Ask Brian: Can my school provide oral exams for Junior Cert language students?A longtime ASTI ban means many schools have not provided oral exams, but this is changingTue Apr 12 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: Will points for nursing go up this year?Rising demand and a cap on numbers are likely to make it more difficult for applicantsTue Apr 05 2016 - 01:00
Eight ways to get the most out of your mocksGo over your mock papers in detail: they are a map to better performance in the actual examsMon Apr 04 2016 - 07:00
Schools reports may go to 18-year-olds instead of parentsMove could leave parents in the dark on examination results and disciplinary recordsTue Mar 29 2016 - 10:53
Ask Brian: I’m 18 but I am treated like a child by my schoolI can vote but I still have to raise my hand to go to the toiletTue Mar 29 2016 - 01:00
Brian Mooney: ASTI sleep-walking into educational chaosA lack of leadership means the union is being driven by emotion and angerMon Mar 28 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: The low-down on studying medicine on the ContinentThere are lots of options in Europe but they can be very challengingTue Mar 15 2016 - 01:00
Brian Mooney: Who’s going to pay for extra college places?Higher education sector has faced growing numbers without extra resourcesWed Mar 09 2016 - 06:30
Postgraduate options: Moving up a level to master the job marketResearch shows that advanced degree holders are more employable and earn higher salariesTue Mar 08 2016 - 12:42
Matching your skills with those in demand in today’s labour marketPostgraduate programme will add set of cross-sectoral skills to enhance employabilityTue Mar 08 2016 - 12:40
Choosing the right conversion course for graduatesA postgraduate degree can be a springboard from a general area into a more specialised one – and can lead to a change in directionTue Mar 08 2016 - 12:40
How to find the right postgraduate course for youDifferentiating between what’s on offer and ensuring your course has credibility in the labour market is keyTue Mar 08 2016 - 12:38
Ask Brian: Can this year’s points be used to secure a college place after a year out?The short answer is yesTue Mar 08 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: Will the points for my college course jump?Rising student numbers and limited places mean points increases are likelyTue Mar 01 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: Will DCU graduates have a vote in the Seanad elections?The short answer is no. But why not?Tue Feb 23 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: How much will an ETB course cost?Costs vary significantly between training centres and post-Leaving Cert collegesTue Feb 16 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: My daughter is unhappy with her course – should she drop out?It is important to clarify the issues that are causing her such unhappinessThu Feb 11 2016 - 17:07
Ask Brian: How can Northern Irish students access universities in the Republic?Changes to the college entry system should remove many of the barriers facing students with A-levelsThu Feb 11 2016 - 17:06
Ask Brian: Do I need to do expensive grinds for the Hpat?A student who dramatically improved her results offers test adviceThu Feb 11 2016 - 17:02
Ask Brian: Is sports science in UL a sound option?Sport and exercise science graduates are well-placed to find work in a thriving sectorTue Feb 09 2016 - 06:00
CAO Watch: How to make your final top preference coursesDo your research to maximise your career potential and never list a course if you have not researched the lecture content throughout each academic yearWed Jan 20 2016 - 01:01
CAO Watch: Am I a failure if I don’t get a college place?There are many alternative routes where school-leavers can build on their talentsTue Jan 19 2016 - 01:00
CAO Watch: Grant supports can cushion college costsSome 43 per cent of students who receive grants do not pay €3,000 registration feeMon Jan 18 2016 - 13:20
CAO Watch: Reduced points for disadvantaged studentsSchemes are in place to help increase participation rates among marginalised groupsFri Jan 15 2016 - 01:00
