Betty McLaughlin, president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, explains that once students receive their CAO offer, they have seven days to respond. “If, for example, 45,000 out of 50,000 students accept their offer in the first round, then the competition is still going for the remaining 5,000 places,” says Betty. “Round two is comprised of vacancies that weren’t filled; the 5,000 places will be given out to the next most qualified people and they have a week to accept.”
The offer season closes this year on 15 October at 5:15pm. Offers are issued on a weekly basis, finishing with round eight, which will be available to applicants on 10 October. Round eight is triggered by the release of the results of leaving certificate appeals. The CAO says that most places tend to be filled in round one or round two.
Betty says a lot of places become available in the second round because of student deferrals and much of the deferring is due to the financial implications of going to third-level.
“Some parents just don’t have the money and students are taking a year out to save,” says Betty. This is something Betty has really noticed since the introduction of fees in the form of the Student Contribution Charge.
“It’s having a huge effect, even on high achievers. The students who are badly hit are the ones who just miss out on the grant.”
Betty does note that one advantage for students who work for a year is that they often get kept on part-time in that job for the remainder of their time in college.
Other reasons for deferring include students feeling too young or not ready for third-level, or not actually wanting their number one choice. Other students defer because they get their sixth or seventh choice on the CAO form when they would never have expected to go that far down the list.
“It’s often a good idea not to accept in those circumstances,” says Betty, “because otherwise students may be paying a fortune to do a course they’re really not interested in.”
Betty thinks it’s no harm to take a gap year. She notes that there’s an arrangement where students can go to colleges and attend a few lectures, even if they’re not enrolled in that institution.
“Ring the liaison officer and ask for a pass to attend lectures. Most colleges are very open to that. That’s a very good way to spend a gap year. It’s the best way of all to know if this is the course for you,” says Betty.
By mid-October, another batch of people will be incorporated back into the system – the recheck students. The results of appeals will be in and anyone with an upgrade is back in the competition again.
“One in five students who apply for appeal can be upgraded,” says Betty. “They are rarely downgraded.”
Many colleges will honour students’ places when rechecks come through because they make provisions for upgrades in the first place by leaving spaces available. However, in some courses, such as veterinary, colleges can only offer students a place the following year. If this happens, one advantage is that the student won’t incur any fees in their first year when they do start university, meaning they won’t have to pay the Student Contribution Charge.
But how do you go about appealing in the first place? See our three simple steps (right).
Vacant places
If any places remain unfilled in particular courses after all offers have been made and the waiting lists of applicants meeting minimum entry requirements have been exhausted, such vacancies will be advertised. Vacant places will open on Tuesday 19 August at 12pm.
So where exactly are these vacant places? You’re not going to find medicine on this list, that’s for sure, as there are rarely highly sought-after courses on this list.
“Very often there are places in private colleges on the list, as well as arts and humanities,” says Betty McLoughlin. “You’ll also get computing courses there, as well as business and social science.”
Applicants for available places/vacant places must meet the normal minimum entry requirements for the courses in question.
Rechecks in three steps
1. The first thing to do when appealing a subject is to view your exam script and see if it’s worthwhile appealing in the first place. To view their exam scripts, students must return the completed form they received with their exam results to their school by a specified date. Bear in mind that a result may be upgraded or downgraded as a result of an appeal. Students will then be assigned a viewing session.
2. Then students must decide what subjects they want to appeal. The closing date for receipt of appeals by the State Examinations Commission is 3 September 2014. This means the school will
have to post applications on 2 September, meaning students will have to pay the fee and return
the form to their school on 1 September. One person may accompany the student when he/she is looking at the script. The student cannot arrange for someone else to look at their script instead.
3. The script is then sent to an appeal examiner for re-marking. This examiner will be different
from the examiner who originally marked the student’s work. If the student is not happy with the outcome of their appeal, they may request an appeal review by the Independent Appeals Scrutineers.
The appeal fee is €40 per subject for the Leaving Certificate and must be paid in advance. The results of oral exams or the marks for practical exams cannot be viewed. Only the scripts from
the written exams can be viewed.
Did you know?
You can make direct applications to private colleges anytime of the year.People who have not alread applied through the CAO, can also apply for a vacant place.Appeal results can be downgraded as well as upgraded.
