What's on your CAO 2013?

bluejay14

The time has arrived, the future is bearing down upon us. You all know what I'm talking about...........The rumours are true.........the CAO has now *nearly* thrown open it's doors to us, the class of 2013.

Whether you're going through it for the first time or not, what's on your CAO?

decisions

NUIM Science is probably my number 1 atm.

BrownBear11

This is what my CAO looked like from November through until July last year and most likely this year will be the same

Level 8:

1. Primary teaching - St. Pat's Drumcondra - PD101
2. Primary teaching - Marino - CM001
3. Primary teaching - Mary I - MI005
4. Humanities/Arts ( to get into teaching!) - St Pats Drumcondra PD103

Level 7:

Nada, zero zilch.

The beauty of being a repeat is I can still use last years points if things go horribly wrong this year so I'm guaranteed at least the Arts course Eases the pressure a bit


Who can guess what I want to do when I'm older? :pac:

decisions

^^^
Doctor?

:pac:

BrownBear11

decisions wrote: »

^^^
Doctor?

:pac:

What gave it away :pac:

bluejay14

I am the worlds worst for making decisions so filling in the CAO is my worst nightmare.

The only thing I'm kinda veering towards is Arts in NUIM, doing English, geography and something else.

More details will follow when I figure out what my own mind wants

Conor94

Science in NUI Maynooth is probably going to be my first choice. I'm not sure what area I'm most interested in pursuing so I think un-denominated science is probably the best way to go.

D3luka

english and history bachelor of arts in NUIG and NUIM

BroBeans353

BIS (CK203) in UCC is all I'm aiming for really, nothing else interests me in the slightest.

David1994

My cao last year was basically primary teaching and Arts.However I am can kinda looking into something in science and maybe English :P We will see! :pac:

Vito Corleone

Science most probably.

Eurovisionmad

My bad, CAO doesn't open until the 5th of November :L I'm surprised nobody checked when I said it!

bluejay14

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

My bad, CAO doesn't open until the 5th of November :L I'm surprised nobody checked when I said it!

*shakes fist*

ScummyMan

bluejaymraz wrote: »

*shakes fist*

Poufsouffle

Veterinary Medicine will be number one, and that's about it..

areyawell

D3luka wrote: »

english and history bachelor of arts in NUIG and NUIM

Why would anyone want to do a Arts degree? What are you going to get employed as? A teacher, thats it

bluejay14

areyawell wrote: »

Why would anyone want to do a Arts degree? What are you going to get employed as? A teacher, thats it

What's wrong with an Arts degree?

It mightn't be as many points as other degrees but that doesnt mean it's not just as much work. There's plenty of places it could take you afterwards. What if we want to be teachers? I hate the thought of doing something overly specific coming straight out of the lc, at least with arts you get a bit of choice.

CatEyed92

bluejaymraz wrote: »

What's wrong with an Arts degree?

It mightn't be as many points as other degrees but that doesnt mean it's not just as much work. There's plenty of places it could take you afterwards. What if we want to be teachers? I hate the thought of doing something overly specific coming straight out of the lc, at least with arts you get a bit of choice.

I feel like writing about my experience with Arts since CAO opens up Monday.

I did UCC Arts last year.
But it wasn't my first choice. Nursing was. And that's my story. I think you have to really, really want to do Arts to be 100% in it.
Arts is a good course, offering a variety of areas to study. English is a great option in fairness and I truly enjoyed it.
Arts deserves alot more recognition as the workload is crazy. In fact, double the workload compared to some courses.

The worst thing about Arts ?
- There's hundred's of people in one year. It's easy to get lost in the crowd.
- Some people have direction and drive - others slip into the floating and dossing business because either it was not their first choice OR mammy is forcing them to be there OR "as long as I get in to UCC/UCD/NUIG...." mentality.
- The classic saying : "You're a number, not a name" - Basically, defines Arts.
- Unlike other courses, Arts lacks discipline. And that is a big problem, one which universities really need to address as it has the biggest drop out rate and fail rate.

