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The college epidemic of the last 15 years?

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135

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    #62
    ancapailldorcha
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 37,935 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    I think Femme_Fatale has a point. The only people who've sneered at me for going to University were those who never went for whatever reason or dropped out, possibly due to the massive jump between second and third level education.
    I've had people have a pop at me because I went to TCD but I suspect that that's another pile of petty BS.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



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    #63
    carzony
    Registered Users Posts: 2,780 ✭✭✭carzony


    I'm 21 and only started college last September.. I regret not going sooner. I love the assignments, hard work and easy going atmosphere. I think a lot of the work involved is ridiculous and has no real relevance to me but nothing I can do about that.

    I do however think it's not for everyone and no one should be forced into it. A lot of people would just prefer to work and get money.

    btw.. what's the average age a person usually graduates from college? I'm thinking of doing another 2 years but don't wanna leave when I'm to old either.


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    #64
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    geckovision wrote: »
    Unreal.

    I dropped out.
    I did too! And it worked out better as I was way more into it when I went back. I doubt you would have a go at third level education and about how useless it is etc though. I know what I said doesn't apply to all people who drop out of college.


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    #65
    hatrickpatrick
    Registered Users Posts: 17,797 ✭✭✭✭hatrickpatrick


    aphex™ wrote: »
    Can I ask why you dropped out? A staggering number of people never make it into 2nd year in any course I've taken and I always assumed it was because of drinking....

    The main reason for this is that a lot of courses tend to false advertise in the run up to the CAO. Coupled with the amount of pressure in sixth year and the stress etc, this is a recipe for disaster.

    I dropped out of a course and joined another - the first one I did simply turned out in practise to be absolutely nothing like it was described on open day and in the college documentation etc. Was an absolute disaster but looked amazing from the outside based on the info they had put around.

    I really feel colleges should be penalized for this kind of carry on, and if that was coupled with reformatting the CAO system so that college choices could be made in a less pressurized atmosphere (after the actual leaving cert maybe, so that people could have some breathing space with the exam pressure off to really think about what they want) I reckon it'd make a huge difference.

    TBH I'd advocate people take a year out in between school and college to really look into the courses they're interested in. You simply cannot think clearly in a pre-leaving cert school environment. Most people I know dropped out of what they chose in sixth year, but then reapplied to another course after having had time to properly think it over and are now loving what they chose - myself included.


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    #66
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    homerjay2005 wrote: »
    it should be compulsory that every able bodied person in this country has a decent qualification by the time they are 21. academics is not the way for everybody, but then again theres more to college than just education.

    the country is carrying the can for 10,000's of people who didnt bother doing anything with their life and of course whiles theres also 10'000s of people on the dole with qualifications, at least these people did something with their life and have some chance of getting employment at some stage.
    21 is cutting it a tad too fine. Some people don't leave school until they're 19 because of transition year.
    Some people do better at college later in life. There shouldn't be any "set age" by which to have your first qualification.


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    #67
    geckovision
    Closed Accounts Posts: 131 ✭✭geckovision


    ancapailldorcha wrote: »
    I think Femme_Fatale has a point. The only people who've sneered at me for going to University were those who never went for whatever reason or dropped out, possibly due to the massive jump between second and third level education.
    I've had people have a pop at me because I went to TCD but I suspect that that's another pile of petty BS.
    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    I did too! And it worked out better as I was way more into it when I went back. I doubt you would have a go at third level education and about how useless it is etc though. I know what I said doesn't apply to all people who drop out of college.

    Nope and I think it's admirable what some people do and get out of third level qualification (above).

    And the reason I'm only going back to do it now is because up until a couple of years ago I'd no clue what kind of life I wanted.


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    #68
    hatrickpatrick
    Registered Users Posts: 17,797 ✭✭✭✭hatrickpatrick


    dr.bollocko wrote: »
    Just go away.

    To facilitate the going away process i have banned you for a week.

    Don't rush back when the week is up either.

    Personally I always feel it's more entertaining and beneficial to let muppets publicly make eejits of themselves, but your call :p


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    #69
    MadYaker
    Registered Users Posts: 12,172 ✭✭✭✭MadYaker


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    21 is cutting it a tad too fine. Some people don't leave school until they're 19 because of transition year.
    Some people do better at college later in life. There shouldn't be any "set age" by which to have your first qualification.

    True, but if you know you're going to go to college and study a certain area to develope a career in that area its better to do it straight out of school so you can start down that path and start building a CV rather than faffing about for a few years first. Although that said I intend to do quite a bit of faffing about once I finish this degree.


