To Defer or not to defer...

ChemHickey

Hi guys, I'm starting to consider deferring for a year now. I really hadn't thought much of it until now, but today especially, I've been having thoughts about it and the more I think of it, the more I want to!

My sister deferred, and she went to our friends in Cali for about 6 months and worked and it was the best decision she ever made she said.

If I were to defer, I could do so much. I could finally get my diploma in Violin and Theory, I could finish learning french (well, be fluent) and become fluent in Italian too. I would also work towards getting my black belt (already brown) and train (hard) for the year. I would travel as well. We have friends all around the world, my sisters heading to Australia in October so I could go out to her and I could go over to our friends in Cali Hawai'i and my aunt has a house in France. Also, I could work ahead in Computer Science work and Applied maths as I would do Mathematical Science in NUIG and I have never done the two subjects mentioned above before.


But, in deferring, I would also be afraid I would become Lazy and bored with my life. I would lose initiative and my academic spark. I'm very academically focused at the moment and I become bored if not doing something related to it (I am learning Italian and doing the App Maths course this summer). Also, I would be worried that I'd lose any scholarships that I may get (If I were lucky to get them- Naughton scholarship in particular). Also, if I do head to America, I'd be looking into colleges over there and scholarships and probably end up falling in love with one of those universities and end up going there!


I turned 18 in May so I'm not even sure if I am old or young! I did TY and I loved it. That is part of the reason I am a bit anxious about deferring. I'm already quite mature and I don't really act childish or get drunk.


If anyone has any thoughts/opinions or advice I'd love to here from ye!


Thanks in advance.

Zach Chem:pac:

Togepi

The only reason I'd advise anyone not to defer is if they'd waste the whole year, and just hang around at home getting bored and demotivated. You don't sound like you've any intention of doing that! If I had the choice of doing everything you've mentioned on a year out, I'd go for it, the year will stand to you in the future. The main thing about a year out is that it would look bad if you had nothing to put on your CV for that whole year, and you'd have a lot to put on it so it would look great! If you also feel that you'd like to go to college this year just as much as you'd like to take a year out, make a list of pros and cons for each option, it might help.

ChemHickey

Togepi wrote: »

The only reason I'd advise anyone not to defer is if they'd waste the whole year, and just hang around at home getting bored and demotivated. You don't sound like you've any intention of doing that! If I had the choice of doing everything you've mentioned on a year out, I'd go for it, the year will stand to you in the future. The main thing about a year out is that it would look bad if you had nothing to put on your CV for that whole year, and you'd have a lot to put on it so it would look great! If you also feel that you'd like to go to college this year just as much as you'd like to take a year out, make a list of pros and cons for each option, it might help.

Cool! Thanks Togepi, you always have great advice! I'm probably going to make a list of pros and cons!

It'd cost a good heap of money to defer though, cost of flights, music exams, gym membership, petrol... uh decisions decisions.

PictureFrame

You could defer and come to NUIM with me? .. No?..

Personally i'd head into 1st year, to be honest Zach, you're well able for your course regardless of not doing Applied Maths/Computer Science!

You still probably will have time for all your other stuff(Violin, Karate etc.) Kudas btw for being such a well-rounded individual! . You'll need a break in college too!

And if you do decide to refer, it's only another year. It flys.

Really, i'm probably after confusing you more, but you'll probably make up your mind on your own tbh, you know yourself best! You'll make the right decision without doubt!

**offer to NUIM still open however :P

Togepi

ChemHickey wrote: »

Cool! Thanks Togepi, you always have great advice! I'm probably going to make a list of pros and cons!

It'd cost a good heap of money to defer though, cost of flights, music exams, gym membership, petrol... uh decisions decisions.

Thank Meowth for the pros and cons idea, that's her thing! :P

Yeah it'd be expensive enough I'd say, would you be able to work during the year too? It'd be really handy if you could, but finding a job would be another problem! Also, not to put you off deferring - just a heads up - they tend to increase the fee for college a bit every year, the one that's around €2,000 or more at the moment. Just FYI like. :P Oh and if you decide to defer you need to have a reason to give the college - you can just say something like you want to travel, or say you want to work to save money for college, should be grand with that!

ChemHickey

Togepi wrote: »

ChemHickey wrote: »

Cool! Thanks Togepi, you always have great advice! I'm probably going to make a list of pros and cons!

It'd cost a good heap of money to defer though, cost of flights, music exams, gym membership, petrol... uh decisions decisions.