But career wise - yes there are a lot of options. I think you just need to know how to use and manipulate it afterwards.

areyawell

Yes but the only job you will get from an Arts degree is as a teacher and that's in a bad way in Ireland at the moment. It doesn't matter about the workload etc because ye only having 8 hours of lectures with degrees like computing, engineering computing have 30 hours + and the workload in computing is nearly unbearable. Arts degrees are really a waste of time and don't fall for the trap that you get to study a lot of subjects. All it is is essay writing. Its not actually learning anything productive.
I know a lot of friends who did them and said it was the worst mistake they ever made. Can't get a job as teachers and can do feck all else with the degree. Look at irishjobs.ie and you will not see one job advertised that want someone with an arts degree. All had to go on and do a higer diploma in business or IT and then another year in Masters.

Whats an Arts degree students favorite phrase?
Do you want fries with that.

The mentailty seems to be as long as I can get into a university I'm happy

CatEyed92

areyawell wrote: »

Look at irishjobs.ie and you will not see one job advertised that want someone with an arts degree.

Hang on?

Presuming you are in college, I am sure you know jobs are not in abundance in any sector these days.
To defend arts since I have actually studied it, companies appreciate Arts graduates as they can analyse and dissect information making for good workers/managers in many sectors and can be trained easily. By the time myself, yourself and other young people in Ireland come out of degrees in 3 to 5 years time, things could turn around - who's to say they won't?

Furthermore, Arts students/Hdip students last year received great news in the department - a current baby boom has guaranteed an increase in teaching posts all over Ireland in 2015+ I believe. So any students interested in being a primary/secondary teachers will be delighted.

Even though I left Arts, I can appreciate it's value despite the department flaws or narrow minded student's opinions.

Do you think there are jobs in Law? Business? Or is it the fact they are more points, therefore, more respectable than an Arts degree?

It's what you make it. You get out what you put in. An Arts degree goes hand in hand with societies and clubs - building the CV. Sheer, who's gonna employ someone who did any degree for four years but has no sports/hobbies down on the CV or portfolios to say 'I am also good at XYZ'?

Again, not sure if you are in college but surely you must know that Arts students pride themselves on building up portfolios with Radio/Journalism/Peer support etc etc = experience.

8 hours for Arts? I am baffled - I had 25-28 hours last year ? Whichever of your friends who had 8 hours was having a great aul time!
30+ hours for computer science/engineering? Not sure which college or year that was but I have friends in those courses who are now in second year skipping out the gates at 1-2pm everyday and they attend everything.

Arts students work very hard. Just as hard as others, maybe more so.

And as for your last cliché comment about fries.. Not very mature or funny. Some people unemployed right this minute would be glad to say that. It's a job at the end of the day.

Long post but really felt you are doing an injustice there to prospective student's.

To the other posters and CAO'ers - with any degree, sport, job - you get out what you put in. And if you have a passion for history, flare for english - do it! The economy is forever changing.

Arts degree can be built around!

G'luck to everyone!

CatEyed92

areyawell wrote: »

at the moment.

Therefore, not relevant to CAO'ers on Monday.

So, any course goes.

By the way, I do see where you are coming from but honestly, I know many people at university etc who are paving a great career for the future.

randylonghorn

areyawell wrote: »

Why would anyone want to do a Arts degree? What are you going to get employed as? A teacher, thats it

areyawell wrote: »

Yes but the only job you will get from an Arts degree is as a teacher and that's in a bad way in Ireland at the moment.

As someone whose first degree was an Arts degree, who is gainfully employed and who has never taught in a secondary school, I respectfully beg to differ.

areyawell wrote: »

It doesn't matter about the workload etc because ye only having 8 hours of lectures with degrees like computing, engineering computing have 30 hours + and the workload in computing is nearly unbearable.

The reason there are lower contact hours is because Arts / Humanities requires a lot of reading and self-directed learning rather than long-drawn-out labs where someone holds your hand through every facet of the process. And that is its strength for those who are interested, and yes, it's also what makes it unrewarding for those who are uninterested and really just looking to doss, you're right to that extent.

areyawell wrote: »

I know a lot of friends who did them and said it was the worst mistake they ever made.

