From Leaving CertiFiCate to Leaving SChooL a Longitudinal Study ...

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From Leaving Certificate to Leaving School
ing ‘a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I think about it’ (Argyle
Street, coed school, mixed intake). Much of the internal stress
among the students appeared to be connected to a lack of time and the
realisation that there is ‘not much time ‘til your actual exam’ added to
the stress among students. This stress was associated with their own feelings
of falling behind in their schoolwork in addition to feelings of ‘leaving
it too late’ during sixth year and not keeping up with the pace of
work (Fig Lane, coed school, middle-class intake).
Research has previously shown that the level of stress experienced by
students relates to their own aspirations and ability (Dencombe, 2000;
Putwain, 2009), which are linked to their feelings of self-identity and selfworth.
For some students in Harris Street, stress is associated with the realisation
that so much work has to be done in a short period of time:
You just kind of realise how much work really has to get done so just
like, [it] dawned on me, ‘oh god, there’s so much to do’, so think it’s
a lot more stressful. (Harris Street, girls’ school, middle-class intake)
Many of these students with college-level expectations are stressed not
about passing their exams but that they will not get their first course
choice:
I’m dreading it [exams].
Change every day, sometimes I’d be so panicked, I really want my
first choice and other days I’m like ah sure it doesn’t matter.
Yeah, because I really want my first choice and it’s high points.
Yeah, we’ve the same first choice so. (Harris Street, girls’ school,
middle-class intake)
Others feared their own disappointment if they did not get what they had
applied for in college:
I don’t want to panic in case I don’t get the points because then I’ll
be really disappointed, I don’t want to be disappointed after my
Leaving Cert. (Harris Street, girls’ school, middle-class intake)
Some suggested that exam preparation as early as fifth year would help
them now as they approach their exams: