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

170
From Leaving Certificate to Leaving School
Some students simply did not want to move away from home. They felt
that their local university had all they needed and did not see the need to
move elsewhere:
Just I didn’t want to leave like so, I wanted to stay in [name of regional
city].
Just if it’s offered in [name of regional city] then I don’t see the need
to leave. (Argyle Street, coed school, mixed intake)
In one school located near an institute of technology, students appeared
to be influenced by its proximity:
It’s nice and close and you have the same subjects here as you would
anywhere else. (Hay Street, coed school, working-class intake)
For students in smaller towns, the location of the college to their home
played a major part in their decision to apply for courses there:
Well I chose [name of institute of technology] because … I don’t
want to be out of [name of town] because I live there and the college
isn’t that far away so that’s why I chose there. (Belmore Street, girls’
school, mixed intake)
A number of students spoke about not wanting to go to any college in
Dublin as they ‘hated it’ or would feel out of their depth:
Dublin to me now would just scare me completely, just you know so
much hustle and bustle and just.
So many people. (Dawson Street, coed school, mixed intake)
One student talked about how she did not want to go to Dublin but may
have to if she wanted to do a course in primary school teaching:
I put down all the national, where you can do national school teaching.
I love [name of regional city], I just love the city, I can’t stand Dublin
so I kind of think of that.
… I kind of thought if I went to Dublin I’d be completely lost and
I’d be out of my depth.