Yeats college galway

catt101

Hey:) im a student just finished ty and starting 5th year and strongely considering moving to yeat's college galway for the two year leaving cert program. i was just wondering does anyone hear have and experience of it, i would love to hear them, both postive and nagative. Would you recommend it? was the pressure too much? is there and room for social life ect? Alternatively anyone thinking of starting next year who wants to chat to make it a vit less scary going in knowing no one:)....thanks.

Mithrid

Hey cat101,

I went to Yeats College in Galway as a LC and repeat student so I'll give you the rundown of what to expect in 6th year. I'm not too familiar with 5th year there but I know there are movie nights and a trip abroad to take the pressure off of you and help you get settled in to get to know others. The notes are slightly different to what you are given in 6th year for the same subject.

So, the positives:

The teachers are absolutely spot on ; they know their respective subjects inside and out and will cover every ounce of the course, they will take their free-time off to help you and are extremely friendly.

The notes given are very clear and concise. The school also does HPAT preparation if you are going for Medicine. The careers guidance councillor will point you in the right direction and is very professional!

The social life is fantastic as you will get to know everyone very quickly. They are down to earth and everyone gets along just fine; even better if you're the going-out type :pac:

There is a cafeteria so food shouldn't be a problem. The school is very close to the city centre anyway, about 5 minutes walk.

As for the negatives

If you don't follow the homework/schedule/timetable the teachers give you, you will fall behind and it is very hard to catch up which will lead to stress. They send letters home to your parents saying you didn't do this/that. If you get 3 letters, presumably, they suspend you from school though I haven't seen that happen before.

There are a lot of notes and some of it you won't actually need so you will need large folders. Thankfully there are lockers but they are quite small so you'll end up carrying heavy folders around the place.

The days are extremely long, from 8:45am to 8:30pm in the evening.After school you have to go to study from 6pm to 8:30pm. This could be a positive though for you

As for the accommodation, there are strict times you have to follow such as when to go home after school. Even then, I doubt anyone followed those times!


So really, I'd highly recommend it if you are truly willing to put the effort in. The teachers cover the courses very quickly. I can't stress enough to not fall behind because it makes life so hard in the future. Also, if you learn things really well the first time, it'll be much easier the second time when revision comes along after the mocks.

catt101

Thanks so much Mithrid:D
for all the info, thats really helpfull. Great to hear from someone who knows first hand, especially about the social side as that was one of my areas of concern. Very much appreciated.

Ditzie

a girl I know did the two year course and while she said the teachers where brilliant etc etc she said she would only reccommend going for 6th year as they did 75% of the course in 5th year but didn't get it finished, then in 6th year they had to start the course again for 6th years and repeats! that could be a positive if you feel you wouldn't get bored though as you would retain the information better by doing it twice!

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

I know a few people that went for 5th year and 6th. Wide range of subjects so thats a huge bonus. However many people complain about getting unmotivated because of the long study hours. Also from what I know there are two types of classes - one for the good students and one for the others. Not every one that goes there is interested in doing well. A lot of the students were "disruptive" in their old schools and their parents are sending them there. Important to get into the 'good' class. Also there is no sports teams there, so unless you're from Galway you're gonna have to stop that. There is a gym in the basement thats supposed to be very good though.

ajjmk

I know people who went to Yeats for the LC & didnt get enough points so ended up repeating in a normal public school & got better results...private schools arent allllways the way forward, you need to be willing to put in the work!

Lexii307

My sister went there when she was repeating her leaving cert. She said it was the EXACT same as the school she went to before only she had to go into town to get to school. My friend is going there this year because she does'nt like the school she's in now

UrbanSea

Na, that's ****e. It is much better than the school I was in beforehand. The only reason I did middlin in the leaving cert is because I didn't put the work in pure and simple.
If you're willing to do the work then definately go.

JamesJB

I reckon the work you do and the effort you're willing to make in order to learn independently will always be more important than where you go to school. I feel this way because those skills are useful for life, not just for the LC.

That said, I went to a public school (North-West Dublin...ish) and my cousins went to a private school. They did no work and that was reflected in their results. I did my work and got on fine. I reckon that you can be screwed over by getting a poor teacher in a public school, but that's probably the only reason I'd consider private, personally. Note that I'm not saying that private schools are useless or pointless, just that I wouldn't ask my parents to pay for something I could get (in my case, at just as high quality) for free.

