How hard are distinctions to get?

DB10

Most access courses through fetac require 5 distinctions from what I can see, out of 8 modules I think.

How hard would that be? I'm doing business studies, is it harder than LC Business HL ?

Also how many places do 3rd level colleges allocate to fetac applicants? Are these figures available on the internet because I can't find them!

TomJoe Wallace

I can't answer the first 2 questions but I can say that most colleges vary on how many fetac applicant places are offered. Normally the amount of courses are minimal but that depends on the college. So advice would be to.. Put as much effort into the course as you can!

TheReverend

DB10 wrote: »

Most access courses through fetac require 5 distinctions from what I can see, out of 8 modules I think.

How hard would that be? I'm doing business studies, is it harder than LC Business HL ?

Also how many places do 3rd level colleges allocate to fetac applicants? Are these figures available on the internet because I can't find them!

I found it easier to get a distinction in a FETAC module than to get even a C in an LC subject :P

implausible

As FETAC courses are largely assignment based and rely far less on terminal examinations than the LC, it's quite possible to get good marks if you apply yourself throughout the year.

If you go online and find the courses you're interested in, the FETAC entry requirements as well as the number of places available should be there. If the info isn't on the website, contact the college.

SuperTyper

I received 8 distinctions this year in my course, I had good attendance and worked hard completing my assignments. I studied about two weeks before my exams. I was very pleased with myself:D

ordinary_girl

Does anyone know if it's hard to go straight from doing a Level 5 FETAC course to a third-level university course? Do people usually progress to a level 6 course afterwards and then apply for university, or can you get straight into a university after your level 5 course if you do really well in it?

Further Ed.

Log onto www.cao.ie and follow the links on FETAC Information and access Course Entry Requirements and the details of what award you need and the modules are listed. It also lists the the number of distinctions you will need to get. IoTs and the Universities indicate on their websites and brochures the number of places for FETAC applicants but many take more FETAC applicants than they state they allocate places for. But the requirements as just like those for the Leaving Cert students - min. but you need to be exceeding the requirements and getting a majority of distinctions as competition is getting more intense each year.

Increasingly a number of students are staying on to do FETAC Level 6 courses in the larger PLC/FE centres as they then can gain advanced entry (i.e entry into Year 2 of an IoT course). However you can go straight into IoT or University course without having to complete a Level 6 as long as your Level 5 results are good enough.