Thank Meowth for the pros and cons idea, that's her thing! :P

Yeah it'd be expensive enough I'd say, would you be able to work during the year too? It'd be really handy if you could, but finding a job would be another problem! Also, not to put you off deferring - just a heads up - they tend to increase the fee for college a bit every year, the one that's around €2,000 or more at the moment. Just FYI like. :P Oh and if you decide to defer you need to have a reason to give the college - you can just say something like you want to travel, or say you want to work to save money for college, should be grand with that!

Yeah, you're right. My family own a surf school and stand up paddle(SUP) school so I'd have work.

Ya, and if I do defer fees could be introduced as well... and that'd be bad!

thanks for your advice!

ChemHickey

PictureFrame wrote: »

You could defer and come to NUIM with me? <3.. No?..

Personally i'd head into 1st year, to be honest Zach, you're well able for your course regardless of not doing Applied Maths/Computer Science!

You still probably will have time for all your other stuff(Violin, Karate etc.) Kudas btw for being such a well-rounded individual! . You'll need a break in college too!

And if you do decide to refer, it's only another year. It flys.

Really, i'm probably after confusing you more, but you'll probably make up your mind on your own tbh, you know yourself best! You'll make the right decision without doubt!

**offer to NUIM still open however :P

Haha, sounds good cadrêves!

Thank you for your help (and compliments =P meme absent as I'm on my phone! =P)

Ya, I really need to think about what to do. I'd love to travel some more, but at the same time, I'd hate to be the only one not doing anything academic out of my friends.

Ya, the year would fly- but I'm just so unsure. It would definitely stand to me if I did it as Togepi said, but uh... it's hard to say.

I suppose I could travel after my degree, but people are saying that I'd be snatched to work straight away or I'd end up doing a postgrad right away so I'd have no time.

I'll definitely visit NUIM though!

leaveiton

I'd say to be sure that you would actually do everything you have planned before you decide to defer. It can be really easy to think "I'll do this and that" but sometimes it just never happens! Sort of like how you (not you personally :P) always seem to have great plans for summer but don't end up doing a lot of them. Know what I mean? I've no idea what you're like, but I know if it was me, I'd be saying all this brilliant stuff but I'd probably never end up doing half of it You do sound very focused though!

Meowth

Togepi wrote: »

Thank Meowth for the pros and cons idea, that's her thing! :P

Don't thank Meowth for anything :P

Chem I haven't really read through this thread but em only defer if you know you have something to do like and its a sure thing. It would be an awful thing to waste a year. I know a girl who deferred and she was working with me. She was delighted she deferred and got straight back into work after it. So I wouldn't be worried on that side of things. Yeah the pro and con list is a good idea. Tbh I don't feel I should advise you on anything considering I've no idea what I'm even doing yet. Sorry

Hope what I said was some help

CillianL

I got 480 in my Leaving Cert in 2010 and put a load of rubbish down on the CAO,
so even though I received a first round offer for Arts in UCD, which I realised was a toilet paper degree so I deferred it for the year and did a small course for a year where I learned French and saved money from my part-time job.

What I would say to you is not to do things in halves. If you feel you're unsure of the course you've been offered don't hesitate to defer it as you're not going to commit properly. I met a lot of new people in my year out, matured more and got a better understanding of the world which benefited me to no end though in a way it was an unhappy year as well as all my friends appeared to be rolling ahead while I was still pondering 'Quoi dois-je faire?

ChemHickey

Thanks for all your help guys. I will have to make sure that I'm 100% certain either way. I'll definitely make a pro con list!

I can't multiquote on my phone but thanks for your advice Leaveiton and Meowth.

I'll probably end up posting on pro con list when I finalise it.

Thanks for your help guys!

ChemHickey

CillianL wrote: »

I got 480 in my Leaving Cert in 2010 and put a load of rubbish down on the CAO,
so even though I received a first round offer for Arts in UCD, which I realised was a toilet paper degree so I deferred it for the year and did a small course for a year where I learned French and saved money from my part-time job.

What I would say to you is not to do things in halves. If you feel you're unsure of the course you've been offered don't hesitate to defer it as you're not going to commit properly. I met a lot of new people in my year out, matured more and got a better understanding of the world which benefited me to no end though in a way it was an unhappy year as well as all my friends appeared to be rolling ahead while I was still pondering 'Quoi dois-je faire?

Thanks for the long post!

As I said, I'd try and improve my Italian and French and do loads of other stuff.

The course I applied for is the only course in Ireland that I'm even vaguely interested in. Once I saw it in Ty I knew it would always be the perfect course for me.

