Can't go to college - such disppointment

needhelpguy

I just need to vent this.

I am not able to go back to college to do a course that I really want. I don't qualify for the free tuition. I am so disappointed and even more angry at myself.

You see, I did a two year diploma in media/film that I finished in 2006. I have no interest in the subject anymore, and don't want a career in the area. It was a BTEC level 5 diploma which corresponds to an irish level 6.

The course I wanted to do is one year in a different subject totally (health) and awards a FETAC level 5, and because I am not "progressing" the levels, I don't qualify for free tuition fees.

The course itself has many modules that require extra payment, so if I wanted to complete everything I would have to pay about €3000. (This includes a qualification that is not currently available anywhere else in the country). That is no problem, but the tuition fee is around €3500 on top of that. I simply cannot afford that - it is too much to pay for a one year course.

So basically, after having gotten my hopes up that I can finally leave a job I hate and go back to college to make a fresh start and do something I want to make a career out of, they've been smashed.

I am SO angry at myself for doing a stupid two year course that is completely irrelevant to me. I just took it because the course sounded good. But it has been a total waste of time. Such a regret.

Anyway that's my story. I'm really really disappointed. I guess you just cant always get what you want. Here's to x number of years more of getting up each day wondering what on earth I am living for.

AnonoBoy

Can you get a student loan?

Sure you'll have to pay it off over a number of years but at least you'll be doing something you love.

Dudess

First of all, don't regret anything that seemed like a good idea at the time. You only consider the course a waste now because of how your circumstances have changed. You weren't to know that back then. I bet if something had stopped you from doing the media/film course, you'd have been gutted too and you'd be wondering "what if" now. I also completed a media course in 2006 which I then regretted, but I changed my thinking: at the time, I was absolutely thrilled to get a place on that course and if something had stopped me from taking it, I would have been distraught.
Regret can eat you up inside - I know because I used to be such a regretful person and it is extremely destructive. But I learned to keep telling myself "it's over, nothing can be done, don't waste time thinking about it or you'll regret that too!"
So put that stage of your life behind you. And you got a qualification instead of dropping out - that alone will look good on future applications.

If you're not already 23 (since 1st January) why not apply for the course you'd like to do as a mature student? Or else just stick out working until you have enough saved. Don't be so defeatist or things will rarely if ever work out for you. Be positive and believe in yourself.

AARRRGH

Don't give up yet. As the course is only one year long, you can definitely get a loan to sort you out.

This is what I would do:

Get a loan (a car loan or whatever) of €8000. Pay the €6500 to your college and put the remaining €1500 in your bank account. Let 12 months loan payments come out of this €1500.

At the end of your course you'll be around €7000 in debt, but your life will be on track and you'll be happy.

You'll be able to pay back the €7000 in no time, and when you think about how much the course will change your life, €7000 over a lifetime is nothing.

LegacyUser

AARRRGH has hit the nail on the head.
To borrow that kind of muny is not over the top these days.

LegacyUser

Hi Op sorry your dreams have been quashed for now anyway but where there is a will there is a way and you will find what is perfect for you.

It shows you have new clarity on the area you want to work in and at 23 thats a good thing another option is to save for a while so you can go back,you wont qualify for a mature student if you have recieved a high education before,i went back as a mature student myself and only qualified for it because i had no other education,my friend went back and tried to do his m.a as a mature student but they wouldnt let him for the same reasons,

anyways,yes all is not lost,it may seem daunting to persue a student loan and i remember feelin afraid to take on debt for my student loans but you can set it up paying it weekly and i never noticed it that way,i think my first loan was 2,000 and i was only paying back 10 0r 20 per week,i really could manage it and i built up good credit with the bank for later applying for my mortgage.

if this is your passion then this is good debt,it is enhancing your education in an area you love and it will come back to you financially later in life,

desire,ask,believe,recieve!

newestUser

Is there a particular job/line of work you're aiming for?

What's the one year course you wanted to apply for?

Flamed Diving

Don't mean to sound harsh, but if you truely wanted to do the course, you would find a way. Even if it means saving for the next 12 months.

needhelpguy

Thanks for the replies. I know what I sound like but I cant help it. I was looking forward to the experience.

The course I was applying for was FETAC level 5 in community and health services. I am not certain, but I believe it is a PLC? I have gotten so much conflicting information...1) That there are no tuition fees for PLCs for EU residents at all, ever or 2) I have to pay a fee if I am not progressing on the levels of the national qualifications framework.

G86

Hi OP

I'm in a similar situation - have the HND and can't get a grant for the degree. You have two options really, take a year out and save, or get a loan. I did both and I'm starting my final year now in Sept.

It can be done, never say never

PeakOutput

why not do a degree then youa re furthtering yourself and wil get free tuition

i imagine some sort of social work degree or whatever would be quite close to the one you ar looking at now and you will be infinitely more employable with a degree

iv got a fetac level 7 and besides getting you into a degree course its not worth the paper its written on imo

if you dont have the points to go to college you can go as a mature student depending on your age

spurious

Go and speak to the VTOS co-ordinator in your local VEC school.
They can give you factual information and suggest a way round the problem and there is always a way round any problem.

