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Tue, May 17, 2022

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Want to play a bigger part in saving our planet? Now you can easily check out courses related to the environment from a range of disciplines I want to do my bit to save the planet. Is there a college course for me?

Interest in environment-related courses has grown hugely in recent times

Our second-level schools tend to have all-encompassing rules and regulations which can appear very restrictive to a young person. Photograph: iStock My daughter wants to go to a grind school – I’m not so sure it’s a good idea

The older age profile of today’s Leaving Cert students means more want to make decisions for themselves

Several hundred of last year’s CAO applicants were shocked when they failed to receive an offer  due to errors  in their applications. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw Could my daughter lose out on a college place by not checking her CAO emails?

Ask Brian: It is crucial to ensure there are no errors in students’ college applications

Nursing is a diverse and rewarding career and offers excellent job and life satisfaction from helping others. Photograph: iStock My daughter is worried about high CAO points for nursing. Are there other options?

Ask Brian: Even if she misses out on points, there are alternative entry routes available

It’s a fine line for a parent to walk when supporting your child in their first  foray with the world of work. Photograph: iStock Should I organise work experience for my daughter in transition year?

Offering too much support can detract from the benefits of securing work experience

If you are interested in business, there are lots of degrees which you should consider for your CAO application. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times My son has listed just four CAO courses in UCD and Trinity. Is this risky?

My advice to all CAO applicants is to use all available slots on your form

You’ll be aware that some teaching staff in fee-charging schools are privately employed, but most are paid by the Department of Education. Photograph: iStock I work in a private school. Is my job secure?

Ask Brian: Debate over funding for fee-charging sector casts spotlight on who pays teachers

Immersing yourself in the language is one of the best ways to prepare for the orals. Photograph: iStock My son is anxious about the Leaving Cert Irish orals. Any last minute advice?

It is essential to know the structure and marking scheme of the test in advance

If your dream is to become a doctor, don’t be put off by the Hpat process. If it’s the right occupation for you, there are numerous ways of achieving your goal. Photograph: iStock 3:52 ‘I worry that high CAO points will end my dreams of becoming a doctor’

Ask Brian: If it’s the right occupation for you, there are ways of achieving your goal

There are ways of helping to take the guesswork out of choosing the course that’s right for you. Photograph: iStock I’ve no idea what course to choose. What can I do?

Making important life decisions is never easy - but there are tools to help

Like it or loathe it, the EU hugely influences our lives and so we need to become aware of how it can serve us. Photograph: iStock How can I teach my students more about how the EU shapes their lives?

Ask Brian: New programmes and grants targeted at schools are now available

Places on some medicine courses last year were allocated on the basis of random selection. Photograph: iStock How will grade inflation affect the class of 2022?

The fairness of some aspects of the college application system is open to question

TY has enabled generations of 16- and 17-year-olds to go on to face the challenges of the two-year Leaving Cert programme far more effectively. Photograph: iStock My son wants to do transition year – but is a ‘doss year’ a good idea?

Ask Brian: TY can be transformative in the development of a wide range of skills

Schools are due to receive details of adjustments to this year’s Leaving Cert exams soon. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Q&A: What should students do to take full advantage of Leaving Cert changes?

Written exams from 2021 offer a good template for what to expect next June

Many further education applicants in receipt of various forms of State support would lose it if they return to full-time education. Photograph: iStock My son says he’ll lose his PUP payment if he takes up a further education course

Ask Brian: This is a dilemma being played out in many homes up and down the country

There are have a number of programmes in our education system relating to the EU – but we could do more. Photograph: iStock Why aren’t we teaching pupils more about the EU?

Ask Brian: Neglect in schools could prove costly if we fail to address it

The great thing about horticulture is that there are courses available from degree to PhD level. Photograph: iStock My daughter is very environmentally aware, are there viable careers in this area?

Ask Brian: Horticulture graduates are in demand and employed across many areas

If your son has no desire to go directly from school to college, step back and let him figure out his next move. Photograph: iStock My son isn’t interested in going to college. How can we change his mind?

Ask Brian: Step back and give him space and time to figure out his own pathway

Sudying a subject for which you already have passion  is the ultimate criteria for excelling. Photograph: iStock My son is keen on studying English but I’m worried he’ll struggle to find work

Ask Brian: Arts students are very employable and equipped for a range of career options

Next year’s Hpat is due to take place online, as it did in 2021. Photograph: iStock My daughter wants to study medicine. Are grinds for the Hpat worth it?

Ask Brian: Practising sample tests and questions is highly effective preparation

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Go to cao.ie by January 20th to make a course application.  Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
College Choice 2022 Step-by-step guide to applying for college in 2022
 
FREE @irishtimes subscription Are you a third-level student? Claim your free @irishtimes digital subscription here!
 
Homeschool hub Our guide to the best teaching and learning resources online
 
Michael D was a leading light in the Lit & Deb Society at UCG (President of Ireland website)
The Irish Times Debate My debating days: By Michael D Higgins, Mary Harney, Dara Ó Briain and more
 

Sponsored

‘In leadership roles you are always visible, even when you think you are not’ ‘In leadership roles you are always visible, even when you think you are not’

UCD Smurfit’s senior leadership programme provides unrivalled access to peer-led learning for a global stage, says John Carroll of Investec

Results/CAO helpdesk Read the questions addressed in recent days by our guidance counsellors about the calculated grades and CAO process
 
Harry McCann:  “I went to Ballyfermot College of Further Education where I studied broadcast presentation skills for a year.” Photograph: Patrick Browne
Smart Choices 2021 Everything you need to know about apprenticeships, further education and training
 

CAO Countdown

Some students are looking to Europe due to high entry requirements for many disciplines in Ireland. Photogragh: iStock CAO countdown: Last-minute tips before the college application
 University College Dublin, Belfield: Choosing the wrong course has real consequences. Thousands drop out of college in their first year. Photograph: Alan Betson CAO Countdown: Focus on your interests, not high-point courses
A grant from the State’s grants agency can be a crucial factor in a student’s decision on whether to accept a course offer. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times CAO countdown: Can you afford to go to college? Here’s what it costs
Photograph: iStock CAO Countdown: Six steps to applying for college in 2020
‘Just one step at a time constitutes perfect career planning.’ File photograph: Getty CAO Countdown: What to consider when selecting the next move after the Leaving Cert

Unthinkable

Noga Arikha, author of The Ceiling Outside: The Science and Experience of the Disrupted Mind: ‘My mother wasn’t aware what was happening to her. So she was actually very happy, blissfully happy, living in the present.’ Can someone with dementia access a deeper kind of wisdom?
Intellectual heavyweights: Donegal-born John Toland (left) and Kilkenny native George Berkeley Be thankful for intellectual rivals, they can sharpen your mind
Michelangelo’s fresco The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. Photograph: EPA If you feel like the world is ending, you are not alone

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