Personal statement in CAO application crucial for mature studentsAbout 12,000 mature students will seek a third-level place through the CAO this yearWed Jan 13 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: Do I have to make a ‘voluntary contribution’ to my school?The Minister has suggested parents shouldn’t have to pay. Where do I stand?Tue Jan 12 2016 - 01:00
Brian Mooney: Post-Leaving Cert courses are a valuable alternative to CAO systemFurther Education route can suit students who struggle to secure high pointsTue Jan 12 2016 - 01:00
CAO Watch: Research key to picking suitable courseDo not be fooled by the lure of high points or that slick advertising, writes Brian MooneyMon Jan 11 2016 - 01:00
A step-by-step guide to applying for a college place this yearYou need to register now to apply for college through the CAO, but you have until July 1st to make a final decision on your course preferencesWed Jan 06 2016 - 02:00
The CAO – the theory and realityThe points for any third-level course can rise or fall each year and is determined by supply and demandWed Jan 06 2016 - 02:00
Life after the Leaving Cert: Where do you start?Don’t have a clue what to do after the Leaving? Don’t panic, you don’t have to decide on the rest of your life just the next few yearsWed Jan 06 2016 - 01:00
Ask Brian: How do I reapply for the Dare or Hear scheme?Can I carry forward my eligibility for third-level alternative admissions schemes?Tue Dec 15 2015 - 06:00
Analysis: What the feeder tables tell usExplaining the progression charts of Irish secondary schoolsThu Dec 03 2015 - 01:00
Ruling out statistical abberation at heart of feeder tablesSchools with dramatically falling numbers can have grossly inflated progression ratesThu Dec 03 2015 - 01:00
Ask Brian: What can my daughter do if she leaves university?My daughter is most unhappy with her architecture course she started in SeptemberTue Dec 01 2015 - 00:00
Ask Brian: Can my son pick up tech drawing for the Leaving Cert?He is in first year but couldn’t choose tech drawing as the class was fullTue Nov 24 2015 - 05:00
Ask Brian: How can my son get the help he needs at third level?The lack of one-to-one support is shockingTue Nov 17 2015 - 06:00
Ask Brian: Is move to ebooks in secondary schools a good idea?Poor ICT teacher skills are a recipe for disaster in the classroomTue Nov 10 2015 - 07:00
Ask Brian: Any pointers on applying for college?Don’t panic: students can change course preferences completely in the 10 days after the Leaving CertTue Nov 03 2015 - 07:00
College open days: Choosing a course? Do your homework firstYou’ll be spending years of your life at college. Open days give you a great chance to assess how good a fit your choices could beTue Nov 03 2015 - 01:00
Ask Brian: How do I stop my child from being bullied?I have spoken to the principal and teacher but the problem remainsTue Oct 27 2015 - 04:00
English classes are a mess following ASTI vote on junior cycle reformAsk Brian: Unless it is resolved by Christmas, junior cycle reform may collapse entirelyMon Oct 19 2015 - 12:00
Ask Brian: How can I nudge my daughter towards a Stem career?She has an aptitude for science and maths but she sees the area as being just for geeksTue Oct 13 2015 - 06:00
Ask Brian: How will random selection for CAO courses change?New grading and points systems should greatly reduce the random nature of offersTue Oct 06 2015 - 06:00
Ask Brian: What can my son do during Communion class time?I resent the class time lost in what the parents of older children in the school describe as a doss year educationallyWed Sept 30 2015 - 11:36
Ask Brian . . . Should our son move school just after starting?A new regular feature that answers readers’ education queriesWed Sept 30 2015 - 11:35
Ask Brian: My daughter has begun sixth year and seems to be flounderingShe’s a bright girl with good ability, but is more interested in her social life and clothesWed Sept 30 2015 - 11:35
Ask Brian: Can you buy success in the Hpat tests?The controversial entry tests for medicine may only benefit those able to payWed Sept 30 2015 - 11:34
Further education has been reorganised, but on the ground little seems to have changedColleges still working independently to fill course places and retain teachersTue Sept 15 2015 - 00:00
Bad news for students as few points drop in CAO second roundJust under 3,000 places offered in CAO second round, which will disappoint manyThu Aug 27 2015 - 06:10
