Future Students - Advice for Parents
Prospective Students
Advice for Parents
For students, the journey to higher education, starting with deciding what to do and then actually doing it, can be long, but it needn't be a struggle. It is a stage in your son's or daughter's life when they can begin to make independent decisions about where they want to be in the future. Although it may seem confusing initially, it will become clearer once they begin the process. The following gives you a brief idea of how to approach higher education.
What is higher education?
Higher education refers to studying for qualifications such as ordinary and honours degrees, diplomas or certificates, amongst others. Students taking higher education courses are usually aged 18 and over.
Many courses take place in universities, but plenty are also taught at higher education colleges and Institutes of Technology (ITs). Students can choose to study different courses depending on their preferences, and the variety of courses available is constantly increasing.
Why choose higher education?
Here are some reasons why choosing higher education is so beneficial.
- Higher education develops important transferable skills, such as numeracy, communication and information technology, which can give your son or daughter an edge in the fast-changing world of employment.
- Obtaining a higher education qualification improves career prospects and subsequently can enhance long-term financial success. Most experts would agree that the financial gains usually far outweigh any costs (for example, student loans) that are incurred in completing a higher education course.
- It is also important to realise that a higher education qualification is an absolute must for some careers, such as medicine, dentistry, chartered engineering and architecture.
- Students can choose a course depending on their preferences, so if they enjoy studying business and languages, for example, they can most likely apply for a combined course covering both subjects.
- Research shows that employers are primarily looking to recruit young people with a good knowledge base, sound communication skills, and the ability to work with others, analyse problems and think for themselves. Today's higher education courses are likely to give graduates a head start in all of these.
What are the options?
The options are constantly changing. Throughout the last few years, more and more courses and institutions have been introduced to the CAO system to provide applicants with a lot more variety.
Where to go for information and advice about higher education options
Information and advice
Your son or daughter can apply to any course or institution they wish, but they will need to check the entry requirements beforehand to make sure they are being realistic about their aims. There are plenty of places where they can get information and advice about their options.
- Higher education fairs which are held each year in different locations throughout the country, the biggest being the Higher Options Exhibition held in the RDS in September. The fairs bring together advisers from universities and colleges, along with careers guidance companies and other professional bodies, to offer advice about making the right higher education choices.
- Open days are offered by institutions so your son or daughter can get a 'feel' for a place. They will normally be told about the course and the university or college, given campus tours, and have the opportunity to meet current students and academic staff. This is far more beneficial than just reading a prospectus, because if you attend an open day with them, both you and they can see the area and come to a decision with first-hand knowledge.
- Speaking to universities or colleges direct can give your son or daughter the best idea about whether the things they want are offered, e.g. on-campus accommodation, specific modules - it will also shed light on the way potential students are managed: if the advisers are unhelpful, your son or daughter may wish to reconsider their choice. Some institutions will visit your child’s school and speak to them about what the college or university has to offer.
- The higher education institutions website is usually an excellent information resource and will have additional information to the prospectus.
How to choose which subject to study
Which subject?
There are specific aspects of a subject that it would be rwise to consider before your son or daughter makes a decision. Here are some examples.
- Employment opportunities:
- will they have to study a certain subject to get the job they want? Are there varied opportunities or is the subject too specialised? Some subjects lead to a particular career, e.g. Accounting or Nursing, whereas others, such as Communications Studies and Biotechnology, can open the door to more wide-ranging opportunities. It is important to check if a certain subject is a requirement for their chosen career, because if they don't take this subject, they may have to take another qualification after their higher education course.
- Popularity:
- some subjects receive more applications than others. This could be because they have a good reputation, or that there are more employment opportunities with one than another. When choosing subjects, it can be a good idea for your son or daughter to find out how popular they are beforehand, so that they are aware of the competition they may face. This is essentially how the CAO system operates, the more popular a course is, the higher the points.
- Location:
- your son or daughter could find the perfect subject for them which is taught on the other side of the country. You may need to discuss the practicalities of the location when they are making their choices.
- Quality/Quantity:
- when researching subjects, it will become clear that some subjects are taught at many universities and colleges, whereas others are only taught at a few. This is where researching the university or college is essential, because although the subject is the same, different institutions will have different teaching methods and varied success rates. Again, discussing the institutions at this point will help your son or daughter make the right decision.
How to choose which course to study
Which course?
Once your son or daughter has chosen one or more subjects that they would consider studying at higher education level, the next step is to choose a course that draws on the subject(s). This stage of the process can be exciting, because there is a lot more choice for higher education students than just core subjects: they may discover courses they never knew existed that would be perfect for them!
Translating subjects into courses
When studying Leaving Cert, students will study core subjects, such as mathematics, English, chemistry, french and business. At higher education level, these core subjects branch out into more creative and varied courses. For example, if your son or daughter enjoys chemistry at A level, they may want to look into studying a wider choice of related subjects, such as chemical engineering, environmental chemistry, forensic science. If they prefer English, they could study communications, journalism, primary teaching - the list goes on!
