advice with preparations € wise.

GotTheTshirt

I've done all I can do regarding applying as a mature student for the BSc in Information Technology in WIT.

I'm asking your guidance in what I'll need to get me started if I get my place so I can prepare.

What would be the approximate cost of books and is there a source to buy the secondhand?

I have a good desktop at home but do I need to buy a laptop for the library or study time between classes?

Any other costs I should be aware of?

Thanks so much in advance for any advice as I'm a bit green coming back into all of this, I'm currently unemployed and have a family so I'd like to have an idea of what I'm in for and need to start sticking a few quid away.

Any help or advice would be really appreciated.

brian plank

you won't be asked to buy many books, maybe one or two and they're usually available for free online anyway. you should buy a laptop if you're planning on going near the library.

apachedropout

You could buy books of people from the year above as they probably won't need them or try and buy used online.

Speaking from my own experience(IT student) you will need a laptop for college. There is desktops in classrooms but you will find it easier to use your own computer especially when it comes to doing assignments(can bring the work with you to the library and work on it with your mates). While you're at it, pick up an Ethernet cable as well, the wireless is impossible during busy assignment times but each library desk has an Ethernet port that you can connect to.

GotTheTshirt

Thanks for the replies folks, very much appreciated.

Juicy432

GotTheTshirt wrote: »

I've done all I can do regarding applying as a mature student for the BSc in Information Technology in WIT.

I'm asking your guidance in what I'll need to get me started if I get my place so I can prepare.

What would be the approximate cost of books and is there a source to buy the secondhand?

I have a good desktop at home but do I need to buy a laptop for the library or study time between classes?

Any other costs I should be aware of?

Thanks so much in advance for any advice as I'm a bit green coming back into all of this, I'm currently unemployed and have a family so I'd like to have an idea of what I'm in for and need to start sticking a few quid away.

Any help or advice would be really appreciated.

Best of luck mate, I hope to be down there as a mature student as well.

GotTheTshirt

Got offered my place this morning,delighted! Any luck juicy?

Juicy432

Yeah I was my offered first choice this morning:D, I'm doing computer forensics and security.

MOC88

Doing applied computing at the moment but they're very similar.
We used Blue-j objects first...http://www.bluej.org/ ... can't guarantee that they'll use them again next year but they've been using ti for years.
A laptop is a definite yes, you'll be doing lots of labs and you're much better to have all your files and projects stored on a laptop(backed up online of course) so you don't spend the first 10-15 minutes setting up blue-j or eclipse with up to date software and importing files.

GotTheTshirt

Juicy432 wrote: »

Yeah I was my offered first choice this morning:D, I'm doing computer forensics and security.

Nice one,congrats! Enjoy the sunshine before we have to get the heads down:)

Media999

Good luck lads. Attend all classes and keep up with the work and youll be fine.

sugoo69

well done got the t shirt on getting your course - I have the t shirt and have been washing & ironing it for 20 years!!! Im doing Social Sciences in September new course. So I deciede to treat myself and went out to PC world (not in Waterfordd) to buy a laptop. After 15 mins of being patronised by some young man I informed him I woudlnt buy anything off him as I was working in IT when he was still in nappies and stormed out. Went into Argos & got a netbook with €95 off - happy daze! Have to confess Im crapping myself just gettig around the joint seems daunting. Did you go to the summer school? What was that like?
I was at WCFE last yer and found that books seemed to help me along with internet nd notes, I guess it is just the way I learned to learn back in the day if you catch my drift. Amazon, 2nd hand best bet. Get books that would be €40 new for pennies. If you have any issues getting them sent to Ireland if you know anyone in UK its handy.
Hope it all goes well for you

Juicy432

Anyone received any registration stuff from the college yet?

sugoo69

Hu Juicy - nothing yet for me but I think they wont send it our til August. I have applied for all the grants/BTEA everything going - depending on what I get offered I will cancel the bits I dont need.
Really looking forward to it now cant wait!!!

GotTheTshirt

Juicy432 wrote: »

Anyone received any registration stuff from the college yet?

Nothing yet, at this stage I'm presuming that they probably all get sent out together once the LC students receive their offers.

I'll give them a bell tomorrow actually just to make sure and I'll let you know.

sugoo69 wrote: »

Hu Juicy - nothing yet for me but I think they wont send it our til August. I have applied for all the grants/BTEA everything going - depending on what I get offered I will cancel the bits I dont need.
Really looking forward to it now cant wait!!!

Congrats on the place sugoo!

Apart from the BTEA and the susi grant is there anything else I'm missing that I should be applying for?

Media999

Nothing else to apply for as far as im aware. Just make sure you have all your stuff together for Susi as they are notorious for delays. World class **** ups they are. **** up so hard its obvious they are employed by the Irish government.

