help/advice really needed about transferring or dropping out

kate.m

Hi guys,
Im a first year undergraduate student doing french and history as a TSM. But
the thing is I really dont want to do this course (the history bit anyway; like french even though it's difficult)

Arts really wasnt what I wanted and now I'm considering on dropping out. I know the transfer date is october 14th and Im waiting on re-checks.

I was told there is a date I could defer by or retain my fees by? I asked during orientation week and was told to give the course a shot before making any decisions, and I will give it another week just incase I *maybe* start enjoying it.

How do I go about this? I've yet to meet my tutor (there have been emails recently exchanged as I never got a letter about it. I wasn't able to see him at the time he mentioned)

I do like trinity, just really think I'm not able to cope with this course. Repeating my LC is something (rechecks depending) I'm considering.

thanks in advance for any replies or advice you can give.

blubloblu

From the tutor handbook http://www.tcd.ie/Senior_Tutor/pdf/pdf/Tutor%20handbook2010.pdf

If a student informs College before 13th September that they are not taking up their place, and therefore has not registered, the full Student Charge €1500 plus €85 levies (sports and USI) minus an administrative fee of €212 will be returned to the student.
If a student registers and withdraws before 31st October, then College will retain the €1500 Student Charge but will return the €85 levies.
Withdrawing before the 31st October allows the student to still avail of the Free Fees initiative in TCD or another College the following year. If a student has registered and withdraws this is in effect a lost student (for maybe 4 years) to College which may not be replaced, hence the retention of the Student Charge. The Student Charge is in effect a ‗lost deposit‘.
Due to the earlier start of the academic year because of the new year structure and the recent rise in the Student Charge from €900 to €1500, some Tutors felt that retaining the Student Charge is unfair as it is likely that the student will have registered before the 1st October date. It was suggested that this retention of Student Charge (€1500) should be clearly stated on the acceptance form as well as being included in information sent by College and by the Senior Tutor‘s Office.

This mentions the old €1500 reg fee, so it might be out of date. Do get in contact with your tutor as soon as you can.

My own opinion is that it's worth putting work into a course you like; withdrawing because you've no interest is better than withdrawing because you think it's too hard. Of course, this is something you should discuss with your tutor.

kate.m

christ my parents won't be happy with losing 2000 (I can pay them back for half of it I guess ) Or transferring to something else might save a lot of effort.

I have been trying to get in contact with him since freshers week but loads of TSM students didn't get any tutor information. I've sent 3 or 4 emails at this stage.
At least I (might) have until 31st of October to drop out and still get 'free' fees.

Is there no more updated information? I've been looking online for a while.

Thanks a lot by the way...off to inform parents and re-email tutor! Very much appreciated.

blubloblu

kate.m wrote: »

christ my parents won't be happy with losing 2000 (I can pay them back for half of it I guess ) Or transferring to something else might save a lot of effort.

I have been trying to get in contact with him since freshers week but loads of TSM students didn't get any tutor information. I've sent 3 or 4 emails at this stage.
At least I (might) have until 31st of October to drop out and still get 'free' fees.

Is there no more updated information? I've been looking online for a while.

Thanks a lot by the way...off to inform parents and re-email tutor! Very much appreciated.

You can get your tutor information off your student record on the tcd portal. http://isservices.tcd.ie/portal/ Try and see if you can get a phone number if they're not answering emails.
If your tutor isn't helping you, get in touch with the Senior Tutor http://www.tcd.ie/Senior_Tutor/contact/
Might be worth sending off an email to the SU

kate.m

oh ok.
I originally went to the senior tutor's office to get his info so if he hasn't replied by next monday I'll go there.

What can the SU do? should I talk to the educational welfare officer? I think I might. can't do any harm anyway

djcervi

Do you know what course you want to change to? If so, you need to go to the Admissions office to apply for an internal transfer. I did this in my first year in Trinity two years ago. Do this ASAP, so that you don't have too much work to catch up on in your new course. They give you a form, and you tell them what course you want to transfer into. You take the form, meet up with your tutor (as he/she has to sign it), and you return the form to the Admissions office.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

kate.m

djcervi wrote: »

Do you know what course you want to change to? If so, you need to go to the Admissions office to apply for an internal transfer. I did this in my first year in Trinity two years ago. Do this ASAP, so that you don't have too much work to catch up on in your new course. They give you a form, and you tell them what course you want to transfer into. You take the form, meet up with your tutor (as he/she has to sign it), and you return the form to the Admissions office.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

I'm not entirely certain what I want to do. I was thinking law.

I read online (TCD) that once you submit the form before the 14th of october it doesn't matter as all requests are only transferred after that date? So I've no choice regarding moving before then?

Thank you by the way I thought i'd like what I was doing so didn't consider changing or alternative courses before. I figure law is a safe bet...lots of reading anyway

djcervi

kate.m wrote: »

I'm not entirely certain what I want to do. I was thinking law.

