Mature student nursing- probably pie in the sky!

creme egg

Hi all. I have been thinking for a long time about what I want to do when I " grow up".
I am 30 plus with 2 young boys and would love to study nursing. I don't have the points from my LC to apply, so my options are the aptitude test / FETAC.

I favour the FETAC route. I would not be able to start this until 2014. Do any of you have opinions/experience on the best places to study this pre-nursing course. ( Dublin/ KIldare)
I was also thinking of doing the aptitude test just to see how I get on. I think I would need to do the preparation course for this too as my maths ability is horrific. Is it possible to apply to the CAO for the degree as a mature student & FETAC in the same year?

I am not working and not getting any job seekers/benefits at the moment. What is the story with grants/ fees etc? I would have childcare/mortgage etc to pay. My husband is working, so not sure how I would be assessed for any grants. We are not in Ireland at the moment but will be returning next year. My husband is still being paid in Ireland though.

I did a PLC diploma course in about 1998 in a non related subject.

The reason why this might be all pie in the sky is I don't think we could afford it if we are not eligible for any assistance. Do colleges/FETAC have subsidised crèches?
Also I know that student nurses used to get paid for their placements, Is this still the case. ( this might help a little)
Am I crazy to be thinking of doing this with a young family?
Think that is it

Thanks
Creme Egg.

upinthesky

I think you should take a look at sus,i thats the grants page and see what there terms are for getting the grant. You have to be going on to a higher level of education to get the grant so depends on what level you would like to do and what level you have already done.
I did my pre nursing level 5 in dunboyne found them great.

creme egg

hi lisar816

Did you go on from the pre-nursing to a degree program? Did you get the place thru FETAC? If so how did you find the exam / studying. I have heard its very competitive.

upinthesky

Sorry with the late reply,i decided not to carry on with the nursing after the level 5, i went on to do science instead.

steddyeddy

Hey Creme Egg have you given any thought in doing the access to science and engineering course in UCD? It's a one year course which gives students a great foundation in all the sciences. People who get over 60% in the course are guaranteed entry into either science or engineering but the course holds a lot of weight with other degree programmes within UCD! I know people who did it and went on to study medicine, nursing and many other things.

creme egg

Hi Steddyeddy

Thank-you for that Info. It's great to know another option for getting into nursing. Do you happen to know if this type of access course has a lot of maths involved, as this would not be my best subject

upinthesky

I did this coarse in maynooth but it was for science so of coarse it had maths.

Not sure about other collages we were brought up to leaving cert higher level standard and i found it fine and i was never very good at maths, all i had was junior cert level.

Im sure you would do fine if you took up one of the coarse and i found it a great way to get back into the studying before going into 1st year.

RabbleRouser2k

HI crème egg,

Just want to answer your question about the crèche.
Most colleges offer a subsidised crèche, allowing you to pay a small fee for the running of the place. (I don't know the numbers, but it is quite reasonable.)
There will be students coming into college with kids who need the crèche facilities, while some will have children during their time at third level.

These crèches can be pretty darn difficult to get into. They are very popular, and many of the teachers/ lecturers use them for their own kids. Some even have waiting lists.

As far as applying....I would look into doing a FETAC/ PLC course. The reasons for this I will explain.
If you take the mature student route, you take your first preference, and that is it. Changing your mind is quite tricky, and quite annoying. It is not as easy as one can do through the CAO website.
IF you apply through the CAO w/ FETAC then you have more range in your choices, and can easily avail of the change of mind option on the CAO website.
Some folks will choose the mature route as well as the FETAC route, do so as a precaution. IF they fail one, they get in on the other.