Ann-Marie

It may be a bit late to give me opinion, but I went there for both 5th and 6th year, and if I could go back I'd have only done 6th year. I say do 6th year and if necessary go back and repeat 6th year again. It will be much more beneficially to you.

aine92

My cousin gave me her Irish notes and they were BRUTAL, no fadas, incorrect spelling in every second sentence, I was shocked!!

UrbanSea

aine92 wrote: »

My cousin gave me her Irish notes and they were BRUTAL, no fadas, incorrect spelling in every second sentence, I was shocked!!

Were they hand written by any chance?

Janette1

Mithrid has it spot on I agree on everything, having done the 6th year course there! Obviously there are the odd one/two teachers below par of the rest but in general,... amazing :cool:

Keep track of things like homework and revision timetables, they are a major part of the success involved with Yeats. Also, the principle is a legend and his motivational talks are actually THE BEST! :)

ImConfused123

Hey...Omg did you end up going this year? I was always planning to go fer 6th year but i went back to my normal school and i have such bad teachers for most subjects and my mother now wants me to move this year for 5th aswell. I rang yesterday to see if it was possible to transfer and it is but im so afraid there isnt a great social life there. what du you think of it? i dont know if ill move or not. i dont know anyone there but i know its the better thing to do because im not going to learn anything this year.Ugh i dno wah ta du

catt101

ImConfused123 wrote: »

Hey...Omg did you end up going this year? I was always planning to go fer 6th year but i went back to my normal school and i have such bad teachers for most subjects and my mother now wants me to move this year for 5th aswell. I rang yesterday to see if it was possible to transfer and it is but im so afraid there isnt a great social life there. what du you think of it? i dont know if ill move or not. i dont know anyone there but i know its the better thing to do because im not going to learn anything this year.Ugh i dno wah ta du

Hi soooooooooosorry for not getting back!
Ya thanks evryone for the info, i did indeed end up going:) and I am very glad i did!
I am doing the two year course and am gld as i am actually doin loads of work compared to the nil i was doing previously.
On the social side fifth year is great as you get to no everyone so well especially if you stay away from home. There is a really nice friendly atospere.
I must admit at the start its i very tough to get used to, very long hours but if you are wiling to put the work in you will gat so much out.
Believe me there are time I am so tired and curse the place as does everyone there but I do love it.
have made wonderful frineds and feel alot better knowing im trying my best and will be actually prepared for the old lc:)
Did you end upmoving cos i might be in your year then :P??

Coeurdepirate

catt101 wrote: »

Hi soooooooooosorry for not getting back!
Ya thanks evryone for the info, i did indeed end up going:) and I am very glad i did!
I am doing the two year course and am gld as i am actually doin loads of work compared to the nil i was doing previously.
On the social side fifth year is great as you get to no everyone so well especially if you stay away from home. There is a really nice friendly atospere.
I must admit at the start its i very tough to get used to, very long hours but if you are wiling to put the work in you will gat so much out.
Believe me there are time I am so tired and curse the place as does everyone there but I do love it.
have made wonderful frineds and feel alot better knowing im trying my best and will be actually prepared for the old lc:)
Did you end upmoving cos i might be in your year then :P??

One of my best friends is in 5th year in Yeats.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

I'm in there myself now as well (repeating). So glad I went, if you're not the study type it is a huge help!! This time last year I was doing nothing, now I put in around 3-4 hours a day - including weekends! Plus, all the teachers are very good (except for the French one:mad:) and are more than willing to help you after school. The VP is also very helpful, she even offered to make a study plan for me!
I don't find my social life has been affected at all, rather my sporting life has been. Its a bit of a nuisance trying to get to training midweek so I just ended up not going, probably for the best though, didn't give anything up last year and look where that got me!
My biggest fear, and I'm sure Catt will tell you the same, if there is a fire we're all FCUKED!! Almost 300 of us in that small building, sometimes it takes 2-3 mins just to get from one room to another, can't imagine what it'd be like with all 300 of us rushing down the stairs:eek:!!