Types of courses available
The courses themselves have different structures depending on what is studied and the requirements of the course.
Qualifications
When people consider higher education, they tend to think of degree courses, but there are more qualifications to be gained at university or college. The usual courses provided are:
- Certificate of higher education: the first year of a degree course
- Diploma in health: a three-year course specialising in health-related courses, e.g. midwifery and nursing
- Higher National Diploma: a two-year course, which, if completed with high grades, can lead to the third year of a degree
- Foundation degree: a two-year course for vocational subjects, starting at 'year 0', which prepares a student for a degree
- degree: a three- or four-year course where graduates obtain a bachelor's degree
- Postgraduate: courses for graduates which can be one/two years after a degree where they gain a master's degree, or longer for specialist degrees, e.g. graduate entry to medicine
Subject combinations
If your son or daughter wishes to study more than one subject, for example, German and business, they may be able to combine the subjects into one qualification. It does depend upon where they choose to study, as not all institutions are as flexible as others.
The length of time spent on each subject can often be chosen by the student:
Joint: the two subjects are studied equally, ie 50/50
Major/Minor: the time spent is usually 75%/25%
Courses with work placement
Some courses provide the student with an opportunity to spend a year in industry, working that year as part of the course. This will usually be for the third year of a degree course, and depending on the employer, will be full-time paid employment. The purpose of this is to introduce students to the world of work, whilst gaining invaluable experience in a profession they might consider after completing their higher education course.
Languages
With some courses, students study abroad in their third year. The focus of the year abroad is to learn the language of another country in that country, which will improve their understanding. Not only does this strengthen their language skills, it can also improve their confidence and independence
Whatever the course or qualification they choose, it is important that they come to the decision themselves. Many parents make a mistake trying to coax their son or daughter into studying a specific course that they believe would be best. This will not work if your son or daughter is not interested and if they do end up dropping out – which is a reality for many students in this predicament – they will blame you. If you wish to help them, listen to their preferences and assist them in researching suitable options.
CAO course search
A list of available courses is on the website: your son or daughter can choose to search by subject, qualification, location, institution, course code and other specific options. This search tool provides entry profiles for some courses, which include general information about the course and institution, with links to the institution's website.
Help and advice when considering where to study
Where?
It can be hard trying to reach a happy medium where both you and your son or daughter are happy with their chosen university or college. Some students want to spread their wings and move far from home, whereas parents may wish that they stay closer in case there are problems. Your son or daughter may apply to the same universities or colleges as their friends, whereas you would like them to branch out and meet new people. Although your son or daughter would benefit from your help and advice when considering where to study, it is ultimately their decision, so it is important to let them make up their own mind. What you can do, though, is help them to see the positive and negative aspects of their choices.
Things to consider
Your son or daughter should consider two issues initially when choosing where: the institution and its location. Universities and colleges come in different 'styles': some are based at more than one campus, whereas others are on one site; some are formal and academic and others are more modern and relaxed. What does your son or daughter want from a university or college? Academic prestige? Sports facilities? Job prospects? City or countryside? The location can have a big impact upon their experiences, especially if the nightlife is based in the city or town, but the campus is far away. Using their teachers' experiences and knowledge about applying may be helpful at this point, especially if those teachers have taken previous students to visit a university or college, but your son or daughter should not be swayed by others' opinions.
Finding the answers
Each institution will have a prospectus that your son or daughter can read through. Prospectuses offer information about the institution and the courses. Open days are one of the best ways to discover an institution – taking your son or daughter to see different institutions gives them an idea of what is on offer, as well as if they will feel comfortable spending three or four years there. You can ask about almost anything at an open day: if your child would prefer to go alone, let them, but suggest a few questions that they can ask. Even if you do attend the open day with them, let them ask the questions they want answers to; there's nothing worse than a pushy parent taking over and not allowing their son or daughter to find answers to their own questions. It can also be a good idea for them to ring the institution about any enquiries they may have.
What is the best university or college?
There is no one course or institution that is perfect for everyone: different places suit different people, so it really depends on your son's or daughter's preferences. There is no national curriculum for higher education courses, but the Irish Universities Quality Board carries out external reviews. The best way to decide is for them to get a feel for a place and go from there. Only they will know if they will be happy there.
The application process explained
Main deadline dates
- 1 February – the main deadline for all applications
- 1 May – late applications
- 1 July – change of mind deadline
Completing an application
Applying for higher education courses has never been easier: all the information needed is available from the CAO handbook and the CAO website.
Making choices
Making the right choices matters: they should only apply to places they want to go to. With a huge number of courses in the CAO system, and each with a unique code, it is very important that your son or daughter puts time aside to double-check things CAO course codes.
The distance between the chosen university and your family home will affect you as well as your son or daughter.
Checklist
To help ensure that your son's or daughter's CAO application runs smoothly, here is a short list of things to do.
- Make sure they double-check all the information they include on the application before sending it to their referee.
