LEAVING CERT LAS VEGAS

It s the most important week (and a bit) of your life, so they say. It ll define whether or not you ll spend the rest of your working life clad in an off-white wig and fighting injustice in the High Court, or hairnet-clad while asking people if they want fries with that.

Like those BSC Kite marks on condoms, the certificate proves that you are what you say you are: a reasonably well educated, well adjusted member of society, fully conversant in The Arts, Economics and The Sciences, demonstrably able to buckle down and get the job done.
Well, that s the theory. In practice it appears that the Leaving Cert has become a type of pseudo-intellectual MOT for many, having little to do with real educational achievement and everything to do with regurgitating stock answers to set questions. The points system has been debated at length for many years, but for most people planning to go on to third level education it s the normal method of entry.
Consequently the pressure is on for those students who do wish to further their education to play the game and accept the situation. Parental pressure also comes into play here, as mums and dads, many of whom are unfamiliar with the content and format of the courses, express alternate glowing encouragement and damning threats to inspire their offspring. It can get confusing.
The timing of the examinations is also unfortunate. Just when you re beginning to get a handle on all the good things in life exotic cigarettes that you roll yourself, bitter tasting beverages that come from off-licences, and the delights of interlocking bits of your body with bits of other people s bodies they tell you that now is not the time, you ll have plenty of time for that class of nonsense later. This is akin to handing a five year-old a strawberry Cornetto and telling them they can have a lick when they turn seven.
In my own wild youth, discovering the colour of Helen Kennedy s underwear, (usually white, but occasionally and devastatingly black), was a much more rewarding pursuit than discovering the secrets of the isosceles triangle. The Christian Brothers who taught me never saw the priorities quite like I did, though...
My own Leaving Cert went off well enough one D, five C s, two B s though shortly after entering university I sold my soul to music, and basically I ve been working in the business we call show ever since. While I confess that I enjoyed my secondary school education immensely, and not just the Helen Kennedy bit, I must admit that it did me bugger all good in my subsequent working life. For example, I ve never even been asked to show my Leaving Cert to a prospective employer. So how unusual am I? hotpress asked a number of music biz people about their Leaving Cert process, and their views on the usefulness of the exam.
Tom Dunne of Something Happens and latterly Today FM fame sat his Leaving Cert in 1980.
Actually I really enjoyed my time at secondary school, he recalls. It was when I discovered music, to a large degree, and I was playing in my first band, The End, at that time. I was always quite a diligent student, though I never felt under pressure, from myself or from parents. I knew I wanted to study engineering, which I went on to do at UCD, so I was quite an applied student. Although our system isn t perfect it seems like it works, and I benefited from learning how to apply myself; really I learned how to do just enough to get by and still enjoy a hectic social life! I did cram on the nights before the actual papers, and maybe that helped, and then I went through the horror and terror of the exams themselves, but it worked out.
In later years I realised that any education is no burden, and since I had become used to organising my time and energies that stood me in good stead when I was working regularly with the band. Writing and performing is obviously a creative process, and sometimes I wish I had taken an arts degree, but in terms of the Leaving, I think I learned how to learn more than anything. As for advice to students today I think you should be careful to apply yourself sensibly to the task in hand; although I was never what you d call a swot, I always felt that I had done enough work to cover my courses, so I never felt stressed out.
Buzz O Neill, head honcho at Massive, the agency and PR company responsible for Homelands, Influx and Virgin Records in this country, laughs aloud when I mention the Leaving.
I failed miserably, he says. My parents spent a fortune on my education, and I think I passed two subjects. Basically I was quite sure that I wanted to work in the music industry, and none of the subjects on offer were of interest to me in that goal. Also, my careers guidance teacher was really discouraging, and I suppose I rebelled against that. I always felt that I was being made memorise facts, as opposed to actually learning useful skills, and indeed upon leaving school I immediately got a job in HMV s ticket office, and there I felt I was learning.
As I realised I wanted to become my own boss I did actually repeat the Leaving later, and because I chose business-related subjects I did really well, much to the annoyance of my parents! I think that people are far too immature to make career choices at fourteen, fifteen or whatever, although they now have a transition year which might help people focus on ambitions and goals.
Since becoming my own boss, a sort of rags to more expensive rags story, I ve gained several certificates in business and computer studies, out of necessity, so I was obviously never thick, but I couldn t apply myself to a discipline that I thought was totally irrelevant to my plans for my own future.
