For most people, the biggest decision they’ll make by the time they’re 18 is where to go to college and what they’ll do there. There are plenty of resources out there to help you make these decisions, such as brochures containing details of various education programs of study for college, but at such a young age it can still be hard to decide on a direction.It’s a daunting choice. It can seem like the most life-altering decision you can ever make. And, sometimes, it can be the incorrect choice. With the CAO opening its change of mind facilities tomorrow, it’s important to examine the options available for those who, once coming to Trinity, feel like they’ve ended up where they’re not meant to be.
Sarah Coller, a second-year history and political science student, knows this feeling well: “I was sitting in the back of a law lecture, and after having felt subconsciously detached from the course since I began, it just hit me that I couldn’t stick it anymore”. She explains: “I had to seriously start considering other options”. For Coller, the option she chose was to transfer. “I think that you can never really know if a course is for you until you try it”, she says, admitting, “I was terrified that I would go through all the hassle of moving, to realise I didn’t like history and political science either, or any college course for that matter”.
As a first year, only three weeks into college, I was at sea at this sudden dilemma. I didn’t want to take the decision lightly
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There can be a huge pressure for people to make an “acceptable” choice when it comes to colleges. For Izzy Sweeney, who transferred from Irish studies to TSM Jewish and Islamic studies and ancient history and archaeology, she feels that this clouded her decision: “It wasn’t necessarily difficult once I had made the choice but there were a few things which made me question my decision. Judgement from my peers niggled at me, especially when people hear what I wanted to do instead. I had to explain myself to multiple people at length. I feel like my saying ‘I think I’ll just be better off’ wasn’t enough for people for some reason.”
But exactly how supportive is Trinity in these cases? Both Coller and Sweeney express dissatisfaction with the support they were offered. “I don’t think I got enough support from the College, quite simply”, Coller asserts. “My tutor was kind and sympathetic, but really just wanted me to pick a course and be getting on with things. As a first year, only three weeks into college, I was at sea at this sudden dilemma. I didn’t want to take the decision lightly.” Sweeney echoes this sentiment: “Support wise, my tutor was really good and accommodating on advising me how to transfer. I think I’m very lucky in that respect from other stories I’ve heard”, she explains. “But I was very much on my own in terms of navigating what I might like to do instead or filling in the forms. It was also implied by many staff I spoke to that I shouldn’t transfer due to the cost, which is reasonable but even when it was explained that fees weren’t an issue, I was made feel uncomfortable that I was somehow exploiting my parents.”
Molly Kenny, the Education Officer of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU), acknowledges that the support offered by tutors could be improved: “I think that people will always be intimidated in that sense. The authority figures in College can be scary if you are thinking of dropping out.” While Kenny is quick to praise the work of the Senior Tutor in training tutors, she goes on to say: “Is it doing enough? If people aren’t comfortable going to tutors then no, but right now I think the students’ union can do the niceties of it much better than the College ever could, just because of our age and who we are. I think there should be more of an atmosphere in College of your tutor being a supportive role.” However, she still advises people to approach their tutor with these concerns: “Your tutor knows the process of your school and the official forms, and I don’t have the same powers. I usually talk people through the form, and then send them to their tutor, with them knowing what they want to say.”
Sean Gannon, Director of the Careers Advisory Service in Trinity, also stresses the importance of tutor support in these situations: “It’s not an easy process for students, but a tutor can give academic advice. The student relies on the tutor as their advocate to get through the process, but the student also has to do a certain amount of work in trying to identify alternative courses, and to make a decision.” Gannon feels that the Careers Advisory offers a lot of guidance in these situations. “We try and identify what’s wrong with the course choices they’ve made, what kind of alternative courses they may wish to consider. Sometimes, we use ‘profile packages’ to help them understand what their own interests, or choices are. It’s a process of understanding.”
I think a lot of students who go off books don’t realise you don’t have the support services that College always hosts for you, but the biggest thing you don’t have is your friendships
As Education Officer, Kenny is “off books”, and this is an option many people consider when contemplating if they’ve made the right choice in college. However, in Kenny’s view, this should be a very careful choice: “It suits some people, and some it just doesn’t. I would not advise someone to go off books unless they knew exactly what they wanted.” She continues: “I think a lot of students who go off books don’t realise you don’t have the support services that College always hosts for you, but the biggest thing you don’t have is your friendships”.
For her, she admits this can be strange: “I think it’s weird because I still live here, I work here, all of my friends are still here – compared to if my friends weren’t on campus anymore or I didn’t live in Dublin, perhaps, but I still think going back is a little bit daunting”. When considering a year off books, many people don’t realise how distant they can become from college life. Kenny emphasises that Trinity needs to offer better supports for this: “There needs to be a better reintegration programme. People are just expected to ‘hop’ back into college. I think it would be a very good idea to run a campaign for those students who need to be reintegrated, because it’s an isolating experience.”
“It depends on individual circumstances, and I think it differs for students. I think for some, the experience actually has a negative impact on their health”, considers Gannon. “But for some it doesn’t have a dramatic impact on them. They’re using the time to research courses, and to make CAO applications again. They’re just using the time to reflect.” Like transferring, going off books is a completely different experience from person to person and while, on the face of it, it may seem an easy option, it is not a light choice to make.
I would like to see a more concrete support system put in place. I wouldn’t wish the process of changing course in Trinity on anyone
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) revealed earlier this year that, with a seven per cent drop-out rate, Trinity has the lowest dropout rate in Ireland compared other third-level institutes. “For the most part, students are making choices to change course within Trinity, or alternative options outside Trinity”, explains Gannon. “So most stay in the third-level system.” Kenny credits the availability of strong support systems to students, such as the Student Counselling Service, for the low drop-out rate, alongside the fact that Trinity is historically a very competitive college to get into. However, this means people who are unsure can end up slipping through the cracks, and getting lost in their own uncertainty. “I felt a lack of empathy from the general Trinity administration”, Coller comments. “I would like to see a more concrete support system put in place. I wouldn’t wish the process of changing course in Trinity on anyone.”
Realising you’ve made the wrong choice for you is not what people hope for when they come to college, and Gannon strongly urges people to explore their options as much as possible. He advises: “If you feel the course isn’t working for you, you need to explore that quite early on, and if you need to change course, you should try and do it right away.” However, while there are alternatives choices readily available for people, the onus is on Trinity to improve the supports available and to make these difficult processes as accessible and as stress-free as possible. Being unhappy should never be the easier choice.
