Welcome
ST. ANNE’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CAREERS EVENING
2014
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Agenda
 CAO Form……Central Applications Office
 How to choose the right course
 HEAR Scheme
 DARE Scheme
 Tips and Hints
 Scholarships
 PLC Courses…Post Leaving Certificate Courses
 Accommodation
 Grants…SUSI
 Careers Blog …how to access and use
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
School Careers Programme
 Careers classes
 Careers month
 Exhibition
 Speakers
 Trips to open days
 Access to Careers portal online account, personal
and career values, interest quiz, online account to
save, evaluate and rank course.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
About Applying
 It is YOUR choice
 It is YOUR responsibility
 It is YOUR decision
 NOT the Guidance Counsellor
 NOT your parents
 NOT your friends
 This is YOUR life
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
CAO Application
 Cao administers the University and Institute of





Technology application system
It is your responsibility to read the CAO handbook
They are strict about deadlines
Apply online/on-time is cheapest and safest
They handle application for Level 6,7 and 8 Courses
The CAO includes some fee paying colleges
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fees
 Public Colleges e.g. UL, LIT €2750 p.a.
 If entitled to a grant this will be paid and some
maintenance will be provided. Sliding scale
depending on family income. Adjacent/nonadjacent
rates.
 Private colleges e.g. ICHAS, Griffith College Limerick
fees vary but can be as little as €2500. Entitled to
claim tax back on these fees if earning. Points may be
lower as less applicants
 So depending on your situation there MAY be very
little difference
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The National Framework of Qualifications
(NFQ)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
CAO – General Info.
Level 6 & 7 Courses
Level 8 Courses
Ordinary Degrees (7)
Higher Certificates (6)
Honours Degrees (8)
Up to 10 Course Choices
Up to 10 Course Choices
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Types of course & entry requirements
NFQ
Leve
l
Qualifi Course Entry requirements
cation
Durati
obtaine on
d
5
FETAC
Cert
1 year
5 passes LCE, LCA with
PLC
distinctions, interview, some College
subject entry requirements.
Direct to
PLC
College
6
Higher
Cert
2 years
5 OD3 LCE, FETAC Cert,
college/course subject entry
requirements, CAO points
Institute of
Technology
CAO
7
Ordinar 3 years
y Degree
5 OD3 LCE, FETAC Cert,
Higher Cert, college/course
subject entry requirements,
CAO points
Institute of
Technology
CAO
8
Honours 3 or 4
Degree
years
2 HC3 & 4OD3 OR FETAC
Cert, Ordinary Degree
college/courses subject
entry requirements, CAO
Institute of
Technology
or
University
CAO
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
College
Type
Apply
to
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The Handbook
 Read this Handbook
Carefully
 It is your contract with
the CAO
 All your questions about
application and offers
are answered there
 Read it!
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The Handbook



Two sections
White pages - Details of applications procedures,
offers, deadlines and other instructions
Yellow pages – Lists of courses and codes in the
different colleges
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
It is the applicants responsibility
to:
 Research thoroughly all the courses
for which you are making an
application.
 Be au fait with all aspects of the
application system used (CAO) for
these courses, i.e., procedures,
dates, fees, rules, etc.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The Online Form
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Application Number
 You are now given an Application Number
 Keep this carefully (sent instantly by email and text)
 You will need it to log in to your account
 You can change your mind online free of charge until
January 31st
 After that changes can be made from 5th May to 1st
July
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Choosing Your Courses
 You can choose up to 10 courses on the Honours






