Great news...

[K_F]

Thanks.. a great relief  for us all.

A slight correction from the school.. the report has the maximum of the two marks, so he got an average of 79% for the two exams he wrote.
Still great stuff.
 :t

[caballero]

Well, you'll invite us to something. A round of beer :lol:

[K_F]

Unbelievable ... I spent from 07:30 to 18:00 today doing 7 Uni applications  :shock:
And to get Mr Smartass/Know-it-all to write those covering letters in an appropriate way.. jeezus.

It's like Dude... I like to be rebellious and smart so I can write what I want.

Well Dumbo.. people my age will be reading that, and they think like I do... you put smart-alec stuff in there and you're out..pronto.
Argue .. argue.. fffing argue.. then he writes some mind blowing stufff.

That little (Well.. he's bigger than me  :lol:) twerp knows how to wind me up.
 8)

[K_F]

One application rejection - Limerick. Rejection purely that he had not written exams in the UK. I think this is purely administrative as according to international conversion standards, he's way above the A-Level acceptance minimum.  :shock:

Trinity College (Dublin) have accepted with an unconditional offer  :t :t  within 2 days of application..  :icon_eek: WOW :icon_eek:.. that was fast.
We have two weeks to compare other results... before accepting.

Mom and I were crying with joy.. but the boy deserves it - he's worked like a dog - it's been a long 1.5 years
    

Edt: Are there any Irish folk here that have any thoughts/knowledge on Trinity. It looks good on the web ?

[K_F]

.. Annnd another offer,... Maynooth.

Hell's, this throws the cat amongst the pidgeons !!
We'll have to do some fast thinking.

If this is the going rate, I expect all our apllications to go through.
 :t

[K_F]

Cork is expected any moment (Comms/emails on the go)... hopefully the price is right as this is the one we want  :t

  8) :icon_eek: :t

[K_F]

This is funny.. like you're waiting with 'baited breath' - sh1t I hope you don't smell like fish 

Anyway.. we're into the last 24 hour stretch -->> It looks like Cork and Dublin are slow (Pity) so we have to go with the other two, as the first deadline is 1June.
That's fine as they're all are of a similar standard.... the home run!!

[hutch--]

If your young bloke studies in Ireland, by the time he comes back you will hear "To be sure, to be sure".  :P

[K_F]

     True.

Maynooth it is.  :t :t

Cork came in positive an hour ago, but Trinity and Cork are just out of our reach with ZA's economic junk status (thanks to those who can't count  ::) ).
He can look at postgrad at those others.

Well!, this is a relief... we're on our way.
 8)

[hutch--]

 :t

[K_F]

Maigh Nuad confirmed, signed and sealed... now to empty my bank account  :icon_eek:

 :t :icon14: :icon14:   :idea:

University College Dublin has also just come in positive.. all too expensive though.
But it's nice to know he made the grade with definite confirmations.

[hutch--]

We don't have a "sobbing" smiley so the  will have to do with the soon to be depleted bank account.

[K_F]

Some advice for other Masm parents here wrt to the path we've gone with these applications.

Ireland caters for a percentage of foreign students, it looks like it's around 10%.
As the wife's Irish colleague at work says, they do this to supplement their income as the EU students get in cheaply, whereas foreigners pay the full price (+- 24,000.00 Euros, before accommodation and food)).

As a prospective foreigner, or EU student, there is the Central Applications Office that you can apply to, and they place you.
I don't like 3rd party's, so we applied direct to each Uni faculty, which redirected us to their International Admissions Office (IAO).
Most IAO's are very helpful, and it's so far been around 80 emails flying back and forth, plus a few phone calls.

Out of 7 applications:
- I didn't bother with Galway, as they wanted Ye Olde postal service - I think the internet avoided them, or visa versa.. so comms would be difficult.
- Limerick rejected outright on grounds that A had not done UK/Irish A-Levels, although his results were above min requirements.
- Trinity College came in first. Looked good but we were apprehensive about academic prices and cost of city living.
- Maynooth came in 2nd with a much lower price. I was dumbstruck with the prices and after inquiries all was confirmed. We now waited before confirmation.
- Cork came in next, but prices were the same as Trinity. We had already accepted Maynooth's deadline.
- UCD came in now, but the same as Cork and Trinity.
- DCU (Dublin City University) we had no response at all.

The first result in, Limerick rejection, was 'devastating' for A, but I encouraged him to hang on, and with the following positive results pouring in the boy was toi-toi'ing around the house.

After fighting with our local educational system, I can say Ireland's been a breeze.
Go the individual uni application route with your kids. Remember education is a 'business' and you're looking for the best bang for your buck (that you can afford), so don't be shy.
It's been 7 months on this particular journey, 2.5 years in total to bring the boy up to speed. I'm sure he's richer for the experience.
 :t

[Rockphorr]

Are you solve something like this when you get ready ?

[Siekmanski]

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