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Can I redo my Leaving Cert?

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  • 19-01-2021 12:51pm
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    So I did my Leaving Cert exams in 2017 and did badly, quite badly actually. Didn't even bother to check my CAO as someone said I got no courses.

    I was working that time in a part time job until the pandemic last year when I lost it. I'd like to reapply to do the Leaving Cert again.


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    #2
    Hannibal_Smith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,927 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hannibal_Smith


    Mod Note

    OP, thank your for post. I deleted your picture, I don't think it's necessary to include it as its personal to you.

    Also, there is a Leaving Cert forum here where you would probably get lots of information. As you have posted anonymously however, if I move your thread there, you won't be able to respond to any posters unless you register, so I'll leave it here for now.

    Thanks

    HS
    As for your question, you could take a look at this site, which seems to go through the process of re-doing the Leaving Cert. I haven't looked at it in any great detail but of you have a Google, there seem to be plenty of courses and options for re-doing the Leaving Cert as a mature student.


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    #3
    PHG
    Registered Users Posts: 475 ✭✭PHG


    Hi OP,

    Yes you can resit your leaving cert. Though only some schools over a dedicated repeat leaving year and the rest go back with the normal LC class.

    I did it through my school and just had to re-register on the CAO website (that was over 15 years ago though). If you are planning to go to University, you may be able to apply to the course you want directly a Mature student but deadline may have expired or nearly expired.

    Best of Luck,

    PHG


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    #4
    santana75
    Registered Users Posts: 1,299 ✭✭✭santana75


    failedinleaving wrote: »
    So I did my Leaving Cert exams in 2017 and did badly, quite badly actually. Didn't even bother to check my CAO as someone said I got no courses.

    I was working that time in a part time job until the pandemic last year when I lost it. I'd like to reapply to do the Leaving Cert again.

    You'd be looking at a private school like the institute of education or ashfield so. I mean there are a few places about that do an adult leaving cert, pearse college, Plunkett college are two off the top of my head. If you're just looking to get the job done and pass then adult leaving schools are ideal. However if you're looking for as high a points tally as possible then the private schools are the way to go. The difference for the year between the two options is about 7k so well worth sitting down and asking yourself what you're looking for here.
    But you can definitely go back and nail it, all it takes is a bit of perseverance and graft.


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    #5
    Rachiee
    Registered Users Posts: 880 ✭✭✭Rachiee


    I'm going to assume you sat at 17 so are 20 or so now, you can apply to any higher college course as a mature student at 23, so you don't necessarily need to re-sit to go to college.

    In academic terms leaving cert is about the equivalent of a level five qualification. What might be more beneficial rather than re sitting the leaving cert is identifying what field you would like to work in and start a diploma or certificate in a relevant discipline. EG if you wanted to go into nursing you could study biology or health care assistant at an undergraduate level. (4-6)
    A few benefits are you will get clarity on whether a subject is right for you or not before committing to a degree , and you will get a chance to experience college in a sense of working with deadlines, academic writing, referencing etc


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    #6
    Lux23
    Registered Users Posts: 7,134 ✭✭✭Lux23


    Would you consider an access course, OP? Lots of colleges offer them to people from age 17 and up, you don't need your leaving cert, but you would need to commit to a 9-5, Monday to Friday timetable. You get to try lots of different courses and then if you pass the year, you are offered a place on the course of your choice. Its a really good option to consider.

    https://www.nuigalway.ie/access/mature-students/
    https://www.tcd.ie/trinityaccess/students/
    https://www.tudublin.ie/study/undergraduate/how-to-apply/entry-pathways/access-foundation-programme/

    More info here - https://www.qualifax.ie/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=15&Mainsec=courses&Subsec=search_courses&CRAsort=&action=search&display=&CSH_ID=18&PREV_CSH_ID=&AdvancedKeyword=&keywords_and_titles=title&all_or_any_words=all&full_or_part_words=full&FCT_ID=&FDM_ID=&keywords=&CRT_ID=0&QUA_ID=0&CTP_ID=0&COL_ID=0&RES_ID=0&points=&CRS_CODE=apfc&CRA_ID=0&ATT_ID=0&PRV_ID=0&COU_ID=0&DST_ID=0


