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Do a college course without the necessary points?

  • 08-12-2010 1:33pm
    #1
    SeanMolo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭


    Guys, is there any way to do a college course without the necessary points?

    I'm an average student, bit of an underachiever, C's and D's.
    Though, this is just from a lack of interest in the majority of my subjects which affects my grades, obviously. I just feel like it's all a bit redundant.

    Anyway, I feel I excel in Music class. So if I were to get 100% in my Music LC would there be any way to do a college course based solely on my high marks in a single class.

    Kinda related question: Does any one college in Ireland do both Music and Graphic Design courses, preferably in Dublin?

    Thanks.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    Rds1989
    Closed Accounts Posts: 133 ✭✭Rds1989


    Try applying through the access programme, I got 390 points but got a course in trinity worth 450. It will depend if your school is connected to the access programme and if you come from a lower socio-economic background


  • #3
    Thomas_S_Hunterson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,151 ✭✭✭Thomas_S_Hunterson


    Try approaching the university/college directly (a letter, perhaps). They will have ultimate discretion over admissions and might have a way to let you in. This is, of course, reliant on you being able to convince them that you would be a suitable candidate.


  • #4
    UpTheSlashers
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭UpTheSlashers


    I know in UCC have a programme called "UCC plus" or "UCC+". Try ringing them and see if they know of anything relevant to you up in Dublin. Also, Google "HEAR".


  • #5
    rcdk1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 558 ✭✭✭rcdk1


    Two things you could consider:

    1) Doing UK A-levels at Dublin Tutorial Centre

    You would have to do 5 subjects: 3 A-levels and 2 O-level exams. That would let you drop a 6th subject you're poor at. The A-levels are worth a potential 170 points and the O-levels are worth a potential 45 points, totalling 600 CAO points. See CAO website.

    This would let you maximise your good subjects (assuming you have three) while minimising the effects of your poor subjects.

    Note: I haven't done A-level exams but I understand they're more difficult than LC higher level.

    2) Not sure if this applies to the courses you're interested in doing but many people who don't have enough points to do a particular course, do a related course with lower points and then transfer to their preferred course. It takes extra time and afaik if the two courses are at the same level (e.g. level 8 degrees) then you're liable for fees for the second course.


  • #6
    gossipgal08
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 ✭✭gossipgal08


    Are you doing the Leaving Cert this year? Not sure if this helps but if you go to college as a mature student you are judged differently. If your not sure what you want to do perhaps a PLC in the areas of interest? If you could find a job and work for a few years and go back


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  • #7
    HavingCrack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭HavingCrack


    PLC's and level 6 IT courses will both count as 'extra points' for lack of a better word. There's a lad I went to school with who did a year doing a PLC in Dun Laoghaire Senior College who was then able to move into 1st year Commerce in UCD. Have a look into doing something like that for Music maybe.


  • #8
    Noodleworm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 717 ✭✭✭Noodleworm


    A course with music and graphic design is unlikely but plenty of digital media/multimedia courses might include both graphic design and sound engineering, if thats any help


  • #9
    LisaS
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 ✭LisaS


    yeah I think your best bet would be to look for a PLC which would be linked, it doesn't even have to be linked to the area, it still adds on extra points for you but it will be a great base for going on to college then if it links with what you want to do. Only for the PLC one year course that I did I would not have got to complete my degree, so I would strongly reccommend them :) It was the best thing I ever done. I was never any good at the general school subjects because I had no interest in them but once I chose a PLC I enjoyed, I started to get much better marks. No offence to any hairdressers or anything but I was going to train as a hairdresser after my leaving cert, I am delighted I didn't now because it would be such a tiring job. I also went and spoke to the career guidance councillor in the college that I wanted to get on to and let her know I was trying everything to get on to the course, and that even if I didn't get enough points after the PLC that I would go back for another year to build up the points again. She went to a few people in the college and I reckon this helped me a lot too.. She told me that I was right to be persistent. I hope you get whatever it is you want. ;)


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