Sorcha O Flanagan who is a promotions/public relations assistant with Warner Music in Ireland, completed her Leaving Cert in 1993.
At the time I did my Leaving Cert I had already become deeply interested in music as a career, although at that time I had dreams of being a performer. My Leaving Cert course was very arts-based, English, History and non-science subjects mainly, and although I never had a study regime, I d always read avidly, so I knew a little bit about a lot of things!
While I wouldn t recommend that approach for anyone else, I knew that a career as a performer didn t depend on academic qualifications so, young and idiotic as I was, I went to a gig the night before my first exam! In the end I passed with four honours, one of which was in music, and after a spell at The Rock School I realised that I might be more interested in the business side of music. The Leaving helped me to get a job in Dublin Tourism, and from there I moved to hotpress as a receptionist, and my years and experience there helped me secure my current position with Warners.
Nowadays, I suppose the Leaving gave me a basic grounding in the arts; my job involves talking to creative, clever people a lot, and it helps if you ve had a decent education. But I would advise students to try and avoid getting too stressed, you can always repeat, it s not the end of the world if you don t do as well as you d hoped .
Hugh Murray has been Artiste and Repertoire wunderkind at Sony since 1996, responsible for the signing and development of artists like Brian Kennedy and Paddy Casey, amongst others. He originally completed his Leaving Cert in 89, but repeated the following year.
I repeated because my results the first time round wouldn t have permitted me to study a joint Business/Arts degree at Trinity College Dublin, he says. The school I was in at that time had some problems with teaching staff, and I felt I wasn t being encouraged in some subjects, and that was reflected in my results. It was just a bad year for that school; over two-thirds of my year failed the exam. The following year I was more successful, going on to study Philosophy and Business at TCD.
My experience proves that there s always a second chance, although I was lucky enough to have an idea of what career I wanted to pursue. I think many people at Leaving Cert age might be a little young to make that decision. My Leaving gave me a basic grounding in the subjects I took at university, and it was through becoming involved in TCD Ents that I gained the ability to work in the music industry after graduating, initially for The Mean Fiddler group, and then, of course, I joined Sony.
I d advise Leaving Cert students to remain focused on their goals; choose subjects you have a genuine interest in, and don t be afraid to ask teachers or parents for help if you feel you re not on top of the situation. These are people who are willing to help you, it s their job; you re never on your own.
Lesley Kane is the general manager of the Music Maker retail chain in Dublin. Although she passed her Inter Cert at secondary school with flying colours, she decided to leave school before completing her Leaving Cert.
First let me say that I think it s very important for people to attain educational qualifications, but for me at that time I just wasn t remotely interested. It s a very young age for people to make such life-affecting decisions. I was much more into playing with the band I was in at the time, and generally having a good time. There s also a social side to it, in that it s easier to apply yourself to a course of study if you re in a small class with committed teachers, and that isn t everyone s experience. That s the one flaw in using Leaving Cert results to determine college entry, it can discriminate against people who are very bright, but who don t have a supportive and encouraging environment in which to apply themselves to their studies.
I later went on to take my City and Guilds certificates in sound engineering, and after too many years of late nights I decided to join the Music Maker team. After working my way up from the sales floor, I became manager of the Mary s Abbey store, and eventually rose to the dizzying heights of general manager, based at Wexford St.
The fact that I d never done my Leaving didn t really hinder me, but I ve often thought that I d like to take a university degree, (if I could find the time!), and in that case it d be a little more difficult for me to qualify. All in all, I d advise people to get the qualification, but I do believe that people are put under too much pressure at too young an age; while it s important, it s not necessarily the be all and end all. For those people who are about to do it, Music Maker wish you good luck!
If our commentators from the music business are typical of professionals in other areas, it seems clear that while a star-spangled Leaving is not essential for those who have drive, ability and ambition, it can, if utilised correctly, offer a solid educational grounding on which to build. Perhaps the most important fact to emerge from our straw poll is that a qualification on its own will not impress a prospective employer, if an individual is not able to prove themselves interested, willing and able to pursue a career in their chosen field. That education is never wasted is probably a truism, but in today s economic environment it s necessary to demonstrate a personal achievement and ability that no amount of paper can prove.