MagicMarker

We Irish certainly are spoiled....

OP, yes, it is a lot of money, but money can be saved. Don't just quit because you can't afford it! If i want something i'd save for it!!!

If you lived in the US or Canada for some courses you could be paying 6k just for a single semester!!

Count yourself lucky.

newestUser

needhelpguy wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I know what I sound like but I cant help it. I was looking forward to the experience.

A quick perusal of your post history would indicate you're a negative person who doesn't handle adversity well. To be honest I'd say that's the problem you should be focussing on instead of fees.

needhelpguy wrote: »

The course I was applying for was FETAC level 5 in community and health services. I am not certain, but I believe it is a PLC? I have gotten so much conflicting information...1) That there are no tuition fees for PLCs for EU residents at all, ever or 2) I have to pay a fee if I am not progressing on the levels of the national qualifications framework.

Are you from Drogheda? Is the course the community and health services course in the DIFE?

If so, why couldn't you do a degree/diploma/whatever is higher than FETAC 6 somewhere in Dublin?

What job do you want to get? If you don't have a firm idea about what job you want, what do you want to get out of this course besides career advancement? I think it's important for you to be clear about this.

dumbyearbook

8000 would cost around 300-ish per month to pay back over 3 years, 75 euro per week you'll pay some interest included in this -its not much on a student loan. (these are rough calculations so no finance genius required thanks:D)

Will you be working during the course? Its not much to pay back when you consider the change you think it will make for you. I'd ensure first it actually will make the difference to you obviously.

Edit -I'm not at all keen on the attitude 'if it ain't free i'm not interested' it really shows your motivations why should the taxpayer have to cover you to go to do another course? you got your "free fees" already, pay your way mate lots of us do.....

paperclip2

From reading your post OP it looks like you would qualify for free fees and possibly the grant (depending on your economic circumstances) if you were doing a ordinary or honours degree, full-time. TBH if you are clear about the route you want to take in your career area then you should think about getting as high a level of qualification as you can given the job market.

A third level higher cert in the Institutes of Technology also equates to a level 6 so if you really want funding you will realistically have to look at the ord and hons degrees.

If you decide to go down this route then look at the Vacant Places section on the CAO website www.cao.ie. there may be a third level course starting this year that might suit you. Alternatively look up the college courses for next year and then apply to start in sept 09. Yes it is a long way away but you could work and save for the year or try to get work experience in the area you are interested in. If you are aged 23 then you can apply as a mature student and a leaving cert is not neccessary. But it does help, as does relevant work experience.

Good luck OP

jimmycrackcorm

what about the north or the uk? Are fees charged there now?

preilly79

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Don't mean to sound harsh, but if you truely wanted to do the course, you would find a way. Even if it means saving for the next 12 months.

QFT. I work full time and study part time in Trinity. In the off months I take on small contract jobs to help pay off my student loan/drinking habit.

If you want it you'll do it.

Claire121

I see this defeatist attitude a lot among Irish students who feel entitled to get their entire education for free. Why don't you count yourself lucky that you got any of it for free? Everyone has to pay fees in the UK and the North, for firsts degrees, everything. I am in the same situation in that I had to decline an offer for a postgrad in something I'd love to do because I can't afford the fees and already have 16,000 euro of debt from my first degree because we take out loans for living costs rather than our parents paying everything which is what seems to happen here. If you want to do the course enough, you can take out a loan or save up for a year first - just because it isn't handed to you on a plate doesn't mean you can't ever do it. There are very few people in the UK going to college for free. The attitude around here is often 'I really want to do the course but not if mummy/daddy/the government isn't paying for it.' It's very difficult to listen to people complaining when you have it so much better than most people I know.

what about the north or the uk? Are fees charged there now?

Yes, have been for a while. Tuition is up to over 3 grand a year (sterling) and most students take out grants for rent/living costs of 3 or 4 grand a year on top of that. It isn't seen as the parents' responsibility as it usually is here. My sister is over 20 grand in debt for her 3 years undergrad in Cambridge. Irish students have NO idea at all how lucky they are.

Awayindahils

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

what about the north or the uk? Are fees charged there now?

Not in Scotland. If you come from anywhere in the EU bar England, Wales and N. Ireland you qualify for free undergrad fees in Scotland.

dellas1979

The best way to overcome this is to find a course at either a 1 year add-on Level 7 or a 3 year level 7 course. You could then possibly transfer into the
2nd year of the level 7 with no fee repercussions.

Really, you had the state pay for you for 2 years. There are hundreds of thousands caught in your situation.

I did a level 9 post-grad as something to do after I finished my degree. It was the kind of course you needed to go abroad to get jobs for and I couldnt at the time.

Now I am going back to do a Masters, which is level 9. I cannot get any kind of grant - the tuition fees are over €6000, but you know what? I am not going to whinge about it. I am going to see if there is anything I can do, and if I cant I will pay it some how.