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

Guidance and Decision-Making in Sixth Year 171
I thought that as well but then I just kind of got over it and like if I
want to do it. (Belmore Street, girls’ school, mixed intake)
Staff in one school noted a gender difference in who was willing to
travel from home to study. They found that boys were more likely to
leave if they were in a group whereas the girls at the schools were more
independent and ‘motivated’:
I would find the girls that are a wee bit older are motivated. I’m going
to go anywhere and friends don’t have a big part to play. (Dawson
Street, staff, coed school, mixed intake)
Another staff member at Park Street felt that students at the school
tended to stay local for financial reasons but also because they ‘have a
cushy number at home’:
Well, I suppose one of them one would be financial on it, as well it
takes time to adjust. They feel like mammy’s at home to look after
them, have dinners and everything cooked for them. So that they’re
not facing the trauma of having to cook for themselves and they
probably have a cushy enough number at home and it, they’re sorta
quite happy to stay there in it. (Park Street, staff, boys’ school, mixed
intake)
The cost of moving away to go to college also played a part in student
decision-making. Despite wanting to study animal care in England, one
student spoke about how costs and not wanting to move away influenced
her decision:
I want to go down the route of more practical animal care and there’s
actually no courses in Ireland for that but right now I don’t think I
will go to England, I think I’ll stay in Ireland just because of the cost
and I don’t really want to go over to a different country. (Argyle
Street, coed school, mixed intake)
Other students spoke about accommodation and transport costs and how
this influenced which colleges or universities they applied for:
If you can afford to go there, it’s alright if it’s [name of regional
town] because you pay for your bus up or your car or whatever but if