ArtSmart

a smalll side note.

i have to laugh at the 'teachers were amazing' thing.

even a donkey will be amazing if teaching a class of highly motivated students - students whose parents paid big bucks - students who can be told to go, if they cause trouble, (unlike traditional schools.)

re: grind sch.s in general, i'd say do the leaving, then if not happy repeat 6th year in a grind sch. grind sch are designed to reduce info into smaller time spaces - ie one year, not two.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

ArtSmart wrote: »

a smalll side note.

i have to laugh at the 'teachers were amazing' thing.

even a donkey will be amazing if teaching a class of highly motivated students - students whose parents paid big bucks - students who can be told to go, if they cause trouble, (unlike traditional schools.)

re: grind sch.s in general, i'd say do the leaving, then if not happy repeat 6th year in a grind sch. grind sch are designed to reduce info into smaller time spaces - ie one year, not two.

Eh, far from all the students in there are "highly motivated". There are a lot who aren't at all, and if the students feel the teacher isn't up to scratch they can get their parents to complain about him/her, and if s/he receives enough complaints then they get the sack.
Most teachers in there, a part from being very good, are also more than willing to stay behind after school go help you, unlike in my old school where the majority of teachers just wanted to get in and out.

ArtSmart

THFC wrote: »

Eh, far from all the students in there are "highly motivated".



There are a lot who aren't at all,

then

and if the students feel the teacher isn't up to scratch they can get their parents to complain about him/her,

do you see any contradiction in those two statements?

as above.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

ArtSmart wrote: »

as above.

No. And there isn't.

catt101

THFC wrote: »

My biggest fear, and I'm sure Catt will tell you the same, if there is a fire we're all FCUKED!! Almost 300 of us in that small building, sometimes it takes 2-3 mins just to get from one room to another, can't imagine what it'd be like with all 300 of us rushing down the stairs:eek:!!

Haha ya I know what ya mean, It takes about 2 years ta walk anywhere!:D

seriouslysweet

I know two of our teachers used to work there and burned out. They not work in a public school. The teachers there have loads of time compared to teachers in other schools. I'm sure it has merits but I'd be loathe to pay that much for something I know I don't need. Hard work=results.

Aibrean

Im in yeats atm....and i love it! the teacher are brilliant and i would totally recommend it to anyone! Personally I'd prefer the 2yr course!

halvsies

hi guys!! I'm just wondering does anywhere else but yeats in Galway repeat the leaving cert in one year?? I did mine 3 years ago and didnt get on great(personal problemos!) but I'm sick of working life in dead end jobs!!

kate1610

hey im actually thinkin of movin to yeats for leavin cert next year but im just worried the pressure might be too much? as well as that i dont know anyone so id be worried about the social side of things as well whats the school like?

Aibrean

there is a small amount of pressure but no more than there is any school if u want to succeed! the teachers and principal are behind 100% and are always there if u need help! you are assets about every 6 weeks give or take and then smaller text in between and as harsh as this sounds it will hinestly benefit u greatly because when it comes to mocks/june u feel so much more relaxed because youve sat similar exams prior to them. as for fitting it almost everyone is in the same boat as you when starting in september! the is about 300 students in total and only about 50 of that will have done the fifth yr course so there are an awful lot starting a fresh in septmeber so i certainly worry about fitting in! also, if are travelling and staying in the hall of residence or in close by b&b's you will be staying fellow college people so that will make it twice as easy to settle in! hope that helped

Olivia4

Hi I'm a 3rd year student and am going to yeats next year for the 2 year course, I was wondering if anyone who has done the 2year course already could give me some advice or answer some of my questions that I have on the course, well I'm soooooooo worried about going, like do u not get so homesick? Do u not drift away from ur friends from back home?? Are the people at yeats sound? Is it not too much pressure? It is money well spent? Would u consider doing one or two years? Do u not get any free time atall?? Like 8:30 to 8:45 everyday? And ud have to get to sleep before 12 cos of the long hours and I already find myself falling asleep in classes now in my own school, and what would ye do in the few hours of free time that ye get? Is it not way too tiering? And is it not awfully hard to keep up with all the homework and timetables that the teachers give u? And is it easy to get a letter home that's bad? Like Aparently if u get 3 ur suspended? And is it non stop classes and study from 8:30 to 8:45 pm? And could anyone forward a 5th year daily time table coz I couldn't find one on the website? ..... I know that's ALOT of questions , but if anyone could answer the majority of them I'd be soooooo grateful !! :L and if there's anyone going to yeats next year for the 5th year course mabey we can get in touch, it would be alot less nerve wrecking if I actually knew someone going :L

