picking a college course

cena

How do you decided what college course would be best for you?
I would like to go to college but I just don't know what course would suite me.

How did everyone here know when picking a course would be best for you?

shruikan2553

I decided I would like to live in galway so looked at the courses there. Looked through some computer courses and picked that one

TwoShedsJackson

Do a course in emigrating.

lkionm

Either way you will just end up unemployed

Gee Bag

lkionm wrote: »

Either way you will just end up unemployed

Have you ever considered a career as a motivational speaker?

Rasheed

Always wanted to go into the field I trained in and was lucky enough to get the points. Sorry I realise that's no help to you. Would you not chance a career guidance counsellor?

lahalane

I didn't know what I wanted until I had done four years of business. Took me four years to figure out what I actually wanted to do was anything but business.

Really though, I just felt that at 18 I hadn't a clue what I wanted and experiencing life helped me pursue what I wanted, which is writing.

AnonoBoy

I heard an ad for a degree in the property crash recently.

Honestly.

A degree in the property crash?

What are you going to do with that. Just hang around and wait for another crash so you can step in and say, "Hey - I studied this. Stand back while I write an analytical article about it."?

So y'know, don't do that sh*tty degree anyway.

Femme_Fatale

cena wrote: »

How do you decided what college course would be best for you?
I would like to go to college but I just don't know what course would suite me.

How did everyone here know when picking a course would be best for you?

What interests you? Take no notice of people who say college should be only about getting you a job. Education in and of itself is a fantastic thing to have.

Andy-Pandy

If you like the outdoors and nature i would highly recommend horticulture. There are many avenues open to you when you finish and its lovely spending your days with plants.

bezerk

If you want to learn phrases such as "Do you want fries with that", "I'm sick of been unemployed", "What day is signing day?" do an ARTS degree

snubbleste

Eenie meenie myni mo

Gee Bag

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

What interests you? Take no notice of people who say college should be only about getting you a job. Education in and of itself is a fantastic thing to have.

My arse, I'm working at my dream job and it's sh1t.

Do a course in remote management of third world sweat shops or selling arms to evil distatorships. It'll cost your soul but at least you'll be able to afford stuff.

Gee Bag BA

Celly Smunt

Anything that's BSC or BEng.All you need to do then is find the right course that suits you.

AnonoBoy

Gee Bag wrote: »

My arse, I'm working at my dream job and it's sh1t.

That's your fault for having sh*t dreams though isn't it?

hansfrei

Chef, mechanic, lawyer, doctor or unemployed. Take your pick. Its about that simple.

stealinhorses

Maybe a course that stimulates your innermost desire for unraveling the fabric of the universe, such as Arts in UCD?

Larianne

• Look through the CAO list of colleges.
• Look at the courses offered at each college.
• Look at the prospectus of college (you can get these on-line).
• Look at the modules covered on the course and see what takes your interest.
• Look at the career prospectus afterwards- where will the qualifications take you. Do you need further study?
• Speak to others who have done the course.
• Speak to those working in the industry.
• Go to college Open Days and ask lots of questions.
• Get work/shadow experience in the area if you can.

Simple enough.

Edit: If serious about returning to education, check out the mature students forum. There's a thread in there about applying as a mature student (stickied). (Made by me!)

bezerk

stealinhorses wrote: »

Maybe a course that stimulates your innermost desire for unraveling the fabric of the universe, such as Arts in UCD?

Would you like fries with that?

Celly Smunt

bezerk wrote: »

Would you like fries with that?

Or would you not?

Thats Deep man.

Sure if the worst comes to the worst you could always buy a degree from DBS or griffith college.

Gee Bag

AnonoBoy wrote: »

That's your fault for having sh*t dreams though isn't it?

Sadly, this is true.

SmilingLurker

If you love any subject pick something related to that subject. If you are not certain, pick a general degree (science/arts/engineering) closest to what interests you. A good University allows movement, especially if you are following an interest.

It is more important to be interested and to love what you do than anything else.

As for jobs and emigration, take it into account, and I would recommend working abroad even if you intend on staying in this country. Travel broadens the mind and gives you skills and experiences that everyone should have.

EdCastle

cena wrote: »

How do you decided what college course would be best for you?
I would like to go to college but I just don't know what course would suite me.

How did everyone here know when picking a course would be best for you?

You do what interests you in life, its not a decision that should be taken lightly, its takes a fair bit of commitment, time and money. With that in mind, take some time to research your options.

SureYWouldntYa

bezerk wrote: »

If you want to learn phrases such as "Do you want fries with that", "I'm sick of been unemployed", "What day is signing day?" do an ARTS degree

i don't ever remember this being funny, so why do people still say it as a joke

Larianne

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

i don't ever remember this being funny, so why do people still say it as a joke

Because they are usually boring, unfunny and have nothing interesting to say so have to fill the silence somehow.

mattjack

How about lift/escalator engineering ? it can be a bit up and down though.