If you qualify for BTEA thats a million times better as Susi just pay your fees which means your not depending on them. The college is.

sugoo69

Tell me about it - last year I was applying for my daugthers grant - nightmare
Caused all sorts of heart ache in out house let me tell you but then it worked to our advantage. My daugther is not my husband biological child - I was married to her dad we divorced & I remarried, not that unusual in tis day & age. However my now husband never adopted my daughter - no need to and back in the UK would not have been approved as her biological Dad was alive & well & seeing her regulary. So when we applied we where given the run around - 3 different requests for various documentation then they asked for her adoption paper????? When I explain my husband never aopted her they then decided that they could not take his earning into account and only assesed her on my benefit.Happy days but the system is a disgrace.

Media999

After about 6 months of waiting the college put pressure on me and said i wasnt allowed do semester 1 exams if i didnt sort Susi.

I gave them a ring and they had on their system that im a single father with 2 kids receiving maintenance from 2 women. This couldnt be further from the truth. Im actually with partner and have 2 kids. I nearly fell over laughing. You couldnt make this stuff up. Good to laugh but if i was depending on them to live id have been really pissed.

Had to start again with manager of Susi and got stuff sorted in a day. I actually had every single form 100% correct on day one. They completely ****ed up and never even contacted me.

Id advise anyone to just keep ringing. World class idiots. The pride of Ireland.

sugoo69

They are a nightmare - it has taken 7 emails to cancel the grant for my daughter as she has decided to take a year out. It makes no sense to me that just because my husband did not adopt her his earning are not considered - he has been morally financially providing for her for since she was 4, but who am I to argue? My fear is that theu come back and say no they made a mistake and they want the money back - have to say it is well spent !!!
The seem to make would should be a simple process fairlt complicated - I have everything sorted and copied and cross referenced for application, just waiting for them to ask for further documents , such as proof of earnings from my husband and social welfare statement from me, but I have them all ready to go. Lets see just how long it takes them....

GotTheTshirt

No joy getting hold of anyone in admin yet regarding registration papers folks, will try again tomorrow!
If none of us have received them then I wouldn't panic, no harm in finding out though.

sugoo69

I got this email a few weeks back

From: Admissions Office <ADMISSIONS@wit.ie>

Hi Sue,

We will be sending out final confirmation packs to all acceptances the last week in August.

Proposed dates for starting this September are

Weds/Thurs 4th & 5th September for (2 Registration Days)

Friday 6th September Induction Day

Classes start on Monday 9th September



This dates still have to be confirmed, but I would say they are quite accurate if going by last year’s dates.


So it seems we just have to wait!

GotTheTshirt

sugoo69 wrote: »

I got this email a few weeks back

From: Admissions Office <ADMISSIONS@wit.ie>

Hi Sue,

We will be sending out final confirmation packs to all acceptances the last week in August.

Proposed dates for starting this September are

Weds/Thurs 4th & 5th September for (2 Registration Days)

Friday 6th September Induction Day

Classes start on Monday 9th September



This dates still have to be confirmed, but I would say they are quite accurate if going by last year’s dates.


So it seems we just have to wait!

Yup!
Got through to a very helpful lady in admin today and she gave me the same dates, although she did say that we should get our registration packs around the middle of August right after the first round of replies from the LC students.

sugoo69

My son got some stuff from UL yesterday he is also a mature student (yes Im that old) but only just. Seems it depends on college

Juicy432

Anyone received any registration stuff yet?

sugoo69

Not a thing and Im sure we have to register next week??

Sully

In recent years registration information came to some people on and around the 31st of August. The CAO offers are only just being sorted, so I assume that's why there is a delay. If you are concerned, call the reception to put your mind at ease.

A reminder that the 4th & 5th of September is for registration. Followed by induction on the 6th. Call 051 302000, it closes for lunch and closes around 4pm daily. Doesn't open weekends. There may be a delay in answering the phone if reception is busy!

Welcome to WIT folks!

Jonathanod

Hey Guys,

I can confirm that WIT will be sending out Registration letters on Thursday, which means you will receive them Friday.

You are requested to contact admissions if you have not received your letter by Friday.

Good luck

JenniFurr

I know the topic has changed slightly but one piece of advise I would give to people starting at WIT is save some money for you WIT card. If you can get €50, or even €100 or more if you can afford it, and put it on your card the first day of classes. You'll probably end up trying a few different places to eat within the first few weeks (and some are more expensive than others) and you might need to use college printers for notes for the beginning of classes. Having a large amount of money on your card will make things much smoother for you for the first few weeks as it can be a nightmare queueing to use the limited number of machines to top up by €5 or €10 every day or two.

sugoo69

Great tip thanks a mil - now just to hide €100 so my kids dont spend it!!!!