6th Years Visit Higher Options

22nd October 2014

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The 6th Year students of Donabate Community College recently spent a morning at a Higher Options seminar in the RDS. This is an exhibition where all the various colleges have stands to advertise the range of courses available at third level education. I interviewed two of these students about their experience. These students were Jennifer O’Donoghue and Rachel Drysdale.

The students informed me that the trip was of great benefit to them, as they were given the opportunity to experience the lectures and courses available to them outside of Ireland. The students claimed it was an enjoyable, albeit a stressful experience, as it seemed almost every 6th year student in the country was present.

The students reported this large turnout as being an enormous “reality check” for them, as they congregated with students that they shall soon be competing against in mere months for college placements and courses.

The students told me that they were given lectures on Central Applications Office forms for undergraduate courses. They were informed how challenging the competition is for the highly demanded courses, and as a result many students were intimidated by the large point and grade requirements.

On a lighter note, the students commented on the numerous pizza and noodle booths available to them, and that they were copies of various types of literature.

The students were also given information on the Erasmus programme, a student exchange that would see participating students attend school and homes in other EU countries. The Higher options trip lasted for the duration of 9am-12pm.

The students benefitted immensely from the experience and said they would recommend the Higher Options day to future 6th Year students, as they were able to experience courses they would never have investigated.

Thanks to Charlie Harris from Transition Year for this report.