EdCastle

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

i don't ever remember this being funny, so why do people still say it as a joke

I don't think it's funny either.

It's normally thrown around by unimaginative cretins who have a superiority complex to everyone else. They are normally the same types who can't think their way out of a paper bag and rely on 'mammy & daddy' to bail them out on a regular basis.

cena

Rasheed wrote: »

Always wanted to go into the field I trained in and was lucky enough to get the points. Sorry I realise that's no help to you. Would you not chance a career guidance counsellor?

We had one of the in school. He was a waste of time. Then again he was a former priest

Rasheed

cena wrote: »

We had one of the in school. He was a waste of time. Then again he was a former priest

Yeah, our school one was dodge too. Let me guess, your fella tried to get you all to join the priesthood?

Some of the private ones are well worth the price though if you're not sure where to go or what to do.

OneArt

cena wrote: »

We had one of the in school. He was a waste of time. Then again he was a former priest

I've never heard of a competent school guidance counselor.

bezerk

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

i don't ever remember this being funny, so why do people still say it as a joke

I wasn't trying to be funny, its one of the least employable course. Teaching is gone to crap and whats the point of learning two subjects that are never going to be used?

Cody Pomeray

I have to say I cringe when I hear universities and colleges obsess about employment.

I'm a postgrad right now and I've been at lots of orientation meetings and seminars given to first years over the last week or so. It's really disheartening that you're standing there in a room full of bright, ambitious young people, and there's a committee of bright, eager academics looking back at them, and all the academics want to talk about is how previous graduates have "won" (grr!) jobs at X, Y and Z.

By all means, employment is a vital and important aspect of education in today's society.

But if you take your life seriously, you would be foolish to plan your career in 2030 based on the economic circumstances of 2013. Similarly , you cannot base your future happiness on how many previous candidates have "won" (again - grrr) jobs with KPMG or city firms.

Most people only get one shot at 3rd level education. Don't waste it by investing in other people's needs.

Sorry for the rant. This sh1t really grinds my gears.

thecatspjs

Do maths, Irish or science. Science is the best though because it's interesting and useful. If you study it, then people will think you are also interesting and useful; even if you're not.

bezerk

EdCastle wrote: »

I don't think it's funny either.

It's normally thrown around by unimaginative cretins who have a superiority complex to everyone else. They are normally the same types who can't think their way out of a paper bag and rely on 'mammy & daddy' to bail them out on a regular basis.

Larianne wrote: »

Because they are usually boring, unfunny and have nothing interesting to say so have to fill the silence somehow.

I work as a .Net Developer on a very good salary so don't need "Mammy and Daddy" to ever bail me out. I am also not a "cretin". The truth is Arts degrees are not employable. Science is on the increase, I.T and business are booming. A lot of people who do Arts want to be teachers but that is gone downhill. I think a lot of people who do Arts would not be able for I.T or business so they are the ones who cant think there way out of a paper bag

MadYaker

bezerk wrote: »

I wasn't trying to be funny, its one of the least employable course. Teaching is gone to crap and whats the point of learning two subjects that are never going to be used?

Very hard to get a job now but if he starts next year he won't be qualified until 2018 or 2019, things may well be better by then.

A lot more of the "were all screwed" attitude in this thread I see. If you get a first class honours degree in science or engineering or I.T you will be getting job offers before you even graduate. I have friends who this has happened to. If you do a sh!t course or only come out with a pass degree then you're f*cked. I don't want a real job yet so I'm doing post grad because college is mad craic altogether.

thecatspjs

bezerk wrote: »

I work as a .Net Developer on a very good salary so don't need Mammy and Daddy to ever bail me out. The truth is Arts degrees are not very employable. Science is on the increase, I.T and business are booming.

How can anyone say that? There are so many subjects to study as part of an arts degree. If someone does an arts degree in French and computer science, they will find employment. Likewise with maths, geography, Irish, economics. Obviously of you do theology, philosophy, anthropology you may struggle to find something in a related field; but at least you will have enjoyed studying and it can help broaden the mind.

reap-a-rat

OneArt wrote: »

I've never heard of a competent school guidance counselor.

When I first went to secondary school, older friends told me the guidance teacher's only advice was to not become a teacher because it was rubbish. He left, and the one I had only ever wanted us to do engineering, because there was some grant for women in engineering the time... It didn't matter if you really wanted to be a nurse or a lawyer, engineering was the only way to go. Shocking stuff!

As for the OP, I hadn't a clue what I wanted to do really until I went on work experience to Armagh Observatory. One of the PhD students there was teaching others how to code and it looked interesting, so I started thinking about Computer Science as an option. Then, flicking through that Career Journal thing you have in LC, I came to technology and answered yes to all the Questions so I put IT in NUIG down first choice and never looked back. Work as a developer now part time while doing a masters in ISM. Didn't do it for the job at all, but have had no trouble getting one when I wanted one in the field at all!

bezerk

thecatspjs wrote: »

How can anyone say that? There are so many subjects to study as part of an arts degree. If someone does an arts degree in French and computer science, they will find employment. Likewise with maths, geography, Irish, economics. Obviously of you do theology, philosophy, anthropology you may struggle to find something in a related field; but at least you will have enjoyed studying and it can help broaden the mind.