I know a lot of people who did degrees in computing and say it was the worst mistake they ever made; they did it because they felt it enhanced their immediate employability (quite possibly a valid argument, especially in the current climate) and are bored silly and frustrated and itching to make a change.

Are we even now, or shall we continue to make sweeping generalisations on the basis of our personal circle of friends?

areyawell wrote: »

Look at irishjobs.ie and you will not see one job advertised that want someone with an arts degree.

You're right to that extent; few enough jobs will specifically seek someone with "an Arts degree", especially without specifying in what area, yet it is a perfectly acceptable qualification in many areas.

areyawell wrote: »

All had to go on and do a higer diploma in business or IT and then another year in Masters.

It's normal enough to do a postgrad of some sort and specialise after an Arts degree, yes, there we will agree. That said, I can only think of one person I know who chose to do it in either IT or business, but that may be down to the circles we move in. Perhaps because your own interest lies towards the computing area, you tend to know more people who share your interests?

Mind you, these days it's far from uncommon to do a postgrad / Masters anyway, regardless of area ... such as a Masters in Software Engineering, perhaps?

areyawell wrote: »

Whats an Arts degree students favorite phrase?
Do you want fries with that.

That "joke" is so old that it would probably have been scrawled on the walls of the loos in the Colosseum if they had had French fries back then! :rolleyes:

Of course it would have been scrawled in Latin, so nowadays it would take an Arts student to actually understand it ...

areyawell wrote: »

The mentailty seems to be as long as I can get into a university I'm happy

Sorry?

Oh, you mean 'mentality', I beg your pardon.

Yes, there are people like that in almost every degree course, but I would agree that Arts gets more than its fair share. They're the people who lead to the French fries joke, and the graffitti of "pull here for Arts degree" over the bogroll in university loos. Have you seen that one? ... it's an even older chestnut than the one you pulled out of your hat.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!!

In the eyes of those who can't be bothered to look too closely but prefer to rely on worn-out vapid cliches, they tend to obscure the majority who actually take their chosen field seriously and go on to become journalists, writers, youth / community / social workers, economists, lawyers, linguists / translators, teachers, psychologists, diplomats, etc., etc.

shawnanana

I have no idea what to put, i change my mind nearly every day! Probably something to do with Healthcare though and definitely something that involves working with people
I know I shouldn't base it just on the college but I'd love to go to UL or DCU!

internet_user

mind changes every day what course to pick! more than likely something business/I.T related

jamo2oo9

Jesus! Is it really open tomorrow? I thought it wasn't open till the end of November. Time really does fly when you're in 6th year :-O

Eurovisionmad

With regards to Arts up above:

FueledByAisling

Poufsouffle wrote: »

Veterinary Medicine will be number one, and that's about it..

I've always wanted to do vet nursing, I'm not the brightest of the bunch so with hard work 430 was achieveable. That shot up to 470 min now I know it's all like 'oh there's more than just ucd' but so many friends will be there,close to home,close to work, they have an equine team and they are the best college to do it in!

Brb while i go cry myself a river and torture myself for months to most likely fail to get 470.

Poufsouffle

FueledByAisling wrote: »

I've always wanted to do vet nursing, I'm not the brightest of the bunch so with hard work 430 was achieveable. That shot up to 470 min now I know it's all like 'oh there's more than just ucd' but so many friends will be there,close to home,close to work, they have an equine team and they are the best college to do it in!

Brb while i go cry myself a river and torture myself for months to most likely fail to get 470.

I've met a few vet nurses, all lovely people I'm sure if you put your mind to it you'll get the 470, hopefully we'll be seeing each other in the vet building in UCD in a few months

sganyfx

1st. Trinity - Economics and Maths
Other choices no yet ordered.

Trinity - Law, Mathematics, and BESS
UCD - Law With Economics, Economics and Finance, Mathematics, Actuarial and Financial Studies, and Law

UCAS (UK universities) - Economics at Cambridge, Warwick, University College London, London School of Economics and Politics, and the University of Bristol.

