There are lots of different directions and avenues to explore when you decide to make the leap into higher education. For most students, that journey will involve a CAO application.
It is important to note, however, that there are alternative routes to higher education, for example, Post leaving cert courses, Apprentships, Army, Gardaí other institutions offering further and higher education. One in four students drop out of college each year because they did not research their course choice/s sufficiently, that is a frightening statistic.
Do list your courses in genuine order of preference. This means putting your dream course in first place, your second favourite in second place, and so on.
Do check that you meet the minimum entry requirements for the courses that you wish to include on your application. If you don’t meet these requirements you will not be offered a place, regardless of your points score.
Do add courses to your Level 7/6 list as well as your Level 8 list; this gives you plenty of options at the offers stage.
Do research your courses carefully, taking note of the course content and other information provided on the colleges’ websites and in their prospectus.
Do attend open days, virtually or otherwise where possible and any education events where you can ask questions about the course, about the institution, campus life, etc. Not all colleges are allowing big groups to visit at the moment, however it is still possible to contact the college and ask if you can visit on your own or with a small group of friends. Some colleges are offering Saturday on campus visits. It is very important to get a gut feeling about where you may be spending the next three to four years studying.
Do take note of the restrictions outlined on page 3 of the CAO Handbook. Individual HEIs may have restrictions on late applications, for example, some HEIs may not consider late applications from certain categories of applicant. Restricted courses must be entered on your CAO application on February 1st.
Don’t list your courses based on assumptions about what the points are going to be or how well you think you are going to do in your examinations. Points can vary significantly year on year as we have witnessed over the past two years. Points fluctuate based on demand, supply and applicant performance.
Don’t list a course on your application higher up than the course that you really want, if you get the higher preference offer you will not be offered anything lower.
Don’t apply for a course that you’re not interested in just because you have the points for it.
Don’t place a course on your application if you do not meet the minimum entry requirements. This will be a wasted course choice as you will not be considered for a place if you do not meet these requirements (regardless of your points score ).
Don’t leave your Level 7/6 list blank. You should spend some time researching Level 7/6 courses to give yourself plenty of options at the offers stage. Level 7/6 courses offer qualifications in their own right and most offer progression pathways into Level 8 courses.
Don’t follow your friends, study what you love.
Choose your own path and research your courses in detail.