I read online (TCD) that once you submit the form before the 14th of october it doesn't matter as all requests are only transferred after that date? So I've no choice regarding moving before then?

Thank you by the way I thought i'd like what I was doing so didn't consider changing or alternative courses before. I figure law is a safe bet...lots of reading anyway

Funnily enough, I changed my course during reading week (European Studies to TSM French/Spanish). I remember going to my tutor, who said that, the end of october was the cut off point for making the transfer. But, when I went to Admissions, I was allowed to apply for a transfer at the start of November. I started in my new course after Reading Week.

Also, a girl on my course was doing TSM French and Spanish, but applied during Freshers Week to change to TSM Irish and Spanish. In the second week, she started Irish.

My advice to you is talk to Admissions ASAP. Sometimes what they say online is unclear, with regard to this stuff.

Best of luck!

Ahoyhoy

kate.m wrote: »

oh ok.
I originally went to the senior tutor's office to get his info so if he hasn't replied by next monday I'll go there.

What can the SU do? should I talk to the educational welfare officer? I think I might. can't do any harm anyway

Go to the education officer, she'll know who your tutor is and whether or not they're any good. Some tutor's are zero help, especially the ones that haven't replied to any e-mails by now. The education officer will basically go over their head and talk to all the offices for you. Seriously, it's your best bet. But actually go into the office because they can be uber slow replying to e-mails at this time of year.

Sisu

kate.m wrote: »

I'm not entirely certain what I want to do. I was thinking law.
... I thought i'd like what I was doing so didn't consider changing or alternative courses before. I figure law is a safe bet...lots of reading anyway

Why not go along to some law lectures to see if you would like them? Maybe a lecturer or tutor in the law school would be willing to talk to you, even though they are not your tutor? A transfer sounds better than waiting a year if there is a course you would genuinely like to do.

goggles1992

kate.m wrote: »

Hi guys,
Im a first year undergraduate student doing french and history as a TSM. But
the thing is I really dont want to do this course (the history bit anyway; like french even though it's difficult)

Arts really wasnt what I wanted and now I'm considering on dropping out. I know the transfer date is october 14th and Im waiting on re-checks.

I was told there is a date I could defer by or retain my fees by? I asked during orientation week and was told to give the course a shot before making any decisions, and I will give it another week just incase I *maybe* start enjoying it.

How do I go about this? I've yet to meet my tutor (there have been emails recently exchanged as I never got a letter about it. I wasn't able to see him at the time he mentioned)

I do like trinity, just really think I'm not able to cope with this course. Repeating my LC is something (rechecks depending) I'm considering.

thanks in advance for any replies or advice you can give.

I'm in a very similar situation. I'm studying Ancient and Medieval History and culture. I accepted it thinking I would enjoy it but I was very wrong, despite having an avid interest in history. I've set up a meeting with my tutor to talk about dropping out, I'm not even going to transfer or change courses cos I will regret that more than taking a year off and hopefully finding some sort of job for a few months anyway. Thank you to Sisu as some of your posts provided me with information I really needed to know. Best of luck with what you're trying to do I hope it goes well for you

kate.m

goggles1992 wrote: »

I'm in a very similar situation. I'm studying Ancient and Medieval History and culture. I accepted it thinking I would enjoy it but I was very wrong, despite having an avid interest in history. I've set up a meeting with my tutor to talk about dropping out, I'm not even going to transfer or change courses cos I will regret that more than taking a year off and hopefully finding some sort of job for a few months anyway. Thank you to Sisu as some of your posts provided me with information I really needed to know. Best of luck with what you're trying to do I hope it goes well for you

There are quite a few first years like us I think
Is there not another course you would like to do at all? I'm only interested in transferring because my parents would not be happy with losing 2 grand. Never mind the cost of repeating. I hope it all works out for you too.

Ok, my tutor still hasn't responded so I'll try get in touch with the education officer tomorrow I'll also e-mail my peer mentors because they've been very helpful regarding other stuff. Thanks for all the advice.

goggles1992

kate.m wrote: »

There are quite a few first years like us I think
Is there not another course you would like to do at all? I'm only interested in transferring because my parents would not be happy with losing 2 grand. Never mind the cost of repeating. I hope it all works out for you too.

Ok, my tutor still hasn't responded so I'll try get in touch with the education officer tomorrow I'll also e-mail my peer mentors because they've been very helpful regarding other stuff. Thanks for all the advice.

Yeah I'd say there are quite a few.
No I just want to get away from it all now while I can, take my year out, look into more and then go into first year on a course I will definitely like next September. I know it's €2000 but I think my parents will understand that my own happiness and well being is worth more than that in all honesty. Either way I'm going to have to pay them back in the future anyway.