Primary Teaching Colleges Decisions?

miss_aisling

Hey so I am a 6th year student and want to do primary school teaching.:)

With the change of mind facility open , I have started rethinking my college preferences. I really don't know which one to choose. I didn't go to any of the open days so I am at a loss.

At the moment I am between St Pats and CICE, i would prob choose Mary I but don't know about Limerick... If anyone who is or has gone to any of the colleges could give some pros and cons of any teaching colleges, I would be REEALLY grateful...

Anyone who helps shall get you a (virtual) cookie!! :P

aimzLc2

miss_aisling wrote: »

Hey so I am a 6th year student and want to do primary school teaching.:)

With the change of mind facility open , I have started rethinking my college preferences. I really don't know which one to choose. I didn't go to any of the open days so I am at a loss.

At the moment I am between St Pats and CICE, i would prob choose Mary I but don't know about Limerick... If anyone who is or has gone to any of the colleges could give some pros and cons of any teaching colleges, I would be REEALLY grateful...

Anyone who helps shall get you a (virtual) cookie!! :P

Hi the only experience i have is a very close friend of mine is studying in st pats right now, she loves it!! The standard of education there is very high. I know you should never pick a course by points but pats has one of the highest points requirement because it has very high standards, it is highly recognized when applying for a job, as are the other colleges , none that you have mentioned are bad. Think about the location too, which one is easiest to get to for you?

miss_aisling

aimzLc2 wrote: »

Hi the only experience i have is a very close friend of mine is studying in st pats right now, she loves it!! The standard of education there is very high. I know you should never pick a course by points but pats has one of the highest points requirement because it has very high standards, it is highly recognized when applying for a job, as are the other colleges , none that you have mentioned are bad. Think about the location too, which one is easiest to get to for you?

Thats good to know that it is highly thought of.. just want I wanted to hear! :)Yeah I think anywhere in Dublin would be easier. Limerick is like seven hours away compared to 3 to dublin. :cool:

BrownBear11

miss_aisling wrote: »

Hey so I am a 6th year student and want to do primary school teaching.:)

With the change of mind facility open , I have started rethinking my college preferences. I really don't know which one to choose. I didn't go to any of the open days so I am at a loss.

At the moment I am between St Pats and CICE, i would prob choose Mary I but don't know about Limerick... If anyone who is or has gone to any of the colleges could give some pros and cons of any teaching colleges, I would be REEALLY grateful...

Anyone who helps shall get you a (virtual) cookie!! :P

Hello

I get where you're coming from with this, I've been in your position before. Still kind of am actually Just to say, if you're looking at the teacher training colleges in Dublin why not look at Marino. It's a 25-30 minute walk from Pats so it should be grand location-wise and it could be another option for you for the CAO form

Tbf, it doesn't matter a whole lot which specific college you go to because the B. Ed's now a standardised four year course so where ever you do it, you're going to end up with the same degree and the same job (obviously ) but having said that you are going to spend four years at the place so you might as well like it

Also, a lot of people will tell you you've better employment opportunities when you graduate if you go to X college or you won't get employed if you go to Y college, but that doesn't really hold true. What college you go to doesn't have a baring on whether or not you get a job now that all B. Ed courses are standardised across all colleges.

As for the actual colleges the only one that you've mentioned that I'd know anything about at all is Pats. Like yourself, Mary I might be a bit awkward for me with it being in Limerick (although I still have it down on my CAO) and I haven't got the foggiest about CICE tbh. But yeah... Pats. I have it down no. 2 with Marino first but I'd still be happy to go to Pats either. Pats is affiliated with DCU so you'll get your actual degree from DCU and as well as that you're free to use DCU's facilities like football pitches or libraries or whatever but Pats itself should have most of what you need. Even though it's small by like university standards Pats is still the biggest of the teacher training colleges in Dublin and it has about 400 students in the B. Ed course every year. Marino, Froebel, CICE are a lot smaller. That's all the basics I suppose

Sites like oxygen here http://www.oxygen.ie/ have reviews of colleges and that kind of thing so if you look around it you might find something of use to you As well as that, search through boards for different threads about the teacher training colleges. There's loads of them about and I found some of them really helpful. Boards is brilliant when you're looking for advice about this sort of thing, I've always thought!

