Higher Options 09

itsokay · 31-08-2009 2:36pm #1

any1 goin to the higher options conference this year. is it worth goin bar the obvious day off skool?? any tips??

Conor108 · 31-08-2009 3:02pm

Our school is taking us

DancingQueen:) · 31-08-2009 3:06pm

Yeah i think i'm going with my school too. It'll be good to go i havn't got a clue what to do next year

Fad · 31-08-2009 3:10pm

itsokay wrote: »

any tips??

*Resists telling you to use your entire keyboard.......*

Go to everything that interests you in the slightest, try to actually learn something before you leave to enjoy the rest of your day off!

RexMundi · 31-08-2009 3:24pm

Has anyone been to a previous "Higher Options Conference" that could tell us if it is worth going to or not?

My school get the day off anyway.

theowen · 31-08-2009 3:30pm

RexMundi wrote: »

Has anyone been to a previous "Higher Options Conference" that could tell us if it is worth going to or not?

My school get the day off anyway.

I went last year and I'm going again this year. It's worth it if you actually plan on doing something constructive. Half my school didn't have a clue what they wanted to do in college and ended up leaving after half and hour.

monaghanmissus · 31-08-2009 4:04pm

We went in 5th year and hopefully I'll try and go this year.. Well worth it in my opinion

LovexxLife · 31-08-2009 4:37pm

Is this the one where the times newspaper organise it??

RandomIrl · 31-08-2009 5:58pm

to be honest, i didnt find it all that helpful, the again i knew what i wanted to do so the random pointless prospectuses.....were, as i said, pointless..

its probably useful if your thinking of applying to UCAS..

good pens though...still have some!

Halla Basin · 31-08-2009 6:35pm

Wow, my school organised the Delphi trip on the exact wrong days, at the exact wrong time. That's St. Brendan's for ya.

itsokay · 31-08-2009 7:03pm

RandomIrl wrote: »

good pens though...still have some!

its all about the free pens:D:D:D

RandomIrl · 31-08-2009 7:04pm

we had a competition at it, to see who got the most, i came in second with a fine gathering of 27 pens.

ironictoaster · 31-08-2009 7:18pm

Go to NUIM's table for USB sticks or some university from the UK for hackysacks!

Higher Options in general is a waste of time. The place is very busy and it's very hard to get to actually talk to someone. Once you get to talk to someone, they barely no anything of the course you're interested in and will more or less repeat what's in the prospectus. The open days for the colleges is where you get to know what you want.

Go anyways for the day off.

pjtb · 31-08-2009 8:33pm

I got loadsa free stuff at Higher options!

The prospecti/ prospectuses (?) I picked up were very useful to me. When I was at Higher Options I wasn't very sure of what I was going to do, so I took as many prospecti as I could carry in the free bags I got. They were great for referencing later on, even if they did nearly pull my arms off carrying them round on the day! It has been highlighted here that some people you speak to at the stands might not have a clue about the course you want to find out about, but some also will. They'll still be able to tell you about the college and its facilities though.

tootyflutty · 31-08-2009 9:38pm

It's good in for English colleges, and some of the colleges are really helpful. But you really have to ask the right person, there are some people at the stalls that havn't a clue.
The army were good fun though :P
Griffith college give free cloth bags, and maynooth gives USB sticks (still have 2), loads of stickers, badges and pens. Got a free tshirt from one of the foreign aid agencys, and one of the art colleges possibly IADT gives out cookies!
Plan which colleges you might be interested in and only get those prospecti. Other wise your arms will be dead! I only got 4/5 last year and still my arms were fit to fall off!!
I found the Gardai stand were really unhelpful last year, too busy chatting amongst themselves too talk to us, but the army guys really would have talked you to death, and had loads of leaflets and info. You can get into the tansk and stuff too, and the army band put on a good show if your willing to stand for it all.

sean0 · 01-09-2009 4:24pm

"one of the art colleges possibly IADT gives out cookies!"

ah ffs I was there last year and never got free cookies!! I got alot of free pens and what not but still doesn't make up for missing out on the cookies:mad:.