Thanks for the input.

okiss

I know some one who decided to defer for a year. This was a very able student who would have had a choice for the highest points course in Ireland.
During the year off they did a secretarial course, worked part time, learnt to drive and where sure what course they wanted to do after this. This person is currently doing a phd & told me the year off was the best thing they did as they were more able for college on a maturity level.
I spoke to another lady recently who son is in college doing a course he really likes but that some of his friends hate the course. The friend have been told you may stick with it as the parents cannot afford to pay the fees for 1st year again if they were to change courses.
I would research any college course you want to do in detail before taking it.
I would look for a job to help pay for what you plan to do this year as you don't want to waste the year. You want to be in a position to show a future employer or others why you took the year out and show how it was of benefit to you.

ChemHickey

okiss wrote: »

I know some one who decided to defer for a year. This was a very able student who would have had a choice for the highest points course in Ireland.
During the year off they did a secretarial course, worked part time, learnt to drive and where sure what course they wanted to do after this. This person is currently doing a phd & told me the year off was the best thing they did as they were more able for college on a maturity level.
I spoke to another lady recently who son is in college doing a course he really likes but that some of his friends hate the course. The friend have been told you may stick with it as the parents cannot afford to pay the fees for 1st year again if they were to change courses.
I would research any college course you want to do in detail before taking it.
I would look for a job to help pay for what you plan to do this year as you don't want to waste the year. You want to be in a position to show a future employer or others why you took the year out and show how it was of benefit to you.

That's great advice! Thank you. I'll definitely look into deferring. I need to research different courses too, and i'll have to see if my funds will be sufficient enough to defer really :L

Mysteriouschic

If you know you'll have things lined up to do and you won't be wasting a year then it's a good idea. But if you ended up not doing what you had planned you may find it hard to get motivated. I know a guy in my year deferred and regretted it but then again I think he just wanted to relax or have fun , he didn't have any plans for the year. Others do take a year out and find it a benefit it depends on each person really. It probably would be better to go straight to first year as you're already motivated . Plus you could still do the french/violin/karate in your spare time. There are longer christmas holidays and then there's the summer when you're off from around May (I think). You could use that time to travel if you really wanted to. Or later on in life after you've completed you're degree and been working . You could take a year out from work to travel. My cousin did this and saw many places in the world my other one worked in Australia for sometime.

Have a good think about what you feel is the best. And if you do defer make sure you follow your plans through .

Coeurdepirate

Yore ma deferred. Lol I'm so funny

ChemHickey

Coeurdepirate wrote: »

Yore ma deferred. Lol I'm so funny

If that's how they speak in Galway then I might well defer. :P

Nq12

Hi, I have recently been thinking about deferring for a year from my science course, either in UCD (first choice) or UCC (second choice). I am interested in au pairing in Spain, perhaps, for 3 months or possibly more if I'm able. However, I wouldn't be quick to make arrangements as an au pair until im fully decided and im worried about not being able to secure a job in the mean time. My other worry is also, as it's a science course I'm applying to, that I would forget a lot of what i need to know and be out of my depth when i return to it the following year....has anyone had a similar experience? Any views on the option of deferring a science course would reeeally help!

biohaiid

You sound like whatever choice you make you'll be fine, tbh.
A year away from full-on education might be good, you seem to push yourself very hard.
Also thinking about deferring, but not sure.
I'd love a year out, even though I'm really excited for college, but only if I was garaunteed a place the following year.
Does anyone know if you get your course and defer it that you DEFINATELY get in the following year?
Even if points or entry requirements change?

ChemHickey

biohaiid wrote: »

You sound like whatever choice you make you'll be fine, tbh.
A year away from full-on education might be good, you seem to push yourself very hard.
Also thinking about deferring, but not sure.
I'd love a year out, even though I'm really excited for college, but only if I was garaunteed a place the following year.
Does anyone know if you get your course and defer it that you DEFINATELY get in the following year?
Even if points or entry requirements change?

Ya, I think you are guaranteed it as you have successfully met all criteria for that course. I may be wrong, but I'm pretty certain you are definitely guaranteed a spot.

Bears and Vodka

Could you not do all these things you want to do after you get your degree? Or are you afraid you will have lost these skilss you want to finesse?

ChemHickey

subz3r0 wrote: »

Could you not do all these things you want to do after you get your degree? Or are you afraid you will have lost these skilss you want to finesse?

If I stop with the aul fiddle... I'd become a tad useless... I gave up the violin for 3/4 years when I was like 9 (I had done up to grade 4) and when I went back to it, I couldn't play a note and couldn't remember how to read music at all... I know that won't happen to me now, but i'm afraid I'll forget some important things :L

I'm probably not going to defer. I feel (in my mind) that 22 is too old to get a degree.. :P It's because I want to have my doctorit by around 26ish :L