Betty McLaughlin, president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, explains that once students receive their CAO offer, they have seven days to respond. “If, for example, 45,000 out of 50,000 students accept their offer in the first round, then the competition is still going for the remaining 5,000 places,” says Betty. “Round two is comprised of vacancies that weren’t filled; the 5,000 places will be given out to the next most qualified people and they have a week to accept.”
The offer season closes this year on 15 October at 5:15pm. Offers are issued on a weekly basis, finishing with round eight, which will be available to applicants on 10 October. Round eight is triggered by the release of the results of leaving certificate appeals. The CAO says that most places tend to be filled in round one or round two.
Betty says a lot of places become available in the second round because of student deferrals and much of the deferring is due to the financial implications of going to third-level.
“Some parents just don’t have the money and students are taking a year out to save,” says Betty. This is something Betty has really noticed since the introduction of fees in the form of the Student Contribution Charge.
“It’s having a huge effect, even on high achievers. The students who are badly hit are the ones who just miss out on the grant.”
Betty does note that one advantage for students who work for a year is that they often get kept on part-time in that job for the remainder of their time in college.
Other reasons for deferring include students feeling too young or not ready for third-level, or not actually wanting their number one choice. Other students defer because they get their sixth or seventh choice on the CAO form when they would never have expected to go that far down the list.
“It’s often a good idea not to accept in those circumstances,” says Betty, “because otherwise students may be paying a fortune to do a course they’re really not interested in.”
Betty thinks it’s no harm to take a gap year. She notes that there’s an arrangement where students can go to colleges and attend a few lectures, even if they’re not enrolled in that institution.
“Ring the liaison officer and ask for a pass to attend lectures. Most colleges are very open to that. That’s a very good way to spend a gap year. It’s the best way of all to know if this is the course for you,” says Betty.
By mid-October, another batch of people will be incorporated back into the system – the recheck students. The results of appeals will be in and anyone with an upgrade is back in the competition again.
“One in five students who apply for appeal can be upgraded,” says Betty. “They are rarely downgraded.”
Many colleges will honour students’ places when rechecks come through because they make provisions for upgrades in the first place by leaving spaces available. However, in some courses, such as veterinary, colleges can only offer students a place the following year. If this happens, one advantage is that the student won’t incur any fees in their first year when they do start university, meaning they won’t have to pay the Student Contribution Charge.
But how do you go about appealing in the first place? See our three simple steps (right).
Vacant places
If any places remain unfilled in particular courses after all offers have been made and the waiting lists of applicants meeting minimum entry requirements have been exhausted, such vacancies will be advertised. Vacant places will open on Tuesday 19 August at 12pm.
So where exactly are these vacant places? You’re not going to find medicine on this list, that’s for sure, as there are rarely highly sought-after courses on this list.
“Very often there are places in private colleges on the list, as well as arts and humanities,” says Betty McLoughlin. “You’ll also get computing courses there, as well as business and social science.”
Applicants for available places/vacant places must meet the normal minimum entry requirements for the courses in question.
Rechecks in three steps
1. The first thing to do when appealing a subject is to view your exam script and see if it’s worthwhile appealing in the first place. To view their exam scripts, students must return the completed form they received with their exam results to their school by a specified date. Bear in mind that a result may be upgraded or downgraded as a result of an appeal. Students will then be assigned a viewing session.
2. Then students must decide what subjects they want to appeal. The closing date for receipt of appeals by the State Examinations Commission is 3 September 2014. This means the school will
have to post applications on 2 September, meaning students will have to pay the fee and return
the form to their school on 1 September. One person may accompany the student when he/she is looking at the script. The student cannot arrange for someone else to look at their script instead.
3. The script is then sent to an appeal examiner for re-marking. This examiner will be different
from the examiner who originally marked the student’s work. If the student is not happy with the outcome of their appeal, they may request an appeal review by the Independent Appeals Scrutineers.
The appeal fee is €40 per subject for the Leaving Certificate and must be paid in advance. The results of oral exams or the marks for practical exams cannot be viewed. Only the scripts from
the written exams can be viewed.
Did you know?
You can make direct applications to private colleges anytime of the year.People who have not alread applied through the CAO, can also apply for a vacant place.Appeal results can be downgraded as well as upgraded. 
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