Interested in college but not sure where to start?

💭If you're interested in going to college but you're not sure where to start...

1. 1. Book a guidance appointment and have a chat about it!

1. 2. Go to our Tiny Taste of Trinity and Taste of TU Dublin events. These are taster days on the Trinity College and Tallaght TU Dublin campuses that are designed to give you a feel for college life, experience a college-style lecture or two, the opportunity to learn about access routes and supports and to take a look around. 

1. 3. Open days are also very valuable and well worth taking the time to attend. Check the monthly calendar for the upcoming open days. 

1. 4. Go to the talks and events (held in the study room -- check the calendar!), where the visiting speakers will have lots of information for you on college life. 

1. 5. Start with the big picture. What subject areas interest you? Do you want to stay close to home or look further afield? Think about your life as a whole and how college fits in to it. Remember that college and the work that follows is just one part of a bigger picture! 

1. 6. Start narrowing things down, look at individual courses and get into the details by reading the module lists and descriptions. What are the pros and cons of each one? What do you like and dislike about them? Do you have any questions?

1. 7. Check the entry requirements, as every single course has them. Does the university accept your Level 5 qualification and if so, do they require you to have any specific modules on your list? What grades do they require?

1. 8. Learn about the application process. Are there any extra steps that you need to take, like entrance exams, statements of interest, references, portfolios, or interviews?

1. 9. Make a note of the important dates and deadlines. Make a timeline. 

1. 10. Think about finance and the practical side of college. Will you be eligible for SUSI? Check here. What about the different bursaries and scholarships that are available? How are you going to get to college? Will you be working part time? How will you balance work and college? 

Remember that you don't need to think about all of this alone and support is available as you figure it all out. Book in for a guidance appointment and have a chat about it!