Degree (level 8) list and
You can choose up to 10 courses on the Higher
Certificate/Ordinary Degree (levels 6 &7) list
You don’t have to fill out all 10
You don’t have to fill out both lists
Each list is independent of the other
You can be offered choices from both lists
But you can only choose one
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Special Access Routes: HEAR and DARE
• HEAR : Higher Education Access Route
– Students from socio-economic disadvantaged background
– Income, medical card, social welfare, under-represented
group, DEIS school, disadvantaged area
• DARE: Disability Access Route to Education
– Students with disabilities/learning difficulties
– E.g. Dyslexia, significant ongoing illness, physical disability,
mental illness
• Enter course on reduced points, must meet
minimum entry requirements
• Apply via your CAO Application
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
HEAR
 Higher Education Access
Route is a third level
admission scheme for school
leavers from socioeconomically deprived
background
 Each college has a quota of
places on a reduced points
basis for HEAR students
 Information from www.cao.ie
and www.accesscollege.ie
 You must have an active email
address to apply and you will
have to send on documentary
proof of entitlement.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
DARE
 Disability Access Route to
Education is a supplementary
admission scheme for school
leavers with disabilities and
can mean reduced points
 For those with academic
ability but who may not be
able to meet points due to
impact of disability
 You will require proof of
disability including
consultant’s report and school
reference
 Information on www.cao.ie
and www.accesscollege.ie
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Important Information
 If an applicant has lived outside the EU then you
may be required to apply directly to some colleges
(see page 7 of Handbook)
 If a student has exemption from Irish and/or third
language they must complete an NUI Exemption
Form to ensure you meet the entry requirements of
UCD, UCC, NUI Maynooth and Galway and other
NUI Colleges.
 For other colleges please consult with me
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Restricted Applications
 Some courses consider more than just points
 Interviews, tests, auditions, portfolios or projects
 These are conducted around Easter
 These courses can’t be added to your application
after February 1st
 They can be changed or dropped
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Confirmation
 In May you will be sent a confirmation of course
choices
 Check all details carefully
 If there are no errors you do not need to do anything
 Notify CAO of any errors by marking them on the
form and sending it back
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
New CAO App (all smart phones)
• “mapping your future”presentation
• Important dates inc calendar reminders
• How to apply
• Application checklist
• Points calculator
• Points
• College names/contact details
• Fees
• How to communicate with CAO
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Making Your Choice
 Use your genuine order of preference
 The first choice is the one you want to do most
 If not that course your second choice is…
 Then your third choice and so on
 Ignore the points go for what you want most!
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
How to Choose…just Imagine…
 You’ll get 600 points what would you choose first,
then second…
 It is the “good old days” and two honours will get you
into any course, what would you choose first, then
second …
 Aim high –but keep at least
“one sure thing” in your choices
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The Important Things Are
 Know what the course involves before you apply
 Apply in your genuine order of preference
 Ignore points (within reason…DARE/HEAR may
make up points)
 Only apply for courses you genuinely want to do
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Useful Resources
Publications
 College Prospectuses – 2014 Entry
 CAO Handbook 2014 Entry
 Newspapers
Internet





