Grant Applications

Applying for a grant can be a bit of a minefield for people, particularly mature students. Aontas have written a helpful blog post "Ten things mature students need to know about student grants". The studentfinance site is also very useful as you can check your eligibility and download forms there. Louth VEC grants section are open to queries from 9 - 12 Monday to Friday and Louth County Council grants department from 9 - 11 Monday to Friday.

CAO Round A 2011

For those of you who applied to the CAO as mature students you should have received notification of offers by now. Even if you have received a letter offering you a place by a college prior to now you MUST still accept it through the CAO. All offers issued by colleges prior to the 6th July are provisional. Official offers can only be given and accepted through the CAO.

If you had been offered a place by a college and did not receive an official CAO offer, don't panic! First check that whether your offer is conditional, if it is (on the basis of leaving certificate or FETAC results) then you should expect to receive your offer through the CAO at the Round Zero stage, which is in early August. It can help to double check this information with the college admissions section. If your offer was not conditional but you did not receive notification through the CAO contact the admissions department of the college.

If you are unsure what to do or have concerns relating to your CAO application feel free to contact us via the form to the right or at 041 9842030.

Grant Forms Available Now!

Hi everyone
Grant forms are now available on http://www.studentfinance.ie/.
It is now possible to apply online if you are applying to the VECs in Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Dublin.
It is also possible to apply online if your awarding authority is Meath County Council. For those of you applying to Louth, Monaghan or Fingal County Councils you will have to apply through the paper version which can also be downloaded from the site.
It is advisable to start the process of applying for your grants as soon as possible as we expect there to be a very large number applying this year.
If you are having any difficulties with completing the application forms contact us through the form on the right or at 041 9842030.

VTOS Graduations

Congratulations to VTOS students graduating today and Tuesday. We would like to wish you all the best for the future and to remind you that we are here all summer to offer support and assistance with the completion of funding applications forms.

If you are considering participating in a VEC programme such as VTOS, or even just thinking about returning to education, call in to see us or make an appointment by filling out the form on the right.

Springboard Closing Date

The closing date for Dundalk IT's Springboard courses is today, so if you are thnking of applying you'd better do so today!

Some of the other colleges who are offering Springboard programmes (and many are accessible from County Louth - DCU, Blanchardstown IT, DIT, etc) have later closing dates - check out http://www.bluebrick.ie/ to see if there is one that interests you!

Adult Education Information Sessions

There are two information sessions being held in Dundalk this month.

The first is the Be Somebody Fair being organised by Louth Leader Partnership's Outreach Project with the aim of promoting opportunities that exist for unemployed people in training, education and work. This is being held in the Redeemer Centre on 20th June from 9.30am - 1pm.

The second is the Adult Education Information Morning, hosted by Louth VEC's Adult Education Service, this will showcase the adult education options available in Dundalk. It is being held in the Adult Education Centre, Chapel Street, Dundalk (the old ESB building) on the 23rd June from 11am - 1pm.

Come along to either of these events to find out what opportunities might be available for you locally.

State Exams

Good luck to all our learners who are commencing their Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate exams today!!

Application Date for DIFE

Hi Everyone

You should note that Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE) is accepting applications for May Interviews up to and including 10th May 2011, in relation to FE/PLC courses starting in September.  

Interviews will be held in late August/early September if places are available, it is advisable to apply for the Mayo interviews as there may be a possibility that there will be no places left for your chosen course in September.

Free Return to Study Course in Louth

• Thinking of returning to education on a part-time basis?
• Would you like to develop a new interest?
• Would you like to meet new people?
• Would you like an introduction to Computers, Sociology, Psychology, Business Studies, Communications, Art and Study Skills?
• Improve your maths?

County Louth VEC's BTEI programme is running a Return to Study programme for 3 hours per day, 3 days per week for 6 weeks starting in May.

This course is free for adults with less than Upper Second Level education (Leaving Certificate or equivalent) and for adults in receipt of social welfare (or their adult dependents).

For further information call 041 9842030 or fill in the contact form on the right of this page.

DIFE Open Days

Drogheda Institute of Further Education are holding an Open Evening on Thursday 17th February from 7.00-9.00pm and an Open Day on Friday 18th February from 9.00am -1.00pm. This is an opportunity for you to speak with programme staff and co-ordinators, ask questions about the courses you are interested in and also to get a feel for the college itself.
Going to the Open Day also allows you to make your face 'known' to the people who may be interviewing you for a place, so be aware of making a good impression!!

