What info to/not to, divulge on college applications/CAO??

qwertytlk

Hey, this is probably kind of a strange question but i have to ask anyway;

I have what some might call a bit of a ...shady past, and since im applying as a mature student they want to know about your life experience and its relevance to your course choice. Im applying for social care in a few different colleges ; Trinity, D.I.T, Blanch and Tallaght, trinity is the only one that i have to send a application to the college aswel as the CAO and im wondering how much information about my past should i put on the CAO/TCD application? The main reasons im asking is- 1) because i suppose my past/life experiences would have alot of relevance to the courses im applying to and 2) I dont want to write stuff that is going to make the person reading it think im completley messed up.. or maybe im missing the point of the life experience question altogether??

Id really appreciate any advice or suggestions on how to approach this and if anyone has been in a similar situation in the past id love to hear how they went about it and how much personal information they gave!

P.s- I understand i didnt give alot of information about the 'past' im referring to but im hoping that people will be able to answer my questions and understand what im asking without it, and if not then just ask and il explain more!

Thanks

Larianne

I think if you've had your own personal problems in the past and through this realised you would like to help people who are in the same position you have been, I don't think it's a negative thing. Everyone has problems in the past and the fact that you have come through it and have turned your life around and wanting to help others can only be seen as a good thing.

I don't know your background but I wouldn't divulge anything too crazy but you can certainly state how your own problems/experience has made you want to help people in difficult circumstances.

I think a lot of people going back as mature students have been in similar situations.

qwertytlk

Ok Larianne, thanks.. is there an I.M Facility on this, if there is would i be able to I.M you?

Larianne

Nope, just PMs. Just PM if you need to ask me anything.

Jessibelle

Hey OP,
I had a similar query regarding Trinity's application, I'm applying to enter a health science course, and when I was younger, I was involved in caring for someone in a health related manner if that makes sense? Anyways, I asked the mature student officer if I should mention this on the personal statement, and her exact words were 'to touch on it in general terms, i.e, state that this happened, it had this influence on you and so you decided to do this course, but do not bring specifics into it e.g. names etc'. She said that if the board wanted further specific details or information, they'd ask you at interview.
Hope that helps

looksee

If you are doing social care it will very likely happen at some stage that you will have to get Garda clearance - if you are dealing with children or vulnerable adults. If that is relevant you would be better to mention it sooner than do the course and find you can't go any further.

qwertytlk

Thanks for all the replies,
Jesibelle; I understand completley what you mean there and if i was going to mention my past in the sense you briefly mentioned being a carer of sorts then i wouldnt go on about it either, i think i will just find a tactful way of briefly explaining it and move on and as you say if they want any more information il give it!

Looksee; I have to get garda clearance to actually participate on the course, and i have already gotten this for a job and another course i did about 1 year ago, and since i havent been in any trouble since i dont see any problems there either!
But thanks for brining it up, its a valid point...wouldnt it be horrible to go through all the applications/interviews etc and be accecpted only to find you couldnt get clearance, so thank god i already know im okay there!

I think it may be getting a little confusing here so im just going to explain; I was in trouble with the police when younger and also had addiction problems,which thankfully i have now sorted out.So part of my reason for wanting to do this course is iv always wanted a career in social care or something like it but having lived the type of lifestyle i have in the past, i now want it even more and i guess i feel my personal experience would be hugely benifical in such a career too

looksee

In that case I would mention it briefly as has been suggested, from a point of view of why you want to do the course, I think it would be almost a 'selling point' (if you don't mind the description ) I've been on the other side of the interview table, and I wouldn't have seen it as a problem.

qwertytlk

Ok thanks, il briefly mention it, il just have to think of good way to to do it!!!