ScummyMan

Electronic and Computer Engineering in UL for me hopefully.

Flabangav

1. DN300 Veterinary Medicine - Undergraduate entry
2. DN451 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
3. TR911 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
4. DC218 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
5. DN450 General Nursing

HugsiePie

Flabangav wrote: »

1. DN300 Veterinary Medicine - Undergraduate entry
2. DN451 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
3. TR911 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
4. DC218 Children's and General Nursing (Integrated)
5. DN450 General Nursing

Out of curiosity, if your number 1 choice is veterinary, why not go for vet nursing further down the list as opposed to children's and general?

Colm!

Right now (not submitted yet, I might change opinion. I'm submitting next week)

1. CK401 - Computer Science, UCC.
The way I see it, I'm unlikely to get lower than the points for that at current level; the rest are just courses I've taken an interest in and might move them up depending on my mood. .

2. CK407 - Mathematical Sciences, UCC
3. CK203 - Business Information Systems, UCC
4. TR076 - Nanoscience, physics and chemistry of advanced materials, TCD
5. TR071 - Science, TCD
6. TR031 - Mathematics, TCD
7. DN200 - Science, UCD
8. CR106 - Software Development, CIT

I've organised it by college preference and then course preference right now, (studying in UCC makes the most sense for me in terms of accommodation and stuff so I'm hoping to go there) but CR106 Software Development might move up as I've heard that quite a few employers favour it over other CS courses.

Flabangav

HugsiePie wrote: »

Out of curiosity, if your number 1 choice is veterinary, why not go for vet nursing further down the list as opposed to children's and general?

I'd rather be a human nurse than a vet nurse. I'd put it further down but I'm repeating and got offered my second choice last year, so there's not much point!

BeanbagBallbag

randylonghorn wrote: »

The reason there are lower contact hours is because Arts / Humanities requires a lot of reading and self-directed learning rather than long-drawn-out labs where someone holds your hand through every facet of the process.

It's fair enough that you want to defend your degree and its merits, but I have to take issue with this part. I'm doing theoretical physics and it is heavily dependent on self-directed learning, while still having a lot of contact hours. If you don't do any of your own work outside of lectures you won't be coming back for 2nd year. I also have labs and nobody "holds your hand". It's 3 hours with your partner to work with. If you're very stuck you can get some help from postgrads but nobody holds your hand through every facet of the process.

LostBoy101

This is my list so far, just picked 6 Level 8 courses at the moment so still have to fill the rest.

1. DC120 - Enterprise Computing, DCU
2. DC121 - Computer Applications, DCU
3. TR081 - Business, economic and social studies (BESS), Trinity
4. DT228 - Computer Science, DIT
5. DT354 - Business Computing - Level 8, DIT
6. NC003 - BSc Honours in Computing, National College of Ireland

Interested in doing business with I.T and I'm also interested in DCU Computer App. as they have an interesting and exciting course.

randylonghorn

BeanbagBallbag wrote: »

It's fair enough that you want to defend your degree and its merits, but I have to take issue with this part.

Actually, I'm not all that interested in defending my degree and its merits, especially since I'm well past the stage of completing a first degree.

I am however anxious that those who might be considering studying in the humanities aren't put off by the snide and dismissive attitudes of such as the previous poster.

BeanbagBallbag wrote: »

I'm doing theoretical physics and it is heavily dependent on self-directed learning, while still having a lot of contact hours. If you don't do any of your own work outside of lectures you won't be coming back for 2nd year.

Everyone undertaking a degree needs to do work outside of lectures / tutorials / labs, I'm not denying that for a second. However, in most disciplines, it's not really self-directed (which is a different thing altogether from personal study outside contact hours).

In the humanities, lectures are a general guide to the required reading and some initial suggestions as to how to approach them analytically and critically. Each module comes with a hefty reading list (I've seen RLs run to 10 pages in history for a 5 credit module) and if students wish to actually get the benefit of the education they are in college for, not to mention score highly, they need to at least delve deeply into that reading, and develop their own personal viewpoints and opinions and understanding based on the material presented to them, and be able to argue those opinions and back them up, sometimes at odds with the stated views of their lecturers. For the arts student who is actually interested in their subject, most of their time should be spent reading. Some doss ofc, and miss that opportunity. That's their loss, tbh.

