[SiriusCybernetics]

I understand it's quite a hard college to get into, but what is the average number of CAO points needed to study history? Last year it was 440 points but from what I gather normally the cut off point rises higher than this. Does anybody know what this required number generally is for History. I think I'll probably get results of AAAa at A-level which equals 470 CAO points. Is this enough?
Also I'd appreciate it if anyone could tell me what student life is like in Dublin. Is accommodation comparatively expensive in relation to the UK? Additionally what's it like being English over there (I know this is paranoid but with regards to the ascendancy I fear I'd be viewed like Haines in Ulysses)?

[StarsAreFixed]

Please have a look at the International Study forum, there is a thread there about Trinity. I have replied extensively to it, if you search using the terms Trinity college dublin, CAO, etc. you'll find other threads too. History had hovered around the 440ish mark for around 10 years now. Last year it was 445. However, this is the second round, where points usually dropped a bit. In the case of history, it has stayed the same, it never climbs much higher than that and the asterisk beside it means that not everyone who GOT 445 got in. The figure beside it is 500, that is what the average person got, not what they needed to get. ideally you would want to get 455, but anything higher is welcome, 470 is lovely and safe. History rises extremely sharply when you combine it with another subject, but on its own it really does stay around that mark.

http://www2.cao.ie/points/lv8_11.pdf TCD is a little bit of the way down. If you go to www.cao.ie and hit points and then select your year (and choose level 8 undergrad, the third option down if it gives you a list of options) you can have a look at how it has changed..or not!

Please read this section carefully, you need to make sure you have the required subjects to to GCSE level at least, and that you are not presenting forbidden subjects or forbidden combinations. http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergr...culation/gcse/
470 is correct, and that is seriously safe.

Accommodation has gotten cheaper. However renting hasn't gone down near as much as buying..because people are renting in place of buying these days. Anyway, Trinity Hall is quite expensive, €6-7k a year. If you are prepared to live in an old fashioned area, or commute a bit, rent would be a good bit cheaper. It WILL be more expensive than in the UK, guaranteed. The cheapest deals are always on noticeboards around college. Areas to look for would be Marino, Phibsboro, Cabra, Inchicore, Chapelizod. (Chapelizod is about 15 mins away, rest are closer). Other areas are Dublin 8- Christchurch, Fatima, Kilmainham, Liberties, in and around James Street. Areas to avoid are Dublin 1, and Sherriff Street. Most areas mentioned are 'real Dublin'. not dangerous, but not studenty. Studenty areas are Rathmines, Rathgar and Ranelagh. Ranelagh is expensive. The other two can be too expensive for what they are- an awful lot of dives there, so be aware. The Luas is a good transport system to base yourself on if you are willing to commute. The green life is a whole lot nicer and safer than the red line, but green line areas are more expensive.

Dublin is a very vibrant city with a great atmosphere. I never get bored of it, and I am really overexposed to it at this point. I have lived near it all my life, went to Trinity, and worked there. Trinity is smack in the centre, the city was built around it. Grafton street and it shops are next door, loads of places to eat in a 2 minute radius- loads of pubs too. You will get ripped off for drink in a lot of places, all studenty nights do cheap drink and promotions though. It's a very small city, it means that homeless people and junkies are more visible. (Also, ALL methadone clinics are in the city centre- most off O'Connell street, its sidestreets are bad). As a capital city, it's fine safety wise. It has lots of parks, interesting areas, quirky shops, and it is bursting with history. It's also small in the sense that you're guaranteed to have an unexpected connection with a friend- 'oh you know him?', and running into people is really common too.

Do not worry about anti-Britishness. Sure, be on your guard not to fly Union Jacks in bad areas or be obnoxious when Ireland play England, but really, it's only a few scum. Trinity itself is absolutely fine. It has a HUGE amount of British students- particularly History! I did a few history modules and the one thing that always stood out to me was the amount of British names on the tutorial lists! English has loads of British students too, but every course will have some unless it's absolutely tiny. Don't forget, students from Northern Ireland also.

History is a BRILLIANT course! It wasn't the main focus of my course, I only did one module a year, somtimes two smaller ones. It is split up into big lectures in 1st and 2nd year, History of Ireland, History of Europe etc. You do not have to study Irish history if you don't want to, but I would urge you to at least look into it first. They have the most amazing lecturers on it- Patrick Geoghan and Míchéal Ó Siochrú stand out in particular, but plenty of others. These lectures in 1st and 2nd year will be huge, but you will have weekly tutorials in tiny groups. You won't have more than 12 hours a week. In 3rd and 4th year it totally branches out, you will have much smaller 'seminars' on smaller topics, I did two of these on The Great Irish Famine and 1916 Easter Rising. But there are loads to choose from. If you can get one by Ciarán Brady, pick it. His speciality is Tudor Ireland and England, but he is winding down from lecturing a bit. Jane Ohlmeyer and T.B Barry are great also. You have a lot of choice. I should also mention that in 1st and 2nd year you aren't restricted to just Ireland or Europe, there are slightly smaller modules on America and Asia, usually more too. The history department is sooo well run, runs like clockwork and puts plenty of others to shame. Dissertations in particular are so well organised.

[SiriusCybernetics]

Thank you so much!