What job would you get in Irish and geography? Maths and Computer Science are employable but what I mean is people who pick say Irish and Philosophy, what bloody job are you going to get?

MadYaker

Do a Phd in Irish and some arts college in the USA will give you tenure as a lecturer no bother. A lot of yanks with irish heritage want to study it in university but they are lacking people who can teach it at that level.

cena

I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.

Cody Pomeray

bezerk wrote: »

What job would you get in Irish and geography? Maths and Computer Science are employable but what I mean is people who pick say Irish and Philosophy, what bloody job are you going to get?

Sorry but you've got a badly out-dated view on careers.

This isn't 1950. Employers don't look so much at the headline degree program as the skill-set associated with it. Philosophy might be associated with logical analysis, criticism, capacity for processing complicated abstract ideas, and so on.

Geography would require quasi-scientific skills of analysis or rational thinking, I would assume.

I would have thought most people under the age of 50 would be over the "if it isn't a job title it isn't an important degree" nonsense by now. One of the best barristers/ legal academics in Dublin has a degree in English literature.

thecatspjs

bezerk wrote: »

What job would you get in Irish and geography? Maths and Computer Science are employable but what I mean is people who pick say Irish and Philosophy, what bloody job are you going to get?

There are a fair few openings for Irish teachers I believe, also there is always translating to be done and I can bet the Gaelteacht (sp?) regions take on people regularly. Geography graduates would make fine cartographers.Like I said, philosophy and the likes won't benefit too many people in the jobs market but I would say most philosophy students know that.

You're not guaranteed a job with any degree. A lot of it comes down to the person's motives and how they apply themselves. Someone with a decent degree in philosophy might turn out to be a quicker learner and more versatile thinker than some lazy fúck with a pass computer science degree . In many areas that is more important.

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I heard an ad for a degree in the property crash recently.

Honestly.

A degree in the property crash?

What are you going to do with that. Just hang around and wait for another crash so you can step in and say, "Hey - I studied this. Stand back while I write an analytical article about it."?

So y'know, don't do that sh*tty degree anyway.

A whole degree based on it? How the hell are you going to drag 18 modules out of that?

MadYaker

cena wrote: »

I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.

What subjects did you do for leaving cert? Ar would you be applying as a mature student rather than through the CAO?

bezerk

bezerk wrote: »

I am also not a "cretin". The truth is Arts degrees are not employable.

ruaille buaille

My advice to u would be to wait until u know what u want to do. Maybe take a year travelling first.
Also, I wouldnt advise u to do a general degree in something like arts or business. Made that mistake myself and never got a decent job from it. Choose something specific that will lead u towards a particular job. You dont want to spend 4 years studying something and then go back to getting the same jobs u were getting before u graduated!

Larianne

cena wrote: »

I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.

Do a sports science degree and see if any do a year erasmus programme.
I'm sure the fundamentals of sports coaching is the same. You'll just have to do one of your placements up the North. Or talk to people from the Irish Ice Hocekey club. The one thing I've found is that people who have the same interest as you have no problem talking about it and love having newcomers talk to them.

Never say never!

bezerk

thecatspjs wrote: »

There are a fair few openings for Irish teachers I believe, also there is always translating to be done and I can bet the Gaelteacht (sp?) regions take on people regularly. Geography graduates would make fine cartographers.Like I said, philosophy and the likes won't benefit too many people in the jobs market but I would say most philosophy students know that.

You're not guaranteed a job with any degree. A lot of it comes down to the person's motives and how they apply themselves. Someone with a decent degree in philosophy might turn out to be a quicker learner and more versatile thinker than some lazy fúck with a pass computer science degree . In many areas that is more important.

So a company would take someone on as a programmer who has a philosophy degree over someone who has a pass degree in computer science hmm

resnatop

cena wrote: »

I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.

There might be ice in Ireland again, since DKIT have taken over the old ice dome and JJB complex.

(DKIT 1st Years got told about it this week.)

Celly Smunt

thecatspjs wrote: »

How can anyone say that? There are so many subjects to study as part of an arts degree. If someone does an arts degree in French and computer science, they will find employment. Likewise with maths, geography, Irish, economics. Obviously of you do theology, philosophy, anthropology you may struggle to find something in a related field; but at least you will have enjoyed studying and it can help broaden the mind.

Computer science and maths arent necessarily BA.

bezerk

bezerk wrote: »

So a company would take someone on as a programmer who has a philosophy degree over someone who has a pass degree in computer science hmm

You are attributing far too much importance to degrees. They're not worth that much on their own these days anyways, whether its arts or computer science