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    #70
    Wompa1
    Registered Users Posts: 8,170 ✭✭✭Wompa1


    Completed my degree. Have been working in my area of study for almost 8 years.

    University\College is sh1t, it's four years of learning the very basics, or if you're in an Industry that progresses quickly, you don't even learn the basics, when you finish your degree your skills are out of date because Irish lecturers all lecture full time and don't work in the Industry. They are in no position to effectively teach students.

    BUT the piece of paper goes a long way for entry level positions. It would be great if certain courses were shortened or at least that lecturers are held to a higher standard.

    I've been involved in the interviewing and hiring process in a couple of my companies. The academic qualification rarely even registers as relevant when picking candidates


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    #71
    thegreatgonzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭thegreatgonzo


    Thomas D wrote: »
    The amount of dole wasters I know in their 30s going to college is pathetic.

    What's pathetic about becoming more employable so you can get off the dole?


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    #72
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,116 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    Wompa1 wrote: »
    Completed my degree. Have been working in my area of study for almost 8 years.

    University\College is sh1t, it's four years of learning the very basics, or if you're in an Industry that progresses quickly, you don't even learn the basics, when you finish your degree your skills are out of date because Irish lecturers all lecture full time and don't work in the Industry. They are in no position to effectively teach students.

    BUT the piece of paper goes a long way for entry level positions. It would be great if certain courses were shortened or at least that lecturers are held to a higher standard.

    I've been involved in the interviewing and hiring process in a couple of my companies. The academic qualification rarely even registers as relevant when picking candidates

    +1

    A degree/cert/diploma gets you in the door, after a year or more its your experience that counts then. I graduated in 2005 with an IT degree, the stuff I learnt in college stopped being relevant years ago. My qualifications are only a check mark for any employers now - In my cv but never asked about or proof required.


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    #73
    MultiUmm
    Registered Users Posts: 972 ✭✭✭MultiUmm


    I think the emphasis on going to college also comes from the fact that up until our parents generation (and even after that to this date) going to college or uni simply wasn't an option for the majority of people. Parents and even extended family see it as a pivotal moment now, I was the first person on my dads side of the family to attend university and my dad, uncles and my aunt saw it as a pretty big deal.

    I do think there should be more preparation for the transition from school to college. It's built up to be this wonderful, liberating experience when in reality it's a lot more difficult than that. The prospectuses really don't help with it either, all glossed up to make colleges seem like a mad laugh 24/7.


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    #74
    thegreatgonzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭thegreatgonzo


    I think it's great there are so many PLC courses now to let students get a feel for something before they go down the IT/Uni route. Just looking at animal related courses which is my area and there are about 40 of them around the country. None of these were around when I did my leaving cert.


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    #75
    Stained Class
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,808 ✭✭✭Stained Class


    A lot of the jobs for life that existed in the semi-state industries don't exist anymore.

    There used to be loads. Telecom, ESB, Bord na Mona, etc.

    No such thing as Leaving Cert needed. Just do the Group Cert, sign up & do your apprenteship on the job. Sorted!

    Tis a pity there's not all that much manufacturing, but a lot of what existed before was artificial or subsidised anyway.

    Televisions, Cars, etc used to be assembled here for tax reasons. All that's gone now.

    Not everyone is geared for Uni, but most can do further education of some sort.


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    #76
    ancapailldorcha
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 37,935 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    MultiUmm wrote: »
    The prospectuses really don't help with it either, all glossed up to make colleges seem like a mad laugh 24/7.

    I think it's actually worse over here. You have second level schools with ads everywhere bragging about this and that. The Universities have become businesses. Apparently, some middle eastern governments like to send their public sector staff over here to do masters and other postgrads. The Unis couldn't care less about their level of spoken English and background, they just want the money.

    We sat again for an hour and a half discussing maps and figures and always getting back to that most damnable creation of the perverted ingenuity of man - the County of Tyrone.

    H. H. Asquith



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    #77
    yawhat!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 970 ✭✭✭yawhat!


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    How can a person who is in full-time education be a "dole waster"? :confused:

    Fas courses, Plc courses etc. A lot of Arts degree subjects. Philosophy and Geography are really going to land you a job.


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    #78
    The Th!ng
    Registered Users Posts: 464 ✭✭The Th!ng


    I thought this was going to be about chlamydia.


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    #79
    yawhat!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 970 ✭✭✭yawhat!


    The Th!ng wrote: »
    I thought this was going to be about chlamydia.

    He did kick me up the arse!


