Why is the dropout rate for comp applications in Dcu so high?

MerduJapon · 20-03-2011 09:51PM #1

im planning on doing it next year, hence I want to know why people drop out so frequently:s.

Pygmalion · 20-03-2011 09:55PM

People keep picking it without looking into what it actually involves.

MerduJapon · 20-03-2011 10:06PM

i see, well from what ive heard it is a very maths based course and im ok with that, is the maths aspect the reason a lot of people drop out, do they pick it thinkin they will just be learning tips and tricks on the mac?

wonderfulname · 20-03-2011 10:59PM

Don't pay attention to drop out rates, they're pretty meaningless, research the course yourself and see if its a good fit to both your interests and abilities, if so dropping out should never be a problem for you.

Pygmalion · 20-03-2011 11:27PM

MerduJapon wrote: »

i see, well from what ive heard it is a very maths based course and im ok with that, is the maths aspect the reason a lot of people drop out, do they pick it thinkin they will just be learning tips and tricks on the mac?

Maths and programming, if you're ok with those and are willing to put in the effort it should be fine (that's not to say it won't get difficult after first or second year).

No idea what people think they'll be learning when they pick it, I've never gotten a straight answer and never really pushed anyone for one, but they seem surprised as hell to discover that they're actually expected to know about programming and how computers work.

wonderfulname · 21-03-2011 01:12AM

People do seem to be under the impression that computers no longer require working "under the hood" so to speak, perhaps they expect that if they have competent computer skills they have very little else to learn?

irish_boy90 · 21-03-2011 03:07AM

be willing to do maths and learn a thing or two and you will be fine.

If you do it because you have a mac or like the facebooks you don't last long.

Jiggy · 21-03-2011 11:09AM

irish_boy90 wrote: »

If you do it because you have a mac or like the facebooks you don't last long.

LIES !

professore · 21-03-2011 11:17AM

Because people's parents tell them "deres great money in dem compuuuter yokes", they pay for 3 repeat leaving certs to get them in the course, only to discover that their precious has no aptitude for IT. I had a guy in my computer degree who hated anything to do with it and got through the exams through a combination of sheer hard work, memorizing and copying other people's assignments, to say at the end he had learned "keyboard skills".

If you are already building your own PCs or writing your own programs, or have a burning interest in staying up all night doing that, for FUN then go for it. Otherwise choose a different career path.

MerduJapon · 22-03-2011 12:14AM

thanks a lot for the advice i dont mind maths and i will look into what programming is....my uncle did the course about 10 years ago unfotunately he lives in new york but the next time i see him i will ask him in detail what the course is about, for the record im not on facebook, it consumes people. but i do have a mac and it is unreal:P

Attol · 22-03-2011 02:15AM

MerduJapon wrote: »

my uncle did the course about 10 years ago unfotunately he lives in new york but the next time i see him i will ask him in detail what the course is aboutP

The course has changed a fair bit over the years so you may be best off reading the threads on this forum(a quick search should bring up a few results on CA) or contacting the school of computing directly. There are also a fair few CA grads and students lurking around here.

Don't let the dropout rate scare you. A lot of people just don't research college courses enough and end up in programmes that are not suited to them. Just pick what you enjoy.

blacon · 22-03-2011 01:53PM

The dropout rate also has a lot to do with the points requirements for CA being so low. This makes everyone think that it's an easy course, they don't realize that points are based on number of appicants. So you have people who scrape 315 points or whatever it is now going into CA because they didn't get any of their other choices. It's those who drop out.

If you are good at maths then you have a logical brain and you should be fine. The fact that you're even here asking this question shows you have more interest than most who enter the course, so you'll put in the effort.

johnmcdnl · 24-03-2011 03:54AM

you put a 600 point student into business and a lad who got 20 points into business and the 600 point student will do better in business course in college

you put a 600 point student into law and a lad who got 20 points into law and the 600 point student will do better in law course in college

you put a 600 point student into journalism and a lad who got 20 points into journalism and the 600 point student will do better in journalism course in college

you put a 600 point student into a computer course like CA and a 20 point student into CA and it'll come down to the person themselves... 600 point student might be really book smart but when it comes to logically thinking for themselves and having a real interest in the underlying systems of a computer they could be lost in a day and dropout because they hate it...

