what is the boards standard of education

[Puckoon]

Eh - no. Hindsight is a beautiful thing.

I think the american college entrance system has merit. 17 is a young age to decide what you want to do with your life. Some people have a fair idea, and others are dreamers and have no clue.

In the US, you have core classes to take to earn a degree. History, Geography, maths, a langauge and a few others. Many students go to college "undeclared" as to what their degree path may be, and take these classes first (which can give you an extra two years in some cases to mature enough to make better decisions), while they find out a little more about themselves in terms of goals, ambitions, and what they can actually achieve.

This system neither holds back the gunners, nor does it shoebox the dreamers.

I made some poor academic choices (compared to some of my peers), from the time I filled in my UCAS form, to the last course I entered. At the end of the day, I made those choices, but Id strongly canvass for some more practical career guidance from those older and wiser than me. Parents and mentors included. I really hadnt a clue, and just wanted to get to college to get out on the tear.

[The Iceman]

I was always a strong supporter post-university for vocational degrees and courses.  But with vocational careers like Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy and the like you can only get so far.  It is for some people but wouldn't be for me.
I did a degree in Business Studies - a very general degree - didn't get me anywhere but into the MSc in Computers and Information Systems - again a general course with no specialisation in any one IT discipline really but a good all-round MSc.
I talked about it recently with some guys in my Business Studies class and in fairness I wouldn't be where I am today and I wouldn't be making this kind of money if I had been a Physio.

You are right though Puck - the US way of easing you slowly into it for two years is a much better idea.

[downgirl]

The course I am doing is 4 years, first year is a general year ('Biological Sciences') where we did biology, chemistry, physics and maths; so it gave us a chance to see what all those subjects were like before we specialised; I chose Chemistry of Pharmaceutical Compounds in second year, most of the chemistry courses specialised in second year; however the biological courses all only specialised this year (3rd year).  Loads of degree outlets to choose from as well...microbiology, biochemistry, plant biotechnology, physiology, neuroscience, chemistry with forensics etc etc.

[comethekingdom]

I done a Diploma in Engineering back in the early ninties when they were worth something. A mate of mine went back to do a degree in civil eng last year and couldn't believe how much the whole system had changed. In our day college was 9 to 6 5 days a week - nowadays the whole system is much more laid back. Some of the degrees that students come out of college with such as BA's etc are not worth a shite. I know a girl who got 7 A's in her leaving cert and did physchology in Trinity for 3 years. She's now working in some recruitment agency and probably getting laid off in June when the contract finishes.

[Puckoon]

What happened the 11th person?

[saffron sam2]

He went to stay with his mate who lived on the Larne ferry.

[magickingdom]

an accountant, great qualification imo with plenty of career options. i made a few bob, bought a fair bit of property over the years and its worth sweet feck all now but dont let that put you off

[Tony Baloney]

What happened the 11th person?

He didn't get his degree and went to work for Dunnes in Navan.  The lad from Larne didn't want to move away from home so he got a job with P&O.

He didn't want to leave Larne?! 

[Puckoon]

Best teacher I ever had came from Larne. Had issues with his sideburns however.

[stew]

I graduated with a Degree in Business Management on my 40th birthday, before that I had 6 CSE'S thanks to a less than stellar academic career at St Brigid's in Armagh. Got the four years paid for through this aul job I just packed in, I have to work for them though the end of May or I get to pay everything back to them that I got from them for this and that is almost $80,000.

I quit effective June 1st.

[leenie]

I Studied BS Social Science......... Which i still find difficult to define......put simply the study of society and the manner in which people behave and impact on the world around us. It was a very enjoyable course however because of the studying five subjects throughout further studies such as a post grad or masters is needed to specialize in specific areas. I did not know this when i started the course, nor did i know economics was a vital part!

[AFS]

Most Arts degrees are pointless wastes of time and money. 3 of my mates graduated with Arts degrees (2.1s from Queen's) last year, 2 of them now work in Centra and the other one works in Next.

There are several degrees that shouldn't get government funding in my opinion. Photography is an example, I remember reading a statistic that more people graduate from British universities with degrees in photography each year than there are employed photographers in the whole of the EU. What's the point in the government subsidising people to do degrees in subjects that there is no demand for in the job market?

[Eoghan Mag]

Oh God Help me! What sort of stupid thread is this with people boasting about their education? Ireland is a poorer place with this type of debate going on! How many of ye have had a book published, acted in a film, recorded a song (that got played on the radio), been interviewed in your own right on the radio, or performed in an Arts Festival? C'mon there's tons of other ways to live a life and be poor in money terms but rich in other ways.

This reminds me of my sister boasting to one of my Aunts that she had 5 degrees and the Aunt who seemed so mundane and normal said that having degrees is no big deal as she had 7!

[maggie]

Im thick as champ.

[DownFanatic]

BA 2:2 in Politics from QUB - Waste of time.
Currently doing a PG Dip/MSC in CAP at UUJ - Not as big a waste of time, but nevertheless still a waste of time.