Qualifax – www.qualifax.ie Irish courses database
CAO – www.cao.ie Contains links to course websites
UCAS – www.ucas.com U.K. courses
Careers websites – www.careersportal.ie
Guidance Counsellor Blog
College Open Days
 dates available under Career Events on
www.qualifax.ie
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
How it all works…..
These are the applicants for CK101 Arts in UCC.
The examination results have not yet been released, so these
applicants are in no particular order.
We are going to trace the progress of the applicant marked in red.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
When the results are released entry requirements are checked first. Applicants are placed in a
queue for each course they applied for, their position in the queue is determined by their
points. The applicant with the highest points is placed at the top of the queue. The points
achieved by the applicant in red determines his position in the queue for each course he
applied to.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The applicants marked in green have enough points to be
offered places.
The applicant marked in red has enough points for his second
preference.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The applicant in red is offered his second preference, the
highest preference course that he has enough points for, and he
will now disappear from the queue in all his lower choices.
Placing DN201 as his second preference meant that he would
prefer to receive an offer on DN201 than on any other course
except CK101 - which is his first preference.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Having been offered his second preference he must now decide to accept
it or to do nothing. If he does not accept the offer the place will be
offered to another applicant in the next round of offers.
Regardless of whether he accepts or not he will still be considered for an
offer on his first preference if a place becomes available. In the second
round, one more offer was made on CK101 and our applicant is now at
the top of the queue.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
In the third round of offers two more offers are made on
CK101 and our applicant, who was at the top of the queue,
now receives an offer.
He may do nothing and remain in DN201 or he may accept
the offer and begin in CK101.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
So – what is the best way to fill in the courses?
1
2
Dream Courses
3
4
5
6
Realistic Courses
7
8
9
10
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Banker Courses
A Students Course Preferences - Example
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
AL020
600
595
590
580
**
**
**
**
**
495
480
470
465
460
460
460
455
455
450
450
450
450
445
435
**
**
**
**
280
275
275
270
GY004
560
535
525
520
**
**
**
**
**
485
480
475
465
460
455
445
440
435
420
410
405
405
405
400
**
**
**
**
325
315
310
305
CR105
595
595
590
580
**
**
**
**
**
475
475
470
465
460
460
460
455
455
450
445
440
435
430
430
**
**
**
**
280
275
275
270
LM067
560
535
525
520
**
**
**
**
**
485
480
460
455
445
440
440
440
435
420
410
405
400
395
395
**
**
**
**
335
335
315
310
DT025
600
595
590
580
**
**
**
**
**
475
475
465
465
460
460
460
455
455
450
450
445
435
430
430
**
**
**
**
280
275
275
270
LC019
570
535
525
520
**
**
**
**
**
485
480
470
465
460
455
445
440
435
420
410
405
405
405
400
**
**
**
**
325
315
310
305
TR032
600
595
590
580
**
**
**
**
**
475
475
470
465
460
460
460
455
455
450
445
440
435
430
430
**
**
**
**
280
275
275
270
DN003
540
535
525
520
**
**
**
**
**
485
480
480
465
460
455
445
440
435
430
410
410
405
405
405
**
**
**
**
335
335
315
310
CK602
600
595
590
580
**
**
**
**
**
475
475
470
465
460
460
460
455
455
450
445
440
435
430
430
**
**
**
**
280
275
275
270
DC193
555
535
525
520
**
**
**
**
**
485
480
470
465
460
455
445
440
435
420
410
405
405
405
400
**
**
**
**
325
315
310
305
NO
NO
YES
Fiona Daly (Guidance
Counsellor)
All Lower
Preference
Courses
Disappear From
Students CAO
application
Students
Points
Total
= 445
Cut Off
Points for
Course
Places Allocation
Note:
 The position of a course in a student’s preference
order does not in any way affect their chance of
getting a place on that course.
 The exact same procedure takes place for both lists on
the form, hence students may get get 2 offers in
August – one from L6/7 list and one from L8 list may accept only one.
 Students should think carefully about not accepting
one of these offers, as they may not receive any
further offers.
 Regardless of whether or not they accept a course in
round 1, they will still be offered a higher preference
course in subsequent rounds if they become entitled
one.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Deciding
 Research the course on offer
 Don’t assume you know a course by its title
 Consider the lecture and teaching methods
 Consider the size of the college
 Consider the other facilities
 What options are within the course
 Is there work experience or internship?
 Is there mentoring of first years?
 Career implications
 Cost –fees, private colleges, accommodation
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Hints and Tips
 Do not include any course you have not
researched thoroughly. It is a common mistake
and may cause upset in August when offers are
issued.
 CAO does not get ‘SENT’ rather it closes and
opens with final changes no later than 1st JULY
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Six ways to help choose the course
 Assess yourself and your interests i.e.
Careers portal Interest Quiz and results
 Research
 What careers appeal to you?
i.e. people, technical, practical,
office, science, enterprise.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Six ways to help choose the course
 Realistically evaluate options, i.e. to be a
doctor you need to like science,
apprenticeships –practical, action.
 Select on basis of research and selfevaluation.
 What do you hope to gain from going to
college, are you going for the right reasons
and making informed choices?
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Assess yourself, who you are…..
• Likes/dislikes/What I’m good at
– School Subjects
– Interest profiler
– My skills: people, task, personal
– Experiences e.g. sport, transition year, hobbies, achievements
• Ask the opinion of those who know you well
– E.g. Parents/Guardians, Brothers/Sisters/Relations/Friends,
– Teachers, Guidance Counsellor
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Which course(s) ?
• Content: what will I be studying?
• Broad (eg business) or narrow (eg accounting)
• Continuous assessment (takes pressure off final
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
exams)
Length of course: 1 ,2, 3 or 4 years
Class size: big or small
College and Subject entry requirements
Student experiences….facebook, twitter etc
Course reputation
Work placement/experience/study abroad
Make a note of the advantages/disadvantages of each
course. Students can use ‘Evaluate Courses’ section of
their careers portal accounts
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Which college?
• Facilities eg library
• Accommodation on/off campus?
• Transport to/from college/home
• Sports, clubs, societies
• Disability supports
• Local or away from home
• Scholarships
• Social life
• City or large town?
• Costs?
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Vacant Places
 If after all offers have been made, and
Vacant places exist, they will be advertised
on the CAO website, persons who have not
applied already may make a vacant place
application on payment of a fee .
 www.cao.ie Vacant places advertised
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The CAO Essence
Go for what you really
want
Work really hard to get it
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The long route …anyone?
 Pharmacy 2yrs in Athlone …on to Pharmacy in UK
 Speech and Language/Occupational Therapy
Social Science in UCC  P/G in Ireland in OT etc
 Physiotherapy Carlow 2 yrs UK/NI
 PE Tralee/UL
 Long routes are not guaranteed. Research!
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Other things to consider…
 Vacant places advertised on CAO website. Must
still meet minimum entry requirements
 New courses often advertised over summer, see
alerts lists section on CAO website
 Professional bodies e.g. Teaching council,
Chartered accountants etc
 Postgraduate Study as an alternative route
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Scholarships
 Apply to CAO in normal way and make a
separate, direct application to the
college(s) of choice for a scholarship.
 Deadlines for application vary
 Types of Scholarships vary… excellence in
sport, drama etc
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Scholarships
• Can be based on
– Academic performance e.g. entrance awards
– Academic performance (but has had social or economic
disadvantages) plus economic/social assessment and interview
e.g. Ciaran Patak (Pharmacy RCSI), Irish Tax Institute
– Sports performance (e.g. county/national/international)
• How to apply …..direct to awarding body/college
• When to apply
– Some before LC, some after you start college
• Refer to College websites
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
End of Part 1
Any questions so far?
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
What if things don’t work out
 Apply as a mature student at age 23
 You can apply to The Open University and still
work
 Take evening qualifications
 Take a PLC course
 Apply again next year if not successful this time
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Non CAO Opportunities
 Apply
directly to the Following:
 Gardai, Defense Forces, Montessori Training,
Music Drama & Performing Arts, Hairdressing &
Beauty, Failte Ireland, Childcare Colleges, Royal
Irish Academy, Law Society of Ireland, Irish
Management Institute, Art Craft & Design,
Accounting Business Law & Journalism,
Alternative Medicine, Independent Colleges and
FAS.
 NCEF interesting development this year
 PLC Courses
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
PLC/FETAC courses
• 1 year courses
• Done after Leaving Cert
• Can be used :
– To train for a job e.g. hairdressing
– As a stepping stone for a cao course e.g. art portfolio course for cao art
course
• Academic requirements: usually 5 passes in Leaving Cert,
•
•
•
•
some specific subject requirements
Apply direct to the FE college, can apply to many
Apply by end Jan
Attend open days 4th Febuary LCFE, CCL
Examples include: Limerick College of Further Education,
Central College Limerick, Coláiste Chiaráin Croom, Nenagh
College, Newport College.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Most students apply to:
 Limerick College of Further Education www.lcfe.ie
 Central College Limerick




