St Francis College
Rochestown
St Francis College,
Rochestown
Co. Cork.
Tel: 021 4891417
Fax: 021 4361254
Email: rococoll.ias@eircom.net
CAO Information Night
Thursday 12th Nov 2015
Guidance Counsellors:
Ms Catherine Slattery.
Mr. Diarmaid Fahy
Overview of Presentation
Career decisions-What next??
 National Framework of Qualifications
 Requirements for Third Level
 Leaving Cert Points Grid
 CAO Timetable
 The CAO System
 The CAO Application Process

2
Options after School
30/11/09
Ms.Geraldine Mulvey
3
Third Level Is a Challenge





Independent study – nobody pushing, checking
or watching
Freedom – go to lectures, study or drink
coffee
Accommodation – work and study away from
home without any of the normal supports
Learning Challenge – study in depth at a much
higher level than in secondary school
Are you ready for all this?
4
CAREER DECISIONS

It is a process which requires hard work

Be aware of all the options

For many – which course of study rather
than what career
5
What course to choose??

Interests?

Subject preference?

Style of learning?

Aptitude

Research
30/11/09
Ms.Geraldine Mulvey
6
RESEARCH, RESEARCH,
RESEARCH!








Research the course on offer
Don’t assume you know a course by its title
Consider the lecture and teaching methods
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
7
How to get the Information
College prospectuses
 Check the colleges’ websites
 Read career publications
 Go to Open Days and Career Exhibitions
 Talk to students and friends
 Discuss it with your Guidance Counsellor
 Try to know as much as you can

8
National Qualification Framework
All qualifications link up in a 10 level scale
You never reach a “dead end” in study but can
move on to the next level
Leaving Cert is at Level 5
Higher Certificates level 6, Ordinary Degrees
level 7, Honours Degrees level 8
9
UNIs and ITs
Universities provide Level 8 courses.
These are 3 or 4 year courses leading to
an Honours Degree
 ITs provide Level 6 Certificate courses,
Level 7 Ordinary Degree courses as well
as Level 8 Courses.
 ITs provide add-on years to progress
from one level to the next.

10
LADDER SYSTEM
11
3rd Level Course Requirements



The College (or Basic) Requirements.
5 OD in Leaving Certificate for level 6 & 7
courses
6 subjects (2 at HC and 4 at OD) for level 8
courses
The Faculty (or Course) Requirements e.g. HC
in Irish for Primary Teaching, HC in Maths for
level 8 Engineering, 2 science subjects for
Medicine.
Points *Best six subjects in one sitting of the
Leaving Certificate
SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Since 2009 the following courses do not need a
third language (e.g. French, German, Spanish
etc)
 All Science & Engineering courses in UCC, CIT
and all NUI Colleges
 Nursing
However many courses in NUI’s (UCC, UCD,
UCG & Maynooth) still require students to
have a third language as minimum requirement
for entry.
Core Subjects - MATHS
Fewer than 20% of Leaving Certificate students take this
subject at higher level (nationally)
 If you are capable of studying this subject at higher level, there
are tremendous career opportunities
 Higher Level Maths (C3) is a requirement for Level 8
Engineering Degree Courses and Mathematical Science in CIT
and NUI’s
 Since 2012: BONUS points (25 pts for achieving D3 in HL
maths) where students have an honour in higher level maths –
now awarded in all the NUI’s, UL,CIT, DIT, teacher training
colleges plus WIT

Irish Leaving Certificate
Examination Points Calculation
Table 1.8 HEI Common Points Scale
L.C.
Higher
Ord.
Maths
Maths
Grade
Level
Level
H/L
Foundation
**
20
15
10
5
A1
A2
100
90
60
50
Points *
125
115
B1
B2
B3
85
80
75
45
40
35
110
105
100
C1
C2
C3
70
65
60
30
25
20
95
90
85
D1
D2
D3
55
50
45
15
10
5
80
75
70
15
Other Useful researching tools
www.careersportal.ie
 www.qualifax.ie
 www.cao.ie
 www.studentfinance.ie
 www.susi.ie
 www.accesscollege.ie
 www.hpatireland.ie

16
The Application Process
•CAO distributes to schools and individuals
an application pack containing an Application
Form and a Handbook containing
instructions and information about the
application process.
• Every applicant should be familiar with the
contents of the CAO Handbook
17
Accompanying conditions:
 The six best results, in recognised subjects, in
one Leaving Certificate Examination will be
counted for points computation.