The CAO - Personal Statement

The Further Details(on the paper version)/Mature Section (on the online version) of the CAO form is often referred to as the Personal Statement. This is your opportunity to show the person behind the application and to 'sell yourself' to the colleges you are applying to. Remember that the CAO form can be seen by all the institutions whose courses you have chosen so be careful not to make the information you include specific to one institution/course.

Colleges will often shortlist on the basis of this personal statement and/or their own application forms so you really need to provide further information about yourself in this section. You need to get it right so practise and rewrite until you feel it is strong enough to get you that place at interview!

In your personal statement you should demonstrate that you have put thought and consideration into your choices. You should also allow the college to gain an understanding of yourself as a 'whole person' - your personality, skills, hobbies, interests and experience. Page 14 of the CAO handbook provides guidelines as to what should be included in this section, some other suggestions are listed below as to what else you might include. It is only a guide giving some ideas of what you might include, remember the personal statement is personal so really has to come from YOU!

Course Choice
You need to show reasoning for the course(s) you have chosen. Examples would include having a personal interest in the area, work experience included, the course having a mixture of theory and practise). If you have a number of courses that are in unrelated areas you need do explain this diversity so that it does not look like you are 'hedging your bets' or are unclear about what you want to do.

Career Goals
If you do have a particular career goal which will be helped by getting the course you are applying for outline this in your application. You may not have a clear career goal as yet and may be applying for courses which open up a number of options to you but it would be beneficial to indicate that you know what career options are open to you after studying the areas you are applying for.

Your own experience
Give a little bit of your 'back-story', indicate why you are returning to education, how you have prepared for attending Third Level, and why you are the person they should interview for their course. Colleges want to see that you are ready, committed and capable of the academic rigours of Third Level. They want to see that you are aware of what is involved in going to Third Level and, in particular, what is involved in the course(s) you are applying for. This is why research BEFORE you apply is so important. We discuss preliminary research in a previous post.

When you have completed your form and are satisfied that you have 'sold' yourself to the best of your ability make sure you take a copy or print out a copy of the form for your own records. This will help to remind you of key points made and areas which may be covered in the interview stage.

Good Luck with your application and if you have any questions you can ask them here (click on the comment button), make an appointment with the form on the right or drop into the office.

College Open Days



 Hi Everyone

We hope you've all settled back since your mid-term break and are right back into the swing of things now. Some of you may be aware that a number of Third Level colleges and universities will have open days coming up in the near future. These are really worthwhile attending and help to clarify what next steps you may wish to take.

Qualifax have a great events calendar on their website which helps you to stay up to date on upcoming events such as open days. You can search by date and event type, or just take a look through the calendar. Click here for more info. Many colleges will have events specifically for mature students as well so keep an eye out for those.

We will also be posting notification of particular open days that we feel will be relevant to our learners and clients so don't forget to keep checking our blog!

Welcome!

Welcome to all adults returning to education for the 2010-2011 year. For those of you who are new to our service we are a guidance and information service who try to help you to take your next steps in education and/or employment.

The new school year may appear to be very daunting and you may think it is far too early to be considering your next options. However, when you are ready we are here for you. You can make an appointment through the form to the right of this page, by calling us on the phone at 041 9842030, dropping in to our Information Centre in our King Street, Drogheda office or by emailing us at laegis@louthvec.ie.

Wishing you the best of luck with your studies!

College Interviews

For those of you who have applied to Further or Higher Education interviews are held from March - May depending on the college and course you are applying for.

A college interview can be very stressful but, just like a job interview, preparation can take away most of that stress.

Here are some tips on preparing for the college interview, we plan to upload lots more between now and May to help you with getting that college place and we are available by phone, post or on a one-to-one basis to help you as well!

Aontas Adult Learner's Festival

Aontas is the national adult learning organisation and are a voluntary body promoting adult learning nationwide.

As part of their work they organise an annual Adult Learner's Festival which both celebrates the work of adult education providers and their learners and also promotes the activities of these providers.

So come on, support Adult Learners in your local area! Log on to www.adultlearnersfestival.com and check out what events are on near you!