Its well worth going to, there are many talks on various different topics such as business, study skills, career guidance etc...
You will get all the college prospectus's/prospecti?? that you want.Its a good laugh aswell.Last year the weather was class at it so most people were just sitting out in the sun where the food stands were.I'm repeating this year so i'll probably end up going again.

LovexxLife · 01-09-2009 4:40pm

Can you go on your own like with a parent cos my school doesnt do these trips anymore?

monaghanmissus · 01-09-2009 4:52pm

We went last year as 5th years and there's about 10 of us who want to go again this year.. Thing is, the school booked the tickets for 5th years last May and I spoke to the guidance counsellor today who said we'd have to organise our own tickets..

How do I go about doing this?

sean0 · 01-09-2009 4:59pm

LovexxLife wrote: »

Can you go on your own like with a parent cos my school doesnt do these trips anymore?

You need a ticket, last year I think it was 10euro for a ticket which we got from the guidance counselor in our school.
I'd imagine there must be away where you can apply for a ticket, maybe someone who knows will post.

RandomIrl · 01-09-2009 5:03pm

Now in its twenty fourth year, the conference has become the definitive and centralised forum of third level choices for Irish students. It also has the official sanction of the Irish Department of Education & Science.

Date: Wednesday, 16 September 2009 - Friday, 18 September 2009

Venue: Hall 1 (Main Hall)

Opening Hours:
Wednesday - Friday 9.00am - 3.00pm

Organiser's Contact Details:
The Irish Times
24-28 Tara Street
Dublin 2

Tel: + 353 (0)1 675 8000
Fax: + 353 (0)1 679 2789
Web: http://www.irish-times.ie

Bigrob · 01-09-2009 6:53pm

i'm goin aswell with my school and i was there last year. if your prepared to ask questions its very good. with all the english colleges there its ideal to find out info to avoid having to go over to the actual college

swatch · 01-09-2009 8:49pm

I'm going too, our school brings the 6th years every year and advise the whole year to go as it's meant to be worthwhile!

Nice day out too I suppose and you can stock up on free pens to do you for the whole of the leaving cert ha! :P

Gael23 · 08-09-2009 7:01pm

Im going on the Thursday.

phasers · 08-09-2009 8:35pm

I went to it last year, there was a DISTINCT lack of freebies.

I did get a 1gb memory stick from the Maynooth people though, head there

(tbh I found it very unhelpful, the big crowds and the whole booth thing sucks for me, I just rang individual colleges for information)

itsokay · 08-09-2009 8:52pm

im gonna head on the wed i think. can u get tickets on the day??

FridaysWell · 08-09-2009 10:20pm

phasers wrote: »

I went to it last year, there was a DISTINCT lack of freebies.

Recession.

You may aswell go to higher options. Its better then not going to it I suppose. The colleges etc., really need to figure out how to make the information they give out alot clearer for people.

Some of it is pure bull****e. (Excuse me)

Fad · 08-09-2009 10:32pm

FridaysWell wrote: »

Recession.

Higher Options was before any mention of a recession (I think)

FridaysWell · 08-09-2009 10:38pm

Fad wrote: »

Higher Options was before any mention of a recession (I think)

Last year.

The Govt. and the figures wern't saying we where in recession, but we were!

Sure that was the time that the banks knew they were bust and didn't tell no-one

ayumi · 09-09-2009 3:24pm

what bus do you take to the RDS from stillorgan?
im going next Friday and I don't noe wot bus to take & I'm going with my school but u have to go there urself!

DancingQueen:) · 10-09-2009 8:36pm

I'm going on Friday too, getting the dart

Scrambled egg · 10-09-2009 9:35pm

This the one in the RDS ?

sean0 · 10-09-2009 9:38pm

Scrambled egg wrote: »

This the one in the RDS ?

