Too much fuss about the Leaving Cert
Usual angst and noise in the media about the Leaving cert this week. Said I would n’t write about it, but then heard two stories about students being so anxious , they vomited with only one student making it to the toilets. Oh dear.
The fact, is that if you’ve got to the stage of actually sitting the Leaving Cert, you’re already a winner. So keep this in mind.
Also as the stop grade inflation website shows your chances of scoring high grades gets higher and higher.
Colleges are now chasing students, as can be seen from the amount of ads in the media.
If I hear that ad about UCD horizons again…
It’s not as flexible as they would have you think, so do examine the modules and make sure you can actually choose the ones you want.
Personally, I think UCD should spend some of this advertising money on setting up a private bus service from west Dublin to UCD. Had one client who dropped out because of a 4 hour commute from Tallaght!
Did suggest this to them. But no response so far. But if Maynooth can do it, why not UCD?
Anyhow, if you don’t do as well as expected in your Leaving Certificate, you can still access a variety of courses which can lead onto good qualifications.
For example DIT have a electronic and computer systems certificate which accepts all qualified applicants and subject to gaining a distinction you can progress to a degree.
There’s plenty of post leaving cert courses which can also allow you to progress to a degree.
Even in that pinnacle of high points, medicine, all is about to change. Currently to do medicine directly requires approximately 580 points. You can of course now do a post graduate in medicine in Limerick and Trinity (fees payable but given the good salaries of doctors you’ll have no problem getting a loan)
From next year (2009) however, entry to medicine will require completing a psychometric test and a minimum level of 480 points.
I’ll post separately on the details, as this is a major change.
So yes, the Leaving certificate is important, but it’s not a matter of life and death. There’s plenty of other options and your exam success or failure does not dictate how your life will proceed contrary to what you might hear.
Remember ,Richard Branson “pretty hopeless” in school. Voted most intelligent person in England, one year. Julian Richer “not very clever” (despite having a Father who was a Fulbright scholar at Harvard) but now runs over twenty successful businesses with an entry in the Guinness Book of records.
Your reaction to your results is more important. Label yourself a “failure”, then yes you’ll probably will be. Resolve to learn from the experience, keep believing in your self and take some action towards goals you’ve decided on, and you’ll go far.
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