I've agonised over this decision myself so if you want to drop me a PM about anything, don't hesitate!

Amy100

miss_aisling wrote: »

Hey so I am a 6th year student and want to do primary school teaching.:)

With the change of mind facility open , I have started rethinking my college preferences. I really don't know which one to choose. I didn't go to any of the open days so I am at a loss.

At the moment I am between St Pats and CICE, i would prob choose Mary I but don't know about Limerick... If anyone who is or has gone to any of the colleges could give some pros and cons of any teaching colleges, I would be REEALLY grateful...

Anyone who helps shall get you a (virtual) cookie!! :P

I went to pats and loved it!!! Although its a small college there is 400 in each year so it has more of a university vibe aka some big lectures! CICE is very hard to get into unless you are a COI member. Marino and Froebel only have 100 or less in each year so it's more like school!! I'm biased of course because I went to pats!!!!! Mail me if ya wanna know anything else!!!

rainbowtrout

miss_aisling wrote: »

Thats good to know that it is highly thought of.. just want I wanted to hear! :)Yeah I think anywhere in Dublin would be easier. Limerick is like seven hours away compared to 3 to dublin. :cool:

It takes no more than 3.5 hours to drive from Sligo to Limerick and that's on a bad day.

KamiKazeKitten

Unlike the others, Froebel is moving to be on maynooth campus next year, full time out there - something to keep in mind if you want to experience a bigger uni

Apparently points for it are due to fly up because of that though...

miss_aisling

BrownBear11 wrote: »

Hello

As well as that, search through boards for different threads about the teacher training colleges. There's loads of them about and I found some of them really helpful. Boards is brilliant when you're looking for advice about this sort of thing, I've always thought!

Boards IS brilliant... i would be lost without it! Thanks for the advice you are sooo helpful!! St pats is my number one at the mo, just not sure if i should change it

miss_aisling

rainbowtrout wrote: »

It takes no more than 3.5 hours to drive from Sligo to Limerick and that's on a bad day.

I don't drive so I was going by train for dublin and bus for limerick

EmmaOs

Hey, I'm in first year in mary I, just thought I'd give my two cents!

Like yourself I was pretty indecisive last year about which college to put first. I was torn between mary i and pats and eventually decided on mary i and i'm so glad I did! The college has a really friendly atmosphere, it's the biggest teacher training college in Ireland and unlike most of the others has students studying other courses which offers nice versatility There's tonnes of great clubs and societies too that cater for everyone's interest and they're great ways to meet new people!

As regards Limerick city, I only have good things to say. It's bad reputation is undeserved imo because its certainly no worse than any other Irish city. The nightlife is absolutely unreal craic And in mary i, you're within easy walking distance of the city centre/shopping areas/amenities. Because the city isn't as big as Dublin and the likes its pretty easy to familiarise yourself with.

Oh and regarding distance I know a few girls from Sligo, they say it's a bit of a trek home alright but I'd say the same could be applied to Dublin!

Talib Fiasco

+1 on Mary I. Great atmosphere, great people, great lecturers who treat you like family when needed, recognised college of excellence for education. Limerick is very safe. A lot safer than Cork that's for sure. Honestly, I don't have much experience or knowledge of the other colleges but as long as Mary I is convenient to you distance wise, it's a no brainer really.

jgjm

how many points do u think primary teaching will be this year 2013 ?
i got 445 points and i am hoping de points will go down due to 8per cent decrease this year ! wat do u think?

11Charlie11

jgjm wrote: »

how many points do u think primary teaching will be this year 2013 ?
i got 445 points and i am hoping de points will go down due to 8per cent decrease this year ! wat do u think?

Im hoping too!

jgjm

heya where do u hope to do primary teaching mary i ?
wat did u get if u dont mind me asking? soooo scared!!!!

randylonghorn

jgjm, this site has a "no textspeak" policy, thanks.