CA is one of those courses that you really need to have the aptitude for because it's not about learning stuff off by heart and reciting.. it's about understanding and thinking more than anything else....

the points are based on demand for the course - not how hard the course is... everyone thinks that medicine is really hard because you need in or around 570 points to get in - that's down to demand for the course and limited spaces... CA doesn't have such a huge demand and people see low points and think oh that's an easy course and I love playing Call of Duty and going on Facebook and then realise 2 days in that they hate the course...

people who choose business say would like business in school in general but because CA is basically completely different to anything you've ever done a lot of people get lured in and then realise they don't like it at all...

if your the sort of person who loves tricking around with your computer just for the laugh basically you have no reason to dropout of CA unless your just really lazy in college... you get a student who did the course because there's money in computers according to everyone but their interest in computers come down to getting on Facebook and watching streams to TV shows then these people end up getting a reality check when they get to college because they didn't realise you have to learn how a computer actually works and how a program actually works... if your not suited to that sort of stuff you'll drop out really fast...

it's not down to bad lectures in DCU/really hard course in DCU - it's just down to people choosing it because it looks easy before actually looking at what the course is about...

at the end of the day business is always going to be business, law will be law, science with be science, teaching will be teaching but computer courses won't be about playing COD4 online and going facebook and this catches so many people out which leads to CA's huge dropout rate

MerduJapon · 27-03-2011 09:39PM

thanks everyone for all the advice and info, i am definately doing it now.....ultimately what i gather from what every one is saying is that its pretty much all about the enthusiasm of the person doing it (and some intellect obv). is there anyone here who is currently doing it?

foFox · 28-03-2011 11:37AM

Yes, I am a first year CA student and I am just about to go to the Operating Systems lecture

.

--SmItHy-- · 29-03-2011 03:35PM

I'm in first year and I will admit it is quite hard for me but i'll also admit that the reason for that is not only due to the course but my own lack of motivation!. Its not one of these courses that you can sail through with ease but the degree at the end of it all means a lot in the IT industry. If you're willing to sit at a computer for a lot of time, understand your work instead of just doing it(especially in programming) and go to tutorials you should be okay. Just dont do what I did and turn into a lazy ****(i'm paying for it now!).

WhiskeyGoblin · 29-03-2011 08:26PM

Question to the 2 lads who are in year 1, were you expected to know everything off the bat?

StiLL-TrAiNinG · 29-03-2011 09:31PM

marko93 wrote: »

Question to the 2 lads who are in year 1, were you expected to know everything off the bat?

You aren't.

That said, some people genuinely seem to have gone into this course without ever so much as turning a computer on.

If you go to lectures and go to tutorials you can easily pass anything CA will throw at you. (Except maybe maths, but there's a maths learning center that can help you there, if you put some effort in)

WhiskeyGoblin · 31-03-2011 05:08PM

Thanks! Appreciate the help

MerduJapon · 05-04-2011 06:25PM

awh great and did you do higher maths for the leaving? would u be alri if u did pass maths, cos im thinkin of dropping cos its not a course requirement......yes i heard its a good degree to have one of the best available in ireland:)

Pygmalion · 06-04-2011 02:49PM

MerduJapon wrote: »

would u be alri if u did pass maths, cos im thinkin of dropping cos its not a course requirement......

