite handy but seldom used for actuaries!

Xhristy

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JC 2K3

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

But to be pedantic, it is still technically 50% of the CSLL course, which is what you were referring to. : p

I was referring to classes, not classes weighted by their worth in terms of your final grade.... CSLL students have more than 4 classes....

I actually made a mistake in that I was referring to the fraction of classes CS students shared with CSLL students rather than the fraction of classes CSLL students shared with CS students, but it's still not 50%.

carlowboy

Xhristy wrote: »

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Same as over here then!

1huge1

This is driving me up the wall

Usually im on top of these things but where the hell do we get our exam numbers? I can't fill in my form online without it.

tabouli

I did mine a few weeks ago and I didn't need an exam number. Are you sure you've registered? You get a number after you do that.

Xhristy

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Nanaki

not filled out yet, but putting Computer Applications in DCU 1st, and various other Computer science courses down as far a 6 just as a precaution in case the 300 places get filled in dcu =P roflol

spinandscribble

as someone studying psychology i can tell you the bio can be easily picked up if you apply yourself. i never studied science before and thats one of my better sections. you're wrong about the lack of jobs in clinical. my cousin works in a recruitment agency and says there is great demand. however there are many other fields to consider, i myself want to try art therapy.
also its a even longer road to clinical as you have to do at least one MA and THEN a few years of work experience or vounlteer work before you get to apply for your clinical MA. also the certs you get in ireland allow you to work in the uk and if you go down the ABA route you're qualified to work ANYWHERE in the world.

dan719

regob wrote: »

prove to me that it is the best

Well your obviously not there for a start, oh and highest ranked University on the island of Ireland means something too.

dan719

dan719 wrote: »

Well your obviously not there for a start, oh and highest ranked University on the island of Ireland means something too.

Say it now and say it loud:

College rankings are meaningless.
College rankings are meaningless.
College rankings are meaningless.

Chunky Monkey

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Trinity is the best college, nothing poncy about wanting to go there.

It is apparently the best for some of the arts subjects but is in fact the worst for subjects such as medicine. Would be interested to hear what you base your assumption on.

Chunky Monkey

Myth wrote: »

Say it now and say it loud:

College rankings are meaningless.
College rankings are meaningless.
College rankings are meaningless.

Agreed There's so many factors, you can't just turn around and say one college is the best fullstop.

JC 2K3

It continues to astound me how some people online will make a serious and sometimes venomous discussion out of a simple, light-hearted comment.

Chunky Monkey

Look I wasn't being venomous as you put it. I used to go to Trinity and was very unhappy with it and don't understand why people call it the best and I would like to know why you think this.

regob

dan719 wrote: »

Well your obviously not there for a start, oh and highest ranked University on the island of Ireland means something too.

i got brilliant leaving cert grades, so dont talk a pile of ****e, and i pity you for thinking your better than somebody because you go to trinity, its absolutely pathetic that people in this country or choosing to go to tcd because they think its posh and they think there better than people that dont go there,

so anymore dan 719, think about your comment before you post it.

Yuugib

Anywho...

here are my choices :

1. DN020 Actuarial and Financial Studies - ucd
2. DN026 Economics and Finance - ucd
3. DC127 Actuarial, Financial and Mathematical Sciences (Common Entry) - dcu
4. DC236 Quantitative Finance -dcu
5. MH401 Finance - maynooth
6. MH203 Computer Science and Software Engineering - maynooth

dont really know whats better though.. acturial studies or economics and finances brrr! its just driving me crazy

btw about the exam number, ems.. they only give u a cao number.. is that the actual EXAM number we are supposed to use now??

Mark200

Yuugib wrote: »

btw about the exam number, ems.. they only give u a cao number.. is that the actual EXAM number we are supposed to use now??

I'm not sure, but I wouldn't think so...

analyse this

Yuugib wrote: »

Anywho...

here are my choices :

1. DN020 Actuarial and Financial Studies - ucd
2. DN026 Economics and Finance - ucd
3. DC127 Actuarial, Financial and Mathematical Sciences (Common Entry) - dcu
4. DC236 Quantitative Finance -dcu
5. MH401 Finance - maynooth
6. MH203 Computer Science and Software Engineering - maynooth

dont really know whats better though.. acturial studies or economics and finances brrr! its just driving me crazy

btw about the exam number, ems.. they only give u a cao number.. is that the actual EXAM number we are supposed to use now??

Nice choices! I have friends in both Ec&Fi and Actuary in UCD and they love it! I'm in several of their lectures (particularly Ec&Fi) so if you need any more help just PM me!

Chunky Monkey

Hey Yuugib, no your CAO number isn't your exam number! It's all so confusing isn't it I'm leaving mine til the last minute cos I'm waiting to hear about a possible though very unlikely offer in England.

I have heard that Trinity is good for the arts subjects and I have a friend studying English there who loves it. However the medicine course was so bad that the Irish medical board was considering revoking Trinity's status as a medical college. I've heard this from someone who was a final year med student last year and someone whose parents are lecturers there. I'm not saying that Trinity is bad for the sake of it. I'm looking at the evidence and forming my opinion from that.