PLC Open Days

Post Leaving Cert (PLC) colleges all around the country are opening their doors to prospective students over the next few weeks. PLCs can offer a 'bridge' between school and third level and are often a good option for adults who are considering returning to education but not sure if they are ready for third level yet.

Qualifax publish all the open day times and dates on their events list which can be viewed here.

DIFE Open Day

Phew!! Now all the pressure is off in relation to CAO applications it's a good time to take a look at other further education options available in County Louth.

As we mentioned before Louth is well serviced educationally with centres for adult education and Post Leaving Cert (PLC) colleges in both Drogheda and Dundalk.

One of those PLCs, Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE) will be holding an open evening tomorrow(Thurs 4th Feb) from 7-9pm and an Open Day on Friday 5th Feb from 9am to 2pm. It is well worthwhile going along if you are considering attending a PLC or even if you feel the Third Level option may not work out for you. PLCs offer a 'bridge' between second and third level and have a wide variety of course choices. More information on DIFE's courses is available at http://www.dife.info/. If you are interested in taking a look at what O'Fiaich Institute (OFI) in Dundalk have to offer you can check out their site at http://www.ofi.ie/.

The CAO - Filling in the Form

The CAO Handbook

You should refer to the CAO handbook whether you are filling in the form on paper or online, it is a guide to assist you in the application process and reading it will help prevent any mistakes in your application.
We discussed in a previous post that you should do your research before applying and this will help you with filling in details on the CAO form.

Section 1
On both the online and paper versions the first page is mainly concerned with your personal details (name, address, etc).
You will also be asked whether you have a disability or specific learning disability. If you do it is important to tick the appropriate box. This will not put a college off your application AT ALL, in fact it is beneficial to include it as it allows the college to get supports in place for you prior to starting your college course. If you do indicate that you have a disability/specific learning disability you will need to complete the supplementary form and provide documentary evidence of this.

Special Categories
On the front page of the online form but on the third page of the paper form you select which categories you wish to be assessed on. As a Mature Applicant (over 23 on 01/01/10) you should tick Box F (paper version) or Box 8 (online version). This is VERY IMPORTANT as it will allow you to be assessed on the basis of your personal statement and interview rather than leaving cert/previous academic achievements.
If you previously did, or are currently doing, an NCVA/FETAC qualification you may be assessed on this basis AS WELL as being a mature applicant. If this is the case you need to tick Box D (paper version) or Box 2 / 3 (online version). Basically you get points for each grade you got in your FETAC qualification just as you would for leaving cert subjects and you compete against other FETAC applicants for places in the course(s) you are applying for.

Similarly if you did GCEs/GCSEs you can be assessed on the basis of those.

You may have to supply evidence of qualifications to the CAO.

If you apply on the basis of Special Category you may have to supply further information. Special Category applicants should refer to pages 13 and 14 of the CAO handbook for more information.

Further Details/Mature Section

This section is often referred to as the Personal Statement and is the most important part of the CAO form for a mature applicant. Details are given on Page 14 of the CAO handbook of what should be included in this section. On the paper form it is the Further Details box on page 4, whereas it is called the Mature Section in the online version. The difference between paper and online here is that on the paper version you are given a single box in which to include all your details whereas online you are given seperate boxes for each area the CAO recommend you include (for example Current Studies, Employment, Voluntary work). Further information in relation to the personal statement is available on our blog post on that topic.

Course Choices

Another REALLY important part of the CAO application is entering your course choices. You can enter up to ten Level 8 choices and up to ten Level 7/6 choices. You enter your choices in order of preference. You can change this order around at a later stage, this will be particularly important if you are offered a college place that was not originally your first choice but you do wish to take it. Some courses do not accept application on mature grounds, others have restricted entry, you need to check that the courses you are applying for accept mature applicants and whether they have any special requirements.

Later on in the year we will be posting about the college interview and the next step in the college application process.

Good Luck!

The CAO Form - Online v Paper

Whether you apply online or by paper is a matter of personal preference. There are some features of the online application which are particularly useful, not least the fact that you can log in and edit the form as many times as you like right up until the 1st February. However, you may feel more comfortable filling in the paper version.

It should be noted that you should not leave filling in the online form until the last minute as the system can get overloaded coming up to the closing date and you may not be able to access your account or your PC could crash. We keep saying it but BE PREPARED, do your research, check out your course choices and apply in good time for the 1st Feb.