TOP OF THE TIPS
Hannah Hamilton presents some expert eleventh hour words of wisdom for Leaving Certers

In this, the final build up to the dreaded Leaving Cert, students from Tallaght to Tramore are bracing themselves. Yes, Cramming Time has officially begun. Here hotpress presents ten tips to make the whole thing just that little bit easier

1 The last thing you should be doing in the run-up to exams is getting yourself bogged down in detail. Focus on what s important in each subject, look at problems that may have surfaced in the mocks, make lists of the main topics and tackle them chunk by chunk rather than immersing yourself in messy notes and stacks of textbooks.

2 Equip yourself with as many past papers and sample questions as is humanly possible. Aim your efforts towards the actual exam and structure your answers according to the model answers. Give yourself realistic time limits and stick to them!

3 When writing your answers, make yourself aware of all the ways you can score a few extra points. Look up this year s marking schemes and structure your answers concisely with the examiner in mind.

4 If, perchance, it s only just dawned on you that the Leaving Cert is quite literally weeks away, don t cram yourself stupid. Cast a strategic eye on the layout, format and recurrence of past papers and questions, and target areas that frequently occcur.

5 Avoid areas you don t understand. Focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses and direct your efforts accordingly, even if it means restricting yourself in the actual exam. Be aware of the layout and format of the questions and try to work around the things you don t know so well. Three good answers are better than five dodgy ones.

6 Don t get lost in piles of revision books at this stage. They can be an advantage if they re done well, but this close to exams you should be focusing on answering questions constructively rather than absorbing more knowledge. You are going to be examined on your ability to give out information, not take it in.

7 Another faux pas in Exam Land is the misconception that cramming til 4am before the event actually does you any good. If you go into an exam tired and unalert, you have already put yourself at a disadvantage regardless of what s on the paper. If something crops up in the exam that throws you off guard, you are automatically less able to deal with it properly. Prepare your body as well as your mind.

8 Stress is looming large around this time and it s easy to get overwhelmed by it all. The benefits of eating and sleeping well cannot be overlooked. Also, exercise, punching bags and blood curdling screams are rather effective at relieving pressure. However, if it does become too much, don t be afraid to ask for help. Believe it or not, hundreds of thousands of people have felt the same way you do now, and there s always someone willing to listen, be it your sister, uncle or vice principal. If, however, you d prefer to talk in private, you can contact The Samaritans.

9 Focus on the good rather than the bad. Remember that you haven t spent the past two years in a classroom to learn absolutely nothing. Despite what you (and your Maths teacher) may think, you have come a long way and no amount of cloud gazing in history class can deny that. You d be suprised how much you actually do know.

10 Finally, remember that points are not the end of the world. The days when points were the only key to a decent career are well over. There s plenty of options available for everyone and anyone and even if you don t get what you d hoped for, all is not lost. Remember that points are not the deciding factor as to the success or failure of your entire existence.
Contrary to popular belief, there is life after the Leaving Cert.

IN BRIEF
An excellent site for revision tips, study plans and marking schemes:
www.leavingcert.net

For Confidential help and support call:
The Samaritans: 1859 60 90 90

Thanks to Mr Keith Rowe, Principal of The Pre-University Centre and Sean O Sullivan of Griffith College, Dublin for their words of wisdom.