Thought's on the LCA?

Rory Gallagher

Hello folk.

I am a student in 3rd year doing mainly honours level subjects which I do quite well despite my genuine distate for doing so.
I am a musician and play the guitar(Mainly playing Blues',Rock and Jazz) and it is quite simply all I would like to do, It gives me a reason to wake up in the morning and nothing beats playing a great performance.

However school is constantly barricading my interests for the music and is presenting limitations on a consistent basis(Projects take up time which could be used playing the instrument).
I know many of you believe that I am young and idealistic and that must be the motive behind my intentions but please look past the whole youthful idealism.

Some of you may think I am not thinking long term yet I am confident that music is what I want to do, Now I'm not talking get rich and turn into a disgusting pretentious scumbag, I would just like to play clubs like Rory Gallagher.
Any how I feel it is a strategic move to go onto the LCA something which is clearly far more relaxed than the standard LC and it may also give me something to fall back on if for god knows what reason music fails me.

I would like answers from those who have undertaken the course and not answers made by chauvinistic middle class twats who make comments such as '' OMG the LCA is designed for idiots and time wasters duhr ha ''

Thanks to all who are willing to help me here and sorry if my writing is slightly incomprehensive as stress is piling on me for the past few weeks.

user.name

They offer LCA in my school, and a number of my friends are doing it this year, I amen't. But I can tell you my thoughts on it from what my friends have told me. LCA isn't for wasters, many go into LCA thinking it is and realise they are wrong. LCA differs from the leaving cert as instead of learning facts from a book, you learn real life skills and knowledge that would help you in the workplace. It's designed to prepare students mainly for the working world once they leave the comfort of secondary school. You said that your school has you busy at the moment, well you still are going to be busy in LCA. This year there are many projects and assignments my friends must do, they are as busy as myself.
I would also recommend to study music at third level. You seem really passionate about what you do, and many people lack that nowadays. There are many amazing music courses you could do. You could get into most of them with LCA through FETAC. Rock school in Ballyfermot is something that may interest you.

mixery

I will never criticise anyone for pursuing their dreams, as I would love to make my hobby a job, but..

After all, the leaving cert course is only two years, and as the previous poster stated, if you do LCA you can't just ignore it anyway. You could put in a bit of effort, while still practicing, and if you achieve something in the region of ~300 points, you'd always have something to come back to.

Also talking to your guidance counsellor, if they're any good would be of benefit surely. Whatever you choose to do, good luck.

Zaph

Rory Gallagher wrote: »

I would like answers from those who have undertaken the course and not answers made by chauvinistic middle class twats who make comments such as '' OMG the LCA is designed for idiots and time wasters duhr ha ''

Just a couple of things worth pointing out here:

1 - I suggest you buy yourself a dictionary so that you can look up the meaning of chauvinistic; and

2 - If you continue to call other posters on this site twats your time here will be very short indeed. We expect posters to be civil, but if you don't feel you can do that I'm sure there are other sites that would be only to happy to let you post there.

heffoo

I done lca, they were the best years of my life and i met some of my best mates doing it, six years on and im working as a lab technician, great job. great pay.

spurious

I wouldn't call it a relaxed course*. In our place it's go, go, go from the first week, with assignments, tasks and all the other activities. There is also the 90% attendance requirement for all courses which catches anyone on the lazy side.

Most of our LCA class for this year already have next year sorted out, including one who is going to college in the US. We have LCA past pupils who did nursing and midwifery degrees among other fields.

Those who slag off the LCA usually have had to drop out because they couldn't keep up with the work rate- that, or they have no idea what it entails and think it's 'easier'.

Re your interest in Music, you'll have less time to play doing all the assignments and tasks for the LCA. Work-wise it's much more constant than the LC which many treat as a sprint in the last six months or so.


*I am well aware there are very badly run LCAs in some schools, like there are badly run TY courses, but where it's done well, it's a fantastic course.

matTNT

I would advise you to do TY if it is an option that is available to you. It will give you a year where Academic pursuits will not be your main focus and you will have time to chase down any projects you may intend to do.

Honestly though, a lot of people won't take a guy seriously in the music industry at such a young age, I'm not involved in it but really your going to be in school in any case so why not do the leaving cert?

If you do the leaving cert you have the option of moving straight onto a third level music course, no?