CAO Applications - Deadlines & top tips!
What you need to know about the CAO
It's that time of year again when 6th year students are deciding upon their college options. The CAO officially opened for online applications on November 5th 2015.Start filling out your CAO as soon as you think you're ready, don't rush into it but don't leave it until the last minute. It's easier (cheaper) and quicker to fill out your application online on the CAO website. It would be wise to register early and get the discounted online rate of €25 before January 20th @ 5.15pm. Once you've registered you can go back later and add or change courses until the first closing deadline; February 1st. After this date any changes made incur a fee.
Dates for your diary
January 20th at 5:15pm- Closing date for early bird price €25 CAO application (it is €40 after this date).- Closing date for early bird HPAT-Ireland price €120 (it is €190 after this date).February 1st at 5:15pm- Closing date for €40 CAO application.- Late registrations for HPAT-Ireland are accepted costing €190. The HPAT-Ireland test will talk place nationwide on February 27th 2016.
Restricted Courses - make sure you apply in round one
For anyone who's interested in restricted courses i.e. courses that require a portfolio, interview or aptitude test you need to make sure that your choice is listed before February 1st – it may be too late after that date for restricted courses.Don't panic, once you've register you have until March 1st @ 5.15pm to submit your final round 1 application. Late applications are accepted up to and including May 1st – but try not to leave it this late if you can – extra fees apply. You should expect to receive a paper copy of your statement of applications during the last week in May.After the Leaving Cert you have until July 1st to change your CAO if you're really unsure of a course. Always consult your career guidance counsellor before making changes like this at such a late stage. CAO round offers will be made available at 6:00 am on the 22nd of August 2016.
Deciding what to apply for:
* Look at lots of college brochures and get an idea of what courses interest you. If your school doesn't have prospectuses ask them to order some or phone the college yourself and ask to be sent one.* Make sure to check the basic entry requirements for the courses you're interested in. This info will be in the prospectus. For example, many Irish universities require that you have minimum grades in Irish and English as well as the necessary points.* Consider what you want to study AND where you'll be happy living. If you want a taste of city life then check out Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Limerick, Cork, Derry and UK universities. If you're more comfortable living somewhere smaller look at what's on offer in places like the University of Ulster at Coleraine or Sligo I.T.* Once you have an idea of what you're interested in, call the colleges and ask if there's someone you can talk to about the courses on offer.* If possible, visit the universities or colleges you plan to apply for. Most universities have open days, which give you an opportunity to visit the college. There is usually a tour of the facilities and information about everything the university has to offer.* You can usually download the university or college prospectus from their website.
Useful websites:
QualifaxCareers Portalwww.cao.ie
Top Tips!
* When filling in your CAO make sure to put the course you really want to do as first choice. NOT what you think you'll have the results to study!* Fill out the CAO form in plenty of time. Don't forget there is a ‘change of mind' form that you can use if you decide you want to apply for different courses.* Practice filling in the CAO. Make a photocopy of each one and get a teacher or family member to check that everything is filled in properly before you post them off. Or apply online and get someone to look over the application before you finalise it.* The more research you do, the more confident you'll feel when you finally get to that chosen college!* Finally, this is important so swallow your pride or shyness and ask the career guidance teacher to help you. Spend time researching the best options and deciding what you really want to do!
Christmas Greetings!
On behalf of all of us here in the Irish Second-Level Student's Union, we would like to say Thank You for all of your work for students and young people in 2015. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We look forward to working with you in 2016!The Irish Second-Level Students' Union office will be closed from 5:00pm on Wednesday 23rd of December until Monday 4th of January 2016. Please email info@issu.ie with any enquiries. Enjoy the holidays!
17th November International Students Day
The ISSU fully supports and encourages International Students Day through our European body the Organising Bureau of European School Students' Union (OBESSU). We feel that all second-level Irish students should see and understand the benefits of what International Students Day brings. For instance, it fights for;- the freedom to live in dignity- freedom of movement- freedom to studyWe may not all understand the importance of the freedom of movement, however, we need to support our neighbors students in countries far and near who don't have this simple but necessary right.The freedom to study is one we can all relate to. In Ireland we have a constitutional right to learn. Join us and millions of other European and International Students from across the globe to celebrate student rights and International Students Day on Tuesday the 17th of November. You can post photos to social media and use the hashtags #free2learn and #free2move to connect with students worldwide!For more information see The International Day of Students website!Gearóid Dardis, International Officer of the Irish Second-Level Students' Union
Regional Councils 2015
Registration is now closed!!