www.centralcollegelimerick.com
Newport College www.tippnorthvec.ie
Nenagh College
Templemore College of Further Education
www.tcfe.ie
Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom www.cco.ie
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
HOW Does progression work?
 Universities and Institutes of Technology both offer





places on the scheme but in slightly different ways.
Maximum 400 points when ‘converted’
Universities only offer places from a reserved quota
for FETAC award holders.
Institutes of Technology generally accept applications
based on any PLC award in open competition with
Leaving Certificate candidates; however they may also
offer places through reserve quotas for FETAC applicants
only, for example to some Nursing Degree programmes.
There are 38 institutions offering progression links to
3rd level via level 5 and some level 6 awards.
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
The National Framework of Qualifications
(NFQ)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
How to see which courses have direct links
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Accommodation
• On campus is recommended for first years
• There are a range of other types eg House-sharing,
part-board, on campus etc
•
•
•
•

Some can be pre-booked, with a part-refundable deposit
Some start booking in December
Others cannot be booked until after you are offered a place in
college
UCD you can make a provisional booking before the LC
RESEARCH
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Accommodation things to watch out for…..
• Cost?
• Are bills included in the rent?
• Closeness to college?
• Public transport nearby?
• Location in safe area?
• General standard, facilities, utilities etc
• Broadband
• Get advice from friends, relations etc
• Contact college accommodation office for all
types….they are generally v helpful and informative
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Student Maintenance Grants
• Means tested and different levels of grant
• Tick the box on CAO Form helps with admin later
• www.susi.ie
• SUSI…Student Universal Support Ireland
– City of Dublin VEC administer SUSI for the whole country for
new applications
– Lot of documentation, evidence of income etc to be
gathered….start now!
– Late applications may be = getting grant late!
– Application starts May 2014 (tbc)
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Some general advice……
 The quality of your degree (e.g. 1st class honours) is
more important than the name of the college
 If you are not sure about which career broad-based
degrees are better than more specialised ones e.g.
do business now and specialise in accounting later,
do computers now , game design later.
 Many students are choosing broad degrees first
and following it with a specialised post graduate
course
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Timetable
 Jan 20th Closing date for online cheaper






applications
Feb 1st Closing date for applications
May 1st Closing date for late applications
July 1st Closing date for change of mind
Round One Offers –one week after Leaving Cert
results
Round Two Offers –early September
After Round Two –as necessary
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Common Problems! HELP!
 I don’t know what I want to do!
 I recommend everyone who is eligible applies to CAO.
 Use process of elimination for CAO. We begin this in class
 Consider all other options
 Create a back up plan
 Consider what is important to you e.g. Keep as many options open as
possible versus job specific course
 How do I know if it’s a good course?
 NFQ
 Some courses not accredited on NFQ e.g. beauty courses accredited
by international bodies e.g. CIDESCO etc
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Career Happiness
Interest
Personality
Aptitude/
Ability
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
What I want for each student
 Develop Research skills as career
planning is now a lifelong process
 Back up plan
 Organised and well planned
process
 Apply to both PLC and CAO to give
yourself every choice come August 2014
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Finally
• Get lots of information
• Read the instructions
• Be on time
CAO
• Courses in YOUR order of preference
• Include one “dead cert”
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
All documents are on…..
 www.stanneskillaloe.scoilnet.ie/blog
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)
Any Questions?
Fiona Daly (Guidance Counsellor)