Yeah.

Scrambled egg · 10-09-2009 9:43pm

Then I shall see you there, bought the ticket today.

ayumi · 11-09-2009 2:12pm

what bus from stillorgan?

highlydebased · 11-09-2009 9:44pm

Im goin on Friday....schools bringin us on train, adventure. Choo-choo! (Sorry..)

theowen · 11-09-2009 9:46pm

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Im goin on Friday....schools bringin us on train, adventure. Choo-choo! (Sorry..)

I'm tempted to "you need to get out..." but no, you gotta like trains:rolleyes:

pathway33 · 13-09-2009 1:59pm

ayumi wrote: »

what bus from stillorgan?

you could get the 46 or 84 and ask the driver the let you off at donnybrook bus garage. About a 10 minute walk from there down anglesey road

ayumi · 13-09-2009 7:54pm

pathway33 wrote: »

you could get the 46 or 84 and ask the driver the let you off at donnybrook bus garage. About a 10 minute walk from there down anglesey road

thanx

pathway33 · 13-09-2009 9:04pm

pathway33 wrote: »

you could get the 46 or 84 and ask the driver the let you off at donnybrook bus garage. About a 10 minute walk from there down anglesey road

actually the 84 seems to turn right at donnybrook church and go down anglesea road past the RDS according to this http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/84/

so that would save you a walk but they don't go that often so more likely you'll see a 46 first

theowen · 13-09-2009 9:13pm

The dart is really handy if you're near it

LovexxLife · 14-09-2009 11:57am

Found out today that were going to this:)

Gavin "shels" · 14-09-2009 4:50pm

creggy wrote: »

Go to NUIM's table for USB sticks

+1. They've come in so handy.

Personnally I went to the few that pop up during the year, but don't bother, just go to one, I used one probably and then the others I just left after an hour.

Ferris_Bueller · 14-09-2009 9:16pm

Going to this on wednesday, getting train up from Kildare with my year.. Anyone know how many schools go each day?! Hope its not too jammed..

calleochosam · 15-09-2009 9:46pm

Yeah, Im really interested in going to this too on the thursday, but does anyone know where to purchase tickets? I emailed higheroptions@irishtimes.com to request tickets last night around 9 but I still havent got any reply! Hopefully we can buy them on the door?

:pac:

RexMundi · 15-09-2009 10:06pm

calleochosam wrote: »

Yeah, Im really interested in going to this too on the thursday, but does anyone know where to purchase tickets? I emailed higheroptions@irishtimes.com to request tickets last night around 9 but I still havent got any reply! Hopefully we can buy them on the door?

:pac:

Our guidance counselor told us we can get them at the door and not to bother getting tickets. €10 I believe

calleochosam · 15-09-2009 10:14pm

RexMundi wrote: »

Our guidance counselor told us we can get them at the door and not to bother getting tickets. €10 I believe

Thanks, no worries now, it wont be a wasted journey from Dún Na nGall anyway! Cheers!

:cool:

Bonkers_xOx · 16-09-2009 4:37pm

No free pens or usb sticks:(

But NUI galway have cool bags:p

anothernight · 16-09-2009 7:49pm

Bonkers_xOx wrote: »

No free pens or usb sticks:(

But NUI galway have cool bags:p

I got the usual free pen from UCD Quinn School of Business, and the USB stick from NUI Maynooth. As well as the bags of course ^^
Was a great day. The engineering talk was quite good as well.
What did you all think of it?

Bonkers_xOx · 16-09-2009 7:53pm

Yeah I think I got to the Shelbourne Hall too late!
I thought it was really good. The people at UCD were the most helpful, I thought.

Conor108 · 16-09-2009 8:12pm

Were the Army there?

monaghanmissus · 16-09-2009 8:21pm

Total lack of freebies this year

..

All I got was a Griffith College bag...
Not even one free pen

Higher Options 09

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