Over 72,750 CAO applications were made as of 1 February this year and while many students have their CAO choices in order and ready to go, others will still be thinking about what courses to put down as the 1 July change-of-mind deadline approaches.

For some, deciding what courses to put down on the CAO can be as stressful as the Leaving Cert itself.

Beatrice Dooley, president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, spoke to Irish Country Living about what advice she would give to students and parents who are facing the change-of-mind dilemma.

“Once the exams are over, the students will have the head space to reflect on how the exams went,” says Beatrice. “It is a good idea to take a few days after the exams to relax and take stock of the event before making any changes to your CAO form. At this stage, students should be able to make a ‘guesstimate’ of their points,” she said.

When you do start to think about your CAO, the concept of preference over points is paramount. While it may seem obvious, ensuring you are listing your choices in actual order of preference rather than points can avoid you getting a course you don’t want if you surprise yourself with higher-than-expected points.

“Sometimes, very bright students change their course preferences because they don’t think they will get the points. If the exam questions didn’t suit them perfectly, they get anxious. Reassure them it does not all have to go perfectly. What a tragedy it would be if they removed their dream course and subsequently got the required points for it,” she said.

When choosing your courses, thinking more specifically about the course itself rather than just focusing on the college is recommended. Qualifax is a great online tool for comparing such courses.

To prepare for the worst-case scenario of not getting the points you need, ensure you have an alternate route into your ideal career. Beatrice advises subtracting between 50 to 100 points from your average score and apply for level 5/6/7 courses as well.

“Most students will likely perform better in the Leaving Certificate examination than they did in their mocks. Factors like marks accrued at the oral, aural, practical exams and the act of practising and familiarising themselves with exam papers under time pressure will significantly improve their grade,” said Beatrice.

For parents, she recommends ensuring your child puts down as many courses as possible. CAO applicants can apply for 10 courses at level 8 and 10 at level 7/6. Filling each one will reduce the chances of being offered nothing when the offers come out in August.

Of course, there are always different ways into different course. Never rule out PLC options. She advises people to research these online. Meeting with your career guidance teachers will give you more insight into this, she explained.

Parental dreams

While parents are well-meaning, respecting their child’s decision is vital.

“It is important that [parents] do not project their own hopes and dreams onto their offspring and that they give the future labour force enough latitude to follow their dreams and self-actualise in accordance with their strengths and abilities in the world of work,” she added.

“Ensure that you want your first choice more than your second, your second more than your third and so on right down to your 10th choice. This may sound obvious but the majority of students will only research their top three choices unless pushed to do so,” she said.

Beatrice added that students still have ample time to research all possible routes into their chosen career, including higher education, further education, apprenticeships and traineeships.

The last few months have been busy for Leaving Cert students, so before switching off for the summer, heed the advice before the 1 July change-of-mind deadline