Help - CAO Vacancies!!

i-want-my-nic

Hi,

I'm currently working full-time and hope to go back to college this Sept, I haven't applied through the CAO and wanted to know the chances of any biosciences course coming up in the vacancies - can anyone out there help/ advise?!

xp90

Hi, you should contact cao asap,try www.cao.ie for contact information.

i-want-my-nic

I already contacted them they just said that most course vacancies will be posted around August 18th and there should be a goof few more than are already up there!

xp90

Ah in that case they arent letting you make a late application? Youl have to just wait until then to see what courses havent been filled, sorry i cant be of more help. why hadnt you an application made to the cao beforehand?

i-want-my-nic

Thanks anyway!
I didn't apply because I wasn't sure I wanted to go back - I got decent enough points in my leaving but never really wanted to go to full-time college, I only recenlty decided it was about time I went back to education - unfortuntely too late to apply through the CAO!

xp90

Well you have two options: 1)Wait until august and hopefully there will be something that youd fancy doing or 2) wait until next september, cao applications begin again in november. Im in a similar position to yourself. check out www.qualifax.ie for points info!can you not beg the cao to let you apply? or even contact the colleges yourself?

i-want-my-nic

Hmmm yeah I'll give the colleges a call - no harm in beggin when you have nothing to lose I suppose :P
I really hope I don't have to wait until next Sept - I feel like I've put it off long enough now!
What were you thinking of studying?

xp90

Im hoping to go nuig, so are you a mature student? How many point did ya get anyway?

i-want-my-nic

I'm only 20 so not a mture student yet! I got 400 points and most of the min grades ya need for science courses.

NUI Galway is a lovely campus with some really good course!

xp90

Ah 400 is a sound result! So had you any luck since? It would be a shame to wait another year to get what you want. :pac:

i-want-my-nic

Got a reply from CAO - basically saying the can't tell me anthing til it's released onto website!
Rang the college and he reckons if there's any dates it'll be August 18th ish! I asked around in other boards and so far it looks like Science isn't that popular in DKIT which is great news lol :D

xp90

Ah well thats not so bad, is it what you really want though?I suppose ul qualify for a back to education grant? you should check that out in advance

i-want-my-nic

Yeah I just did a part time Massage course there and as a part of it was a diploma in Anatomy & Physiology which I love, but I decided not t think about college til after the course was finished so I'd focus on studying, but the course finished two weeks after the late app CAO deadline & at the time I didn't really want t go back full-time education, but now I really want to and see that I need to!
I should be able t qualify for the Maintenance Grant, but as I'm only 20 it's based on parents income even though I've been living on my own for well over a year - grr hate that lol!
Found out about loans from the bank for rent & that too, but I think if the course doesn't come up I'm goin t be really dissapointed cos I have everyhitng else organised - fudge!

xp90

Ah id avoid the loans if at all possible, its only hassle. could you not get weekend work with your qualification? Maybe you could wait till next year till you save up some cash? what do recommend for a really painful back by the way?

i-want-my-nic

Yeah I was hoping t get part-time work in a local hotel, but I don't want t go asking for work yet and not have the course sorted out yet!
Have good news though just rang DKIT and the head of the applied sciences dept told me she'd give me a call on Monday when she finds out the stats of CAO applicants - so I guess I'll know more then :D:D

Btw sore back which part?
If it's not too bad I'd recommend a massage (if it's muscular) and you should consider taking up Yoga regularly (it works wonders for your posture - improving your back)