Doing something completely different and that I thought I wasn't 'smart' enough for

Orla K

Let me explain my background a little,

On every school report it said "Orla has a tendency to daydream", I was called stupid by mainly other children (over and over) in 2nd or 3rd year I was told by a teacher that I wouldn't pass my junior cert (she was an awful teacher and I remember a parent punched her, she used to just say the wrong thing to people and she really couldn't teach). The only subjects I was good at were maths and art, although I was put in the pass maths class because of a timetable screwup. I wasn't that great at school, was bored most of the time and daydreamed, my memory was and is crap so I did do awful in a fair amount of things, it also takes me a while to think of words (I think in pictures, shapes and colours) and it can make me look 'slow'.

I had an alright leaving because of hard work it was 360 or something like that. I worked for a year after that decided what I was able to do, I ended up going into art college, where I found out I was dyslexic (that's another thing my spelling was AWFUL but I didn't mix up my d and b, it was b and p but I always copped on so in school nobody figured I was dyslexic, shamefully it also took me two years + longer than most children to figure out how to tie my shoe laces and I managed to keep it a secret) The areas I found out I'm crap in are memory and speed of processing but all other areas are actually quite high (this test) the overall result was 93rd percentile rank (which means I'm more intelligent that 93% of people of my age group, or something like that) the thing is because of my school years I still don't feel smart or intelligent.

For the past while I've been doing nothing (severe depression) and now I'm going to do something, I'm going to go back to college. I wasn't sure what I should do when I go back I had an idea but it was a course that's impossible to get into (vet) and I'm short about 200 points. I was talking to a career guidance guy after a brief talk and a long test (career tests) he suggested a biological science type degree and then applying for vet med after that (post grad entry).

The thing is I don't think I have enough confidence in my intelligence to be able to do a science degree. I really don't know what to think. I want to go back to college but will I be able for it?






I'm scared!

robert18

Look orla the thing is go for it ,so what if you fail at least you had the courage to go for it , I am in college in LIT after been out of school for 17 years and i am loving it .It has giving me a great lift to say to people that I am there .I went to school and messed and done nothing but in a way i am glad because I am there every day in college listening and trying to do it where as all the other so called intelligent 18 year old students are doing nothing.

Jessibelle

Go for it! and never ever think you're incapable of doing it! Everyone learns at different rates, and if its your dream you should go for it all guns blazing! Also, having done a science degree myself, trust me, it's about 10% intelligence, 90% application, as long as you ask questions, you'll fly it!!!

Larianne

Definitely aim for veterinary! Nothings impossible if you think you can do it!

I would suggest doing an access course in Science like the one in UCD (I don't know if you're in Dublin) which I did last year. You cover Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Leaving Cert. level. It definitely has stood to me starting uni this year. The main thing it did was give me confidence of my ability. I hated Maths in school, thought I was crap. I ended up getting 92% in my exam last year! The course also had study skills which has also definitely helped with my learning. I was well prepared this year!

This year's course has already started so I don't know if you want to wait till 2011 to apply to uni.

I would also recommend doing some sort of science course as when I first applied to uni I was turned down mainly because I lacked a background in Science. Like you, I went to art college and I guess they didn't have much proof of my academic ability.

Here's a thread with some advice on applying as a mature student. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055676871

Best of luck, have confidence in your own ability. I wanted to do the course I'm doing now when I was in school but it was my lack of confidence that stopped me from doing it!

Orla K

Larianne wrote: »

Definitely aim for veterinary! Nothings impossible if you think you can do it!

I would suggest doing an access course in Science like the one in UCD (I don't know if you're in Dublin) which I did last year. You cover Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology at Leaving Cert. level. It definitely has stood to me starting uni this year. The main thing it did was give me confidence of my ability. I hated Maths in school, thought I was crap. I ended up getting 92% in my exam last year! The course also had study skills which has also definitely helped with my learning. I was well prepared this year!

This year's course has already started so I don't know if you want to wait till 2011 to apply to uni.

I would also recommend doing some sort of science course as when I first applied to uni I was turned down mainly because I lacked a background in Science. Like you, I went to art college and I guess they didn't have much proof of my academic ability.

Here's a thread with some advice on applying as a mature student. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055676871

Best of luck, have confidence in your own ability. I wanted to do the course I'm doing now when I was in school but it was my lack of confidence that stopped me from doing it!

Wow, you put alot into that other page, I may sit down tonight and have a good read of it and propably print it out.

Also, I don't want to wait until 2011 to start, I'd feel I was studing forever if I did that, I just want to get the whole thing started asap, what I might do is find a leaving cert biology and chemistry (heavly featured in what I'm thinking about). Today I've also asked an animal shelter could I get some volinteer work with the animals, it's something. Also in 2nd year in art college I was looking at comfort food and that led me to read up about how it gets absorbed into the body and the chemical process, I read some of greys anatomy, the rest of the class were amazed and the lectures were surprised that I read it and mostly understood it:o, I was of the attitude "I'll give it a go". What probably helped is that I did honors home ec which has alot of biology and food science.

Larianne

Orla K wrote: »

Wow, you put alot into that other page, I may sit down tonight and have a good read of it and propably print it out.

Also, I don't want to wait until 2011 to start, I'd feel I was studing forever if I did that, I just want to get the whole thing started asap, what I might do is find a leaving cert biology and chemistry (heavly featured in what I'm thinking about). Today I've also asked an animal shelter could I get some volinteer work with the animals, it's something. Also in 2nd year in art college I was looking at comfort food and that led me to read up about how it gets absorbed into the body and the chemical process, I read some of greys anatomy, the rest of the class were amazed and the lectures were surprised that I read it and mostly understood it:o, I was of the attitude "I'll give it a go". What probably helped is that I did honors home ec which has alot of biology and food science.

Yes, that post took a lot of time to do but I've been in the position of applying twice so I know how hard it can be to figure out what information is needed and what to do when applying as a mature student as some colleges aren't the best at giving out info on mature applicants. (I dunno, maybe it is because you get a wide range of applicants with different work and life experience).

The college will look very closely at your academic ability - maybe not about your Leaving Cert. results but definitely if you've done any course work in the last 2/3 years. You need to show them you can keep up with the course. Would you think of trying to do the Leaving Cert subjects Chemistry and Biology? I'm not sure if you can do this in one year, but I think you can.

Try to get a range of work experience, even helping out at a stables or something like that.

Remember you are going to be in competition for a small number of places so you want your application to be the best it can be.

Chet T16

I got something silly like 135 points in the leaving and with the help of the same Access course i'm now on a course where the points requirement this year was 445 but 55% of the other students have over 500 points

Larianne

Chet T16 wrote: »

I got something silly like 135 points in the leaving and with the help of the same Access course i'm now on a course where the points requirement this year was 445 but 55% of the other students have over 500 points

Silly is right, you are a brain box mister!! (I'm not talking to you btw!)