One sitting only of the Leaving Certificate
Examination will be counted for points
purposes.
18
Timely Action
In order to be fair to all applicants,
closing dates are strict and therefore
action should be taken in good time.
Do not leave everything to the last
minute.
19
Application Form: Part A

Part A of the Application Form is mostly self
explanatory.

Information which identifies you is of the
utmost importance.

Carefully enter details such as your name,
address, date of birth, schools attended etc.
20
21
30/11/09
Ms.Geraldine Mulvey
22
Your Application Number

If you apply online your application number will appear on
your Receipt of Online Application.
◦ This number is private and it will be used in every
correspondence between you and the CAO for the
rest of the year.
◦ If you apply online you may change your course choices
free of charge until January 31st.
23
24
Details of Qualifications and
Assessments.

Irish Leaving Cert Exams (1985-2016)

Name and Address of school and Years
attended.

No examination number??
30/11/09
Ms.Geraldine Mulvey
25
Adding your courses

There are two course choice lists and
applicants may make up to ten course choices
on each list.

10 choices may be made on the Level 8 list

10 choices may be made on the Level 7/6 list
26
Restricted Courses
Additional requirements needed such as portfolio,
interview, apptitude test (Hpat for Medicine) audition,
music test etc

Must be applied for by the 1st of Feb

Cannot put restricted courses on CAO when filling out
change of mind later.
27
28
Order of Preference
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
 Rule of Thumb; When listing your
courses Ignore the points go for what
you want most! (But include a dead
cert all the same!)


29
Statement of Application Record.
• Check the following carefully, if there is any
error or omission, amend the Statement and
return it to CAO.
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Are all the courses shown and in the correct order?
Are all the codes correct?
Are the exam numbers correct?
Are all exams mentioned?
If you do not receive a Statement by 1st June
contact CAO immediately.
30
Statement of Course Choices

End of May
The Statement of Course Choices lists the courses that you have
applied for.
The Statement is important for many reasons:
1.
2.
3.
Courses – correct order?
Course codes – Correct?
Examination Numbers- correct?
If you have made any mistake or omission in
your course choices then now is the time to
rectify your error.
Pay particular attention to restricted courses.
31
Application Form: Part B

Most applicants will not be required to
complete Part B of the application form.

For example, if you are a first-time Leaving
Certificate candidate under the age of 23,
you will not be required to complete Part
B of the form.
32
Supplementary Application Form
(SIF)

The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR):
A 3rd level admissions scheme for school leavers from socially
economic disadvantaged backgrounds. (see pg. 9 of CAO Handbook)
 Must provide supporting additional info/documentation (income
revenue forms, social welfare benefits ..... by 1st of April 2016

DARE: Disability Access Route to Education

Asperger’s, Autism, ADD. Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Physical Disability ....
Submit evidence of Disability and second level Academic Reference
to CAO by 1st April 2015
33
Change of mind
◦ It is safer to use the Change of Mind Facility
on the website than to use a paper Change of
Mind form.
34
Change of Mind

5th Nov to 1st Feb (17:15) – no fee

5th of Feb (12:00) to 1st March - €10 charge

5th of May (12:00) to 1st July (17:15) – no fee

Late application to CAO not later then 5pm, 22nd July –
extra fee = €50
35
Offers and Acceptances
Made one week after Leaving Cert results
 Made by post and online
 You can get an offer from both lists (levels
6 &7 and Level 8)
 You can only accept one
 Accept online or by post
 No need to pay any money
 Start looking for your accommodation!