TP is a bloody tough degree, I know that, and I wouldn't for one second underestimate it. Actually, that's one of the advantages of studying the humanities, one learns to appreciate the interconnectedness of things and the contribution that all the disciplines make to the totality of knowledge and to our civilisation and society.

I_ENJOY_BATHS

1. DN200 Science - Mathematical, Physical and Geological Sciences (MPG) (UCD)
2. TR035 Theoretical Physics (TCD)
3. DC171 Applied Physics (DCU)
4. DC167 Physics with Astronomy (DCU)
5. DT222 Physics Technology (DIT)
6. DT205 Mathematical Sciences (DIT)
7. DT220 Industrial Mathematics (DIT)

HugsiePie

I_ENJOY_BATHS wrote: »

1. DN200 Science - Mathematical, Physical and Geological Sciences (MPG) (UCD)
2. TR035 Theoretical Physics (TCD)
3. DC171 Applied Physics (DCU)
4. DC167 Physics with Astronomy (DCU)
5. DT222 Physics Technology (DIT)
6. DT205 Mathematical Sciences (DIT)
7. DT220 Industrial Mathematics (DIT)

I LOVE YOUR USERNAME! :cool:

ray2012

i have nothing down. absolutely nothing as of this moment.

jamo2oo9

LM077 Aeronautical Engineering (UL)
LM113 Engineering Choice (UL)

More to be added later

I_ENJOY_BATHS

HugsiePie wrote: »

I LOVE YOUR USERNAME! :cool:

Thanks.

Parawhore.xD

1. Biomedical science- UCC & CIT
2. Science- TCD
3. Biological and chemical sciences- UCC
4. Science- no preference- UCD
5. Biomedical science- DIT

Science in Trinity might move up to number one after the open day though, I'm becoming more drawn to the place day by day...

TheFlayedMan

My number one is Law with History in UCD.

My top five will probably be a mixture of Law, Business and Primary Teaching in St Pats.

sock puppet

CatEyed92 wrote: »

Presuming you are in college, I am sure you know jobs are not in abundance in any sector these days.

Do you think there are jobs in Law? Business? Or is it the fact they are more points, therefore, more respectable than an Arts degree?

Wanted to correct these two points. First of all there are loads of opportunities for graduates right now depending on the field. Secondly there are plenty of jobs in business (though you don't necessarily even need a business degree to work in them). For the top students there are investment banks and consultancy firms, who are still taking on large numbers of graduates. The accountancy firms also take on hundreds of graduates each year too.

CatEyed92

sock puppet wrote: »

Wanted to correct these two points. First of all there are loads of opportunities for graduates right now depending on the field. Secondly there are plenty of jobs in business (though you don't necessarily even need a business degree to work in them). For the top students there are investment banks and consultancy firms, who are still taking on large numbers of graduates. The accountancy firms also take on hundreds of graduates each year too.

Should of put down other sectors but for some reason, they were the only ones I put in at the time. I meant everywhere as a whole - opportunities are cut compared to past times!

Boeing777

I know it's early days yet, but if anybody wants any information on Science Education/General Science in NUIM or anything else science related in NUIM, PM me and I'd be happy to help!

StrayCat1

1. DN600 LPY Law with Philosophy
2. Probably the joint arts

Eurovisionmad

Just to let y'all know the CAO interactive practice demo is online, if you're like me and want to get an idea of what will happen but don't want to committ to the real thing!

LostBoy101

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

Just to let y'all know the CAO interactive practice demo is online, if you're like me and want to get an idea of what will happen but don't want to committ to the real thing!

Is this the one in the download section where I print it out? or I am missing something?

Eurovisionmad

LostBoy101 wrote: »

Is this the one in the download section where I print it out? or I am missing something?

No no this is the interactive demo, it's as if you're doing it for real!