Some 7,000 teenagers from all parts of Ireland turned up at the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin, yesterday and went shopping. But instead of their usual diet of clothes, CDs and magazines, these youngsters were seeking information on college courses and careers. "Brilliant" was how many students described the Higher Options Conference, which this year has attracted up to 250 third-level colleges from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
There are thousands of courses on offer from the usual stables of medicine, law and languages to more unusual subjects - business economics with gambling studies at the University of Salford, for example. The Defence Forces, Garda Siochana and Aer Lingus stands all attracted large crowds.
Sandra Wright, a pupil at St Joseph's School, Lucan, said she liked the fact that all the Irish universities and institutes of technology were under one roof. Many students had had extremely early starts. Students at Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, had risen at 4.30 a.m., their guidance counsellor, Ms Maureen Maughan, said.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for our students to meet people from all the colleges on the one occasion," she noted.
The arrival of the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin, to open the conference caused a stir. Students of the Sacred Heart School, Drogheda, were particularly impressed. "He is very nice, very friendly, and in touch with young people," they said.
The Minister told students that it was important to remain flexible and to keep their options open. If they failed to achieve high Leaving Cert points, they should consider certificate and diploma courses which offered good prospects of progression.
Mr Martin told The Irish Times that he would like to increase third-level maintenance grants but lacked the resources. However, he hoped to improve college hardship funds to help students in need, he said.
Throughout the day students were kept busy attending career talks and lectures on the intricacies of applying to college. Marie Barrett, a student at St Joseph's School, Lucan, enjoyed the talk on engineering given by DCU's Dr Noel Murphy. "He gave a great explanation of engineering," she said.
Dr Sheila Gilheaney, director of the Centre for Talented Youth at DCU, held her audience spellbound when she described her training as an astronomer. But yesterday's event was not all work.
Many students found time to socialise and said they appreciated the chance to meet young people from other schools. Shelley Brady and Gillian O'Gorman from Sligo Grammar School enjoyed a lunchtime reunion with Eamon Hartley from St Mary's College, Galway, and other friends from Dublin. They had all met at Irish College during the summer, they said.
In some years love affairs begin at Higher Options. One boy admitted to mitching school to spend the afternoon at the conference with his girlfriend who was up from the country.
By 4 p.m. when the conference closed for the day college personnel were exhausted. "We worked hard and are on our feet all day, but it's a fun time," said Ms Mairead Loughman, UCC's Administrator of Science. "The students have really done their homework and they have very specific questions."
British colleges, too, were impressed by the high calibre of the students. "We seek out Irish students because of their quality," said Mr Milo Crummie, senior lecturer in business studies at South Bank University. Phil Emes who is senior lecturer in physical chemistry at the university of Glamorgan, said "the students are always very well informed and they enjoy talking to you."A limited number of tickets (price £5) for the Higher Options conference, which is organised by The Irish Times and the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, is available at the RDS each day.