You're going to end up having to do a good bit of the Higher Level maths course anyway, if you're able to do it now it'll make first year a whole lot easier, if you're not able to do it think about whether you'll be able to do it next year.

k100 · 06-04-2011 05:33PM

MerduJapon wrote: »

awh great and did you do higher maths for the leaving? would u be alri if u did pass maths, cos im thinkin of dropping cos its not a course requirement......yes i heard its a good degree to have one of the best available in ireland:)

I did honors maths until the day of the leaving but i dropped as i wasn't confident enough. Got a A in pass currently in 2nd year CA maths is difficult
but getting by if u do the work and pull your weight u will be fine.

zack_k · 23-04-2011 01:52AM

Well I'm a third year in CA, and I've basically learned that you'll like it if you're interested in it, and hate it otherwise.

But it's purely as one of the other lads said, if you do the work, you should be O.K, and if you feel comfortable in the course after a few weeks you should be grand.

And if you want to know a bit about the dropout rate, when I started there were 160 in the class, by second year it went to 60, and now it's 46. But a good few transfered to EC in first year too, so it's not all dropout.

evercloserunion · 23-04-2011 02:04AM

johnmcdnl wrote: »

you put a 600 point student into business and a lad who got 20 points into business and the 600 point student will do better in business course in college

you put a 600 point student into law and a lad who got 20 points into law and the 600 point student will do better in law course in college

you put a 600 point student into journalism and a lad who got 20 points into journalism and the 600 point student will do better in journalism course in college

you put a 600 point student into a computer course like CA and a 20 point student into CA and it'll come down to the person themselves... 600 point student might be really book smart but when it comes to logically thinking for themselves and having a real interest in the underlying systems of a computer they could be lost in a day and dropout because they hate it...

I love how computer courses are apparently the only ones that require logical thinking :rolleyes:

Anyway, in addition to people not researching the course enough, I think the points system is quite broken when it comes to courses which utilise a small, specific set of skills (relative to the leaving cert). A better system would probably be to have fewer places going for courses like CA, but then award bonus points for things like honours maths. Also, a computer-related course at leaving cert level would help IMO. There are arguments for and against having optional subjects like intro to programming available for leaving cert, but it would at least give people a taste of what they'd be getting into with a CA/CS course (apart, of course, from the taste they get from maths and perhaps physics).

Noodleworm · 23-04-2011 03:06PM

I think people choosing the right course is really up to them, All that can be done is encourage them to research it.
But really, most courses, you can find a HUGE amount of info before putting it down on your CAO form. Even just asking people about it here on boards is a start, but most colleges will give you lists of modules, and whats covered in each.
Computer applications probably has the most info online if you consider all the resources you can get about programming in general too.

I just don't see why the whole system should be changed because leaving cert students don't know what there applying for...

ManInTheMiddle · 25-04-2011 04:26PM

I'm just waiting to hear back from my interview for this course. I'm really looking forward to it and really hope I get in.

Does anyone know how long ye do be waiting to hear back from the interview??

H2G2 · 26-04-2011 12:54PM

ManInTheMiddle wrote: »

Does anyone know how long ye do be waiting to hear back from the interview??

Can be up to a month or even a bit more. It depends on CAO, as they are the bottlekneck in passing along decisions and not DCU/CA.

WhiskeyGoblin · 26-04-2011 11:26PM

ManInTheMiddle wrote: »

I'm just waiting to hear back from my interview for this course. I'm really looking forward to it and really hope I get in.

Does anyone know how long ye do be waiting to hear back from the interview??

You had an interview for CA? O.o

ManInTheMiddle · 27-04-2011 02:05PM

Yeah had one for CA about 2.5 weeks ago. I'm going back as a mature student and really looking forward to it.

ManInTheMiddle · 27-04-2011 02:07PM

H2G2 wrote: »

Can be up to a month or even a bit more. It depends on CAO, as they are the bottlekneck in passing along decisions and not DCU/CA.

Cheers man.

I heard they can take up too 6 weeks in replying. Ah well not much more I can do now, other than wait.

WhiskeyGoblin · 28-04-2011 06:09PM

ManInTheMiddle wrote: »

Yeah had one for CA about 2.5 weeks ago. I'm going back as a mature student and really looking forward to it.

Ohhhh right.. That makes sense. :rolleyes:

Why is the dropout rate for comp applications in Dcu so high?

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