Leaving Cert Student

Olivia4 wrote: »

Hi I'm a 3rd year student and am going to yeats next year for the 2 year course, I was wondering if anyone who has done the 2year course already could give me some advice or answer some of my questions that I have on the course, well I'm soooooooo worried about going, like do u not get so homesick? Do u not drift away from ur friends from back home?? Are the people at yeats sound? Is it not too much pressure? It is money well spent? Would u consider doing one or two years? Do u not get any free time atall?? Like 8:30 to 8:45 everyday? And ud have to get to sleep before 12 cos of the long hours and I already find myself falling asleep in classes now in my own school, and what would ye do in the few hours of free time that ye get? Is it not way too tiering? And is it not awfully hard to keep up with all the homework and timetables that the teachers give u? And is it easy to get a letter home that's bad? Like Aparently if u get 3 ur suspended? And is it non stop classes and study from 8:30 to 8:45 pm? And could anyone forward a 5th year daily time table coz I couldn't find one on the website? ..... I know that's ALOT of questions , but if anyone could answer the majority of them I'd be soooooo grateful !! :L and if there's anyone going to yeats next year for the 5th year course mabey we can get in touch, it would be alot less nerve wrecking if I actually knew someone going :L

Too many questions. I don't like too many questions.

ladymacbeth

Olivia4 wrote: »

do u not get so homesick?

I'm from Galway, but everyone in the b&bs have great craic. You go home Friday/ Saturday/ Sunday, if you want, depending whether or not you want to do weekend study

Olivia4 wrote: »

Do u not drift away from ur friends from back home??

that completely depends on you and what effort you (and your friends) put in to remaining close.

Olivia4 wrote: »

Are the people at yeats sound?

Half and half. A lot of them are posh rich-kids. But I've made some very good friends here.

Olivia4 wrote: »

Is it not too much pressure? It is money well spent? Would u consider doing one or two years?

Depends on how you deal with stress. As long as you work hard and consistently from the start, you won't have much pressure! IMO, the money is well spent. I repeated there, not sure about 2 year. My friend who did the two year said she got tired of it, because you start all the courses all over again in 6th year. But this can be a good thing too - quite good. By doing the 2 year course, you would be expected to do very well in your Leaving cert.

Olivia4 wrote: »

Do u not get any free time atall?? Like 8:30 to 8:45 everyday? And ud have to get to sleep before 12 ? what would ye do in the few hours of free time that ye get? Is it not way too tiering? And is it not awfully hard to keep up with all the homework and timetables that the teachers give u? And is it easy to get a letter home that's bad? Like Aparently if u get 3 ur suspended? And is it non stop classes and study from 8:30 to 8:45 pm?

Free time in Yeats? BAHAHAHAHAH! Jk. You don't have to go to study if you don't want to. Get your mom to send a text in. I study at home. Not really that tiring you get so used to it. Easy to keep up as long as you do your work, like I said earlier. Never heard of anyone getting suspended. If you're performance is poor, teachers/ Terry sends letters/texts home or ring.
No, obviously it's not non stop classes and study. You have a 20 break, an hour lunch, an hour dinner. Again, you don't have to go to study if you don't want to. You don't have to stay until 9:30, you can leave at 8:30.

I knew nobody, then I spotted a few people from my old school. Made loads of new friends. Teachers' notes are great, teachers are passionate about their subjects and always there to help.

Just chill, it's a school, not a concentration camp!!

EllenKelly8

Hi,

I am going to be attending Yeats in September and I'm having a problem with the whole accommodation thing.
The school sent me a list of their approved accommodation and it is like crazy expensive, if I can't find any alternatives I won't be able to attend

Do you have to stay with there approved accommodation?
Can I find my own accommodation, like house sharing?

If anyone is having the same problem as me or can help me please feel free to reply or PM me

Help is very greatly appricated !!!