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    #80
    GalwayGuy2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,269 ✭✭✭GalwayGuy2


    meh, College isn't really the best and it isn't really the worst.

    @Czarchasm

    In fairness, college isn't difficult. It's more up to the person to plan for themselves, but it's probably easier than secondary.

    @femmefatale

    I'm kind of curious? How does it lead to a better society?


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    #81
    downonthefarm
    Registered Users Posts: 1,308 ✭✭✭downonthefarm


    Thomas D wrote: »
    The amount of dole wasters I know in their 30s going to college is pathetic.

    They are going because they get more money for education than the "regular" dole


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    #82
    thegreatgonzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭thegreatgonzo


    downonthefarm wrote: »
    They are going because they get more money for education than the "regular" dole

    It's actually the same amount


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    #83
    Digital Society
    Registered Users Posts: 972 ✭✭✭Digital Society


    thegreatgonzo wrote: »
    It's actually the same amount

    Vast majority make far less. Grants are far less than they used to be.


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    #84
    yawhat!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 970 ✭✭✭yawhat!


    GalwayGuy2 wrote: »
    meh, College isn't really the best and it isn't really the worst.

    @Czarchasm

    In fairness, college isn't difficult. It's more up to the person to plan for themselves, but it's probably easier than secondary.

    @femmefatale

    I'm kind of curious? How does it lead to a better society?

    College isn't difficult? Are you high or something?

    Depends on the course really but any computing course I did was insanely difficult!

    Comparing college to secondary school is like comparing Jessica Alba to Susan Boyle. First person I ever heard saying secondary school is easier to college. You must of been in a ****e course then! or one thats not employable at the moment.

    The leaving cert is a joke.


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    #85
    Boldberry
    Registered Users Posts: 71 ✭✭Boldberry


    I'm back finishing my degree and I thought it would be so much harder, but after years in a deadline driven job, I've found it really easy. The hardest thing is doing a night shift and trying to stay awake listening to a piss poor lecturer the next morning.

    I don't college prepares you for work at all though, it's much easier to work and then study in my case.


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    #86
    Frank Lee Midere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,780 ✭✭✭Frank Lee Midere


    goose2005 wrote: »
    Ah shure the brits took all our marine tradition off us and we never bothered building it back up (just as 'they' cut down all our forests and we never bothered afforesting either)

    We did create a state sponsored merchant marine as it happens. Shipbuilding would have been impossible to develop from nothing.


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    #87
    Frank Lee Midere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,780 ✭✭✭Frank Lee Midere


    yawhat! wrote: »
    College isn't difficult? Are you high or something?

    Depends on the course really but any computing course I did was insanely difficult!

    Comparing college to secondary school is like comparing Jessica Alba to Susan Boyle. First person I ever heard saying secondary school is easier to college. You must of been in a ****e course then! or one thats not employable at the moment.

    The leaving cert is a joke.

    If the leaving cert is a joke then that is part of the problem - when did it dumb down. It certainly wasn't always a joke.


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    #88
    Hello_MrFox
    Closed Accounts Posts: 201 ✭✭Hello_MrFox


    College is not hard. You must pick a degree subject that you have an interest in otherwise it becomes a chore. The amount of time you get of is insane.


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    #89
    yawhat!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 970 ✭✭✭yawhat!


    Hello_MrFox wrote: »
    College is not hard. You must pick a degree subject that you have an interest in otherwise it becomes a chore. The amount of time you get of is insane.

    I had 40 hours a week and tons of course work from first year. I suppose it depends then on the course.


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    #90
    thegreatgonzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭thegreatgonzo


    Hello_MrFox wrote: »
    College is not hard. You must pick a degree subject that you have an interest in otherwise it becomes a chore. The amount of time you get of is insane.

    That's a massive generalisation to make. There's a huge variation in course timetables depending on what course it is. Then with courses that have work placement included there might be no knowing how many hours in the week will be taken up.


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    #91
    MultiUmm
    Registered Users Posts: 972 ✭✭✭MultiUmm


    Hello_MrFox wrote: »
    College is not hard. You must pick a degree subject that you have an interest in otherwise it becomes a chore. The amount of time you get of is insane.
    yawhat! wrote: »
    I had 40 hours a week and tons of course work from first year. I suppose it depends then on the course.

    From what I've seen there tends to be a big disparity in terms of hours when it comes to universities and IT's and even between different departments at colleges. In IT's the days seem to be longer and compulsory attendance is mandatory for a lot of if not all classes, whereas in uni it's really up to the individual to show up and put the work in.


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