For information email info@issu.ie
Survey: Leaving the Leaving Cert / Ag fágaint na hÁrdteiste
We're gathering students thoughts on completing the Leaving Certificate exams and we want to hear students honest opinions of their recent exam experiences.Please complete our ISSU Leaving the Leaving Cert survey and help shape ISSU policy! Táimid ag bailiú smaointe faoin Árdteist ó na daltaí a ndearna é i mbliana (2015).Le do thoill, comhlánaigh ár suirbhé Ag fágaint na hÁrdteiste agus cabhráigh linn polasaí AMLDE a chruthú!
Lead up to the Leaving Certificate Results (Part 2)
Student Engagement & Development Officer - Rebecca Dempsey
In the months leading up to the Leaving Cert, students turn to past students for advice. The CAO has been a topic of conversation within the ISSU office as a few officers have recently sat their exams. It’s a strange thing to look back on, as 6 years later I now have a better understanding of the system. It wasn’t until 6th year that it really hit me that I would have to make decisions for my future. College was the next step in life and I knew that that’s what I wanted but choosing a course, “the course”, was extremely difficult.Looking back, I honestly had no idea what I wanted to study. I had researched and shadowed a few people in their workplaces to gain some ideas but I really didn’t know. I enjoyed Physics and Geography in school but I really liked Maths, English and Business Studies. I found Irish and French difficult, but I knew that if I ever wanted to study Primary School Teaching I would need to do well in Irish. I made the decision to drop to Ordinary Level Maths and to keep Honour Level Irish. I couldn’t handle both at Honours Level and it was a good decision for me but if I could go back, I wouldn’t have made the same decision. I know now that I would have enjoyed learning Irish if I had reduced the stress that I had created around it. In hindsight I should have gone with my gut, instead of trying to keep up with my friends or to please others.I switched between so many courses, that in the end my CAO Application was a cocktail of different courses. It illustrated my interests, or what I thought my interests were and I pretended to be happy with that. I mentally compared my options to my friends when I should have taken the time to consider a course that I would actually enjoy. So after the change of mind period my CAO looked like this;On the first round of offers in August, I was offered Science in DCU and Pharmacy Technician in AIT. I accepted DCU and that was where I was going. There was a big problem with this decision though and that was that I had no interest in studying science. I had it on my CAO because it was all I had a read about in the months leading up to the Leaving Cert. Science was spoke about as the best area to work in and that is where the jobs would be, or so people were saying at that time.I was unhappy with my decision but I thought that I didn’t have any other options. That was until my Mum sat me down and told me to read a column in The Irish Times which was written about CAO Vacant Places. I can remember her clearly saying, “Read this, and then read it again”. I had never heard of Vacant Places or how it worked and I was happily surprised to read about course vacancies and see that new courses were available. I spotted Mathematical Sciences in Dublin Institute of Technology and I knew that that was what I wanted to study. I always enjoyed maths and I was interested and keen to learn maths in a different environment. I decided on that course, updated my online CAO application and a week later I was offered a place. I now have a Bachelor of Science Honours in Mathematical Sciences and I know from my college experience that I want to teach second-level students in the future.My experience in college was extremely tough and at times I felt that my course was too difficult but I never gave up. I was lucky to have the option of undertaking work placement during my degree and I was fortunate to find my place and interest in student politics also. I've taken a lot more than just my degree out of DIT. A degree may be a piece of paper but it is an invaluable piece of paper that no one can change or take away from you. It is a fantastic feeling to graduate and to feel proud of your own achievements. I think everyone deserves the right to feel that way and there is an abundance of help available in college also, all you have to do is ask for it.If I could give my 17 year old self some advice, I would say to read as much information as possible when it comes to the CAO and to consider the Vacant Places option. Taking a year to work or repeating the leaving cert is an option too. I would tell myself to go with my gut instincts and believe in myself more. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at that age and I’m happy that I didn’t. I had to take a chance and I’m glad that I did. The CAO offers may seem daunting but there are routes and different options available. It can work out; take it from someone who has been through the process. The very best of luck to you all!Please note: Blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union.More information can be seen on the CAO website https://www.cao.ie/The ISSU advises students and parents to use the National Parents’ Council post-primary (NPCpp) free phone exam helpline (1800 265 165) to seek independent advice from qualified guidance counsellors. This will be available from 10 