36
The Offer Process

There can be no delays at the
offer/acceptance stage.

Any offer not accepted by the closing date
for receipt of acceptance of offers in CAO
will be offered to another applicant in the
next round of offers.
37
Deferring a Place
Some courses can not be deferred, check
beforehand
 Once the offer comes DO NOT ACCEPT
IT
 Write IMMEDIATELY to the college
concerned
 They will let them know if the offer will be
deferred

14/12/2010 Guidance Department. St. Francis College
38
The Following Year
Reapply the following year with that
course as their only choice
 They will then get an offer in Round Zero
 If they put any other courses on the form
they will lose their deferred place
 They then compete for places with all
other applicants

14/12/2010 Guidance Department. St. Francis College
39
How Places are Allocated
We will look just at Level 8 courses, but
exactly the same process will take place
with Level 7/6 courses, and at the same
time.
 The importance of you, the applicant,
placing courses in genuine order of
preference will become apparent in
the following slides.

40
How Places are Allocated
When examination results are released in
August they are entered into the CAO
computer.
 The computer checks each applicant’s
results. For each course the applicant has
applied for, the computer first determines if
the applicant has the minimum entry
requirements for the course.

41
How Places are Allocated

If the applicant meets the minimum entry
requirements for the course, the applicant’s
points are calculated for this course
choice.

All eligible applicants are then placed in a
list, in order of academic merit, for each
course that they applied for.
42
How Places are Allocated

Should some applicants decline to accept their
offers these places become available in the next
round of offers. They will be offered to the next
applicants on the order of merit list.
43
Science – UCD
100 places to be offered
Applicant
Position
Points
Score
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
--15
16
17
18
19
20
21
--98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
--182
560
535
525
520
510
510
505
500
490
--455
445
440
435
420
410
405
--340
335
330
325
315
310
305
295
--265
Course Cut Off Points = 330
Science – Maynooth
100 places to be offered
Applicant
Position
 Last
place to
be filled
14/12/2010
Points
Score
1
560
2
535
3
525
4
520
5
510
6
510
7
505
8
500
9
490
----15
455
16
445
17
440
18
435
19
420
20
410
21
405
----98
345
99
340
 Random
100
335
Selection to
101
335
be used
102
335
103
315
104
310
105
305
----182
265
Course
CutDepartment.
Off Points
335*College
Guidance
St. =
Francis
44
A Students Course Preferences
1
2
3
4
5
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
NO
YES
YES
NO
NO
6
7
8
9
10
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
YES
NO
14/12/2010
YES
YES
YES
All Lower
Preference
Courses
Students
Points
Total
= 445
Cut Off
Points for
Course
Disappear From
Students
Preferences
45
1
2
AL020
600
595
590
580
**
**
**
**
**
495
480
470
465
460
460
460
455
455
450
450
450
450
445
435
**
**
**
**
280
275
275
GY004
560
535
525
520
**
**
**
**
**
485
480
475
465
460
455
445
440
435
420
410
405
405
405
400
**
**
**
**
325
315
310
7 round one places
not accepted
 Last place to
be filled - Round 1
 Last place to
be filled - Round 2
Round 2 cut off points - 455
14/12/2010
ROUND 2
3 round one places
not accepted
 Last place to
be filled – Round 1
 Last place to
be filled - Round 2
Round 2 cut off points - 460
46
Genuine Order of Preference
• You do not need to guess what the points are
going to be for the courses you are interested
in.
• Simply list your courses in genuine order of
preference from the highest preference 1, to
the lowest preference 10.
• If you are entitled to an offer, you will be
offered the highest preference that you are
entitled to.
47
Timetable







Jan 20th Closing date for online cheaper
applications - €25
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
48
Finally

Get lots of information

Read the instructions

Be on time

Courses in YOUR order of preference

Include one “dead cert”
49
Questions?
30/11/09
Ms.Geraldine Mulvey
50