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

Guidance and Decision-Making in Sixth Year 147
For students in Argyle Street who had specific courses in mind, the oneto-one
sessions provided details on the types of courses available,
whether in arts or sport:
Interviewer: What sort of things did you cover?
What are your interests and stuff like that and to judge from what
you’re interested in what college course might suit you best. I’ve
gone for arts because it’s what interests me the most.
Interviewer: Did you find yours helpful?
Yeah, she asked me what I was interested in and I said sport like. So
she made a list of all the sport courses in Ireland and what would
most suit me, what ones could I get into with my results like and so
it’s very helpful like. (Argyle Street, coed school, mixed intake)
For students who were positive about their guidance counsellor, being
available to students was a major factor. Students in the LCA class in
Dixon Street appreciated when their guidance counsellor made themselves
available and followed up on student requests:
She’s helping me get my application done for college. So she helped
a lot.
…We have a guidance class and then if we need to talk to her or
anything you can go to her like. You just say can I talk to you later
or whatever.
Interviewer: And she’s mostly available?
Yeah, she’ll make herself available for you. (Dixon Street, coed
school, working-class intake)
In Park Street, students felt that they got a lot of information from their
guidance counsellor who appeared to be available whenever they wanted
to visit him:
You can go to him whenever you want. Yeah, we have meetings as
well. I just had a meeting there not so long ago. You get a lot of info
on what you could do and what your options are and what you’d be
best suited for. (Park Street, boys’ school, mixed intake)