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  • Options
    #7
    ztoical
    Registered Users Posts: 4,788 ✭✭✭ztoical


    Rachiee wrote: »
    What might be more beneficial rather than re sitting the leaving cert is identifying what field you would like to work in and start a diploma or certificate in a relevant discipline. EG if you wanted to go into nursing you could study biology or health care assistant at an undergraduate level. (4-6)

    +1 Rather than resitting the leaving OP sit down and think about what you want after the leaving...what is the end goal? You must know roughly what career you want or at least what field/area. You don't want to resit the leaving and then find you need a specific subject that you didn't do. Figure that out what you want career wise then check some of the PLC colleges for courses related to that. You might start with doing an evening/part time/online course then move to something full time.


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    #8
    Airyfairy12
    Registered Users Posts: 3,390 ✭✭✭Airyfairy12


    Id go against other comments here and suggest you go ahead with repeating the leaving cert, im in my 30's with a level 9 and still get asked for my leaving cert results when applying for jobs. I dropped out of school and I have lost out on jobs to people with the same college qualifications as me but have high points in their leaving. Employers for some strange and unknown reason are obsessed with leaving cert results.
    You can repeat it with your local adult education center, every county has an ETB, contact your local one and they'll give you the right info.


  • Options
    #9
    James Bond Junior
    Registered Users Posts: 5,128 ✭✭✭James Bond Junior


    My best friend in college did a year in Uni, quit and went back to repeat the LC and then got his course. Anything is possible...


  • Options
    #10
    ztoical
    Registered Users Posts: 4,788 ✭✭✭ztoical


    Airyfairy12 wrote: »
    Employers for some strange and unknown reason are obsessed with leaving cert results.
    .

    What field do you work in that employers ask for leaving results? I'm in my late 30's and I couldn't tell you what subjects I sat let alone with results I got as after my first year in college I've never once been asked for my leaving results.


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    #11
    YellowLead
    Registered Users Posts: 7,661 ✭✭✭YellowLead


    ztoical wrote: »
    What field do you work in that employers ask for leaving results? I'm in my late 30's and I couldn't tell you what subjects I sat let alone with results I got as after my first year in college I've never once been asked for my leaving results.

    Me too - never have I ever been asked. Not once! I took it off my CV after my first job. In fact when reviewing CV’s for new hires myself if they had further education and work experience but still put their LC results on their CV I’d find it odd!
    Perhaps it’s civil service jobs that might still ask for LC results.

    OP I echo what other have said - figure out first what it is you want to do and work back from there - you may or may not need a better LC depending.
    If you are completely in the dark I guess go ahead and repeat as it certainly won’t do any harm and would expand your initial options - but still work out a rough field you want to go into.


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    #12
    ILikeBoats
    Registered Users Posts: 2,430 ✭✭✭ILikeBoats


    ztoical wrote: »
    What field do you work in that employers ask for leaving results? I'm in my late 30's and I couldn't tell you what subjects I sat let alone with results I got as after my first year in college I've never once been asked for my leaving results.

    +1
    Never once have I been asked and I have done a lot of interviews


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    #13
    Airyfairy12
    Registered Users Posts: 3,390 ✭✭✭Airyfairy12


    Some jobs do ask for leaving cert results, just because you didnt experience it in your own field of work doesn't mean it doesnt happen. The leaving cert is not the be all end all but it gives the OP a great foundation to start of from and opens up opportunities in all areas. This is particularly beneficial, in my opinion, as the OP doesnt know what he wants to do. Better off taking the year to repeat the leaving and explore options instead of jumping into a course or apprenticeship, realizing its not for you and scratching your head in a years time wondering what youre going to do now.
    The OP is still young and has lots of time for college & courses, theres no harm in having a good leaving cert to fall back on.


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    #14
    ztoical
    Registered Users Posts: 4,788 ✭✭✭ztoical


    Airyfairy12 wrote: »
    Some jobs do ask for leaving cert results, just because you didnt experience it in your own field of work doesn't mean it doesnt happen.

    So give an example of field, that could be helpful to the OP to know. I can tell you OP for anything media, art, publishing, or IT related no one is going to ask you how you got on with your leaving.
    Airyfairy12 wrote: »
    The leaving cert is not the be all end all but it gives the OP a great foundation to start of from and opens up opportunities in all areas. This is particularly beneficial, in my opinion, as the OP doesnt know what he wants to do. Better off taking the year to repeat the leaving and explore options instead of jumping into a course or apprenticeship, realizing its not for you and scratching your head in a years time wondering what youre going to do now.
    The OP is still young and has lots of time for college & courses, theres no harm in having a good leaving cert to fall back on.

    We don't know if the OP knows what area they want to go into which is why most of the advise has been to work backwards. There is no point in resitting the leaving if they then end up wanting to do something that requires a specific subject in the leaving they don't have. They should sit down and make a list of areas of interest then do research on what is needed qualification wise for said career. What they actually need far more then resitting the leaving is solid careers advice. There are lots of different paths to some careers so you don't need to always go the straight route. I've quite a few friends who never sat the leaving cert for various reasons and all have quite good careers now.


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    #15
    Airyfairy12
    Registered Users Posts: 3,390 ✭✭✭Airyfairy12


    ztoical wrote: »
    So give an example of field, that could be helpful to the OP to know. I can tell you OP for anything media, art, publishing, or IT related no one is going to ask you how you got on with your leaving.



    We don't know if the OP knows what area they want to go into which is why most of the advise has been to work backwards. There is no point in resitting the leaving if they then end up wanting to do something that requires a specific subject in the leaving they don't have. They should sit down and make a list of areas of interest then do research on what is needed qualification wise for said career. What they actually need far more then resitting the leaving is solid careers advice. There are lots of different paths to some careers so you don't need to always go the straight route. I've quite a few friends who never sat the leaving cert for various reasons and all have quite good careers now.

    Im not going to list a number of jobs that might potentially ask the op for their leaving cert results & you cant guarantee that any employer wouldn't ask about his results. Often employers use leaving cert results to narrow down their search & criteria, particularly when applicants have equal higher level qualifications & backgrounds.

    Just because you have friends with good careers and bad leaving certs doesnt mean it works out that way for everyone.

    Someone advised the OP wait till he's 23 and apply to college as a mature student. Not everyone who applies to college as a mature student is guaranteed a place. What will he do in two or 3 years time when he's still got the bad leaving cert but also didnt get the course he wanted?
    He could do a PLC but it leaves him limited in options, he can only progress to courses & jobs related to that area of study. If he has a good leaving cert, he opens more doors for himself, it's one year & mostly part time to complete in an ETB so whats the harm?


    Regardless its up to the him and he's already expressed that he wants to repeat it!


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    #16
    never_mind
    Registered Users Posts: 915 ✭✭✭never_mind


    Hi OP,

    I’m going to chime in here and echo a lot of other comments. No door is ever closed to you if yoi are driven to progress into a career. A chat with your former school principal might be an idea and maybe ask could you contact the scjhool career guidance counsellor.

    I would start looking at what areas or subjects in school you liked and did well in first. Going on and doing a general undergrad like Arts or Science can be a great stepping stone into various other postgrads and careers. A PLC at a local ETB that have pathways to higher education would be a brilliant option.

    I know people in senior roles in business and banking who hated school and got very low points. The LC as a summative assessment is outdated and unfair. The issue is the system and not your lack of aptitude.

    Good luck, OP! There is a lot more to you than what your LC points were.


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    #17
    _Godot_
    Registered Users Posts: 877 ✭✭✭_Godot_


    I'm redoing my leaving cert through vtos, they might also do it in your area. And even if they don't offer a subject you'd like to do, you can still do the lc with them and study the extra subject at home, just let them know you're doing it.


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    #18
    Neyite
    Administrators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,947 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Neyite


    I was never asked for LC results myself (just as well as they were dire) but I know the public sector applications you've to list a lot of detail like your grades and it might be that they would factor in for whittling down applicants, I don't know.


    But depending on what you'd like to study, I would suggest that maybe it's worth chatting to someone already in that field and that way you can find out exactly what you need.


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