- Inform CAO and institutions of any changes, e.g. to their examinations or postal address
- Make sure they reply to offers by the stated reply-by date.
After all the planning and organising involved with preparing your son or daughter for higher education, you may think that the end will never be in sight, but once they are finally there with everything they need, you will see how important the preparation actually was. It is amazing how much is involved when you consider it, but helping to plan your son's or daughter's life at university or college bit by bit makes the whole process a lot easier to manage. Below is a checklist of things to remember.
Finances: e.g. loans and awards, parental contributions, student bank account
Make sure their finances are sorted before they leave for university or college, otherwise they could end up with serious difficulties regarding paying for essentials such as their accommodation (if not taken care of already), food, bills, and course equipment.
Costs of College
The figures are based on a 32 week academic year (2008/2009), (8 months) but bear in mind the additional costs of:
- Travelling & staying over to search for accommodation prior to college commencing.
- Staying longer to complete exams or assignments.
Monthly Cost of Living Away from Home | Euro € |
---|---|
Books and other Academic requisites | €70 |
Accommodation | €350-€400 Single €400-€450 Double |
Light/Heat/Power | €50 |
Food | €240 |
Clothes, laundry, etc… | €45 |
Local Travel | €82 (30 Day Bus & Luas) |
Social Life, other travel, miscellaneous | €140 |
Total | €997 (Single) €1,027 (Double) | €7,976/€8,216 for 8 months |
Monthly Cost of Living at Home | Euro € |
---|---|
Books and other Academic requisites | €70 |
Costs for food, bills at home | €75 |
Food on Campus | €140 (Av. €7.00 per day) |
Clothes, laundry, etc… | €45 |
Travel (monthly commuter tickets) | €82 (30 Day Bus & Luas) |
Social Life, other travel, miscellaneous | €140 |
Total | €552 per month |
€4,416 for 8 months |
Therefore the living expenses of a student living away from home in self-catering shared accommodation for the eight-month academic year will be around €8,000 (plus student registration charge of €1,500 approx in the case of non-grant-holders). The only real saving for a student who lives at home and commutes to college is the rental costs.
Legal: e.g. insurance, TV licence, tax
It may not seem like a big deal to some people, but this is one of the most crucial and yet forgotten aspects of higher education. Being burgled or fined for being caught without a TV licence can have a serious effect upon a student's finances, security and confidence.
Accommodation
Have you checked the suitability of their accommodation and has it been paid for? Do they know if the cost of their accommodation includes electricity, gas, insurance, food, etc? It's a good idea to check if the room is ensuite or has a communal bathroom.
Transport
Knowing how to get to and from university or college is important, because being late for seminars or practices will not make a good impression on the lecturers. Your son or daughter can check bus and train timetables or use a map to find a good route if walking. Although walking may save money, please be aware of the safety issues surrounding this. Until they find a safe route and/or someone to walk with, driving or using public transport may be better options.
Communication: e.g. email, phones
If financial problems or homesickness look bound to strike, contacting you may be of the utmost importance to your son or daughter. Most teenagers will already have a mobile phone or plan to take one to university or college, but if not, a landline is recommended for safety reasons, as well as for communicating with each other. It would also be wise to set up email accounts where both of you know the other's address, so you can keep in contact in more ways than one.
Things to take: e.g. course books/equipment, TV, stereo, bed linen, toiletries
Your son or daughter is almost certainly going to forget something they need, especially if they don't plan, so starting to write a list of things to take in advance can help to diminish this problem.
Eating, drinking and cooking
You may know about the all-important rescue packages constantly sent from parents to students when they run out of food and money, but having something to cook the contents with is also quite important!
Safety: e.g. alarms, locks
For your peace of mind as well as your son's or daughter's, check that their accommodation has fire/smoke alarms and that doors and windows have secure locks on them. It is surprising how many students are burgled, but cannot claim on insurance because the locks are not of the required standard.
Electoral register
It may be the first year that your son or daughter is eligible to vote or they may have voted before, but they will need to register at their term-time address in order to get the appropriate voting information.
Attend Orientation
Most institutions offer all incoming students an Orientation Week. Here you will be introduced to the various sources of support and guidance - personal tutors and other academic staff, Student Affairs, and the Students’ Union. You will also be introduced to useful services including the library and the computer services department. The purpose of this programme is to give students an opportunity to get to know the university before lectures commence. The orientation programme is also designed to ensure that you are correctly registered on your programme of study.
There will probably be many other aspects of attending higher education that need much thought, but this should be a good starting point. Being prepared protects your son or daughter from unexpected problems at a time in their lives when they should be focusing their attention on studying hard and enjoying themselves.
The information given in this publication is intended as a guide to persons seeking admission to Dublin City University. Dublin City University is not responsible and shall not be bound by errors or omissions from this publication; the University reserves the right to revise, amend, alter or delete programmes of study and academic regulations at any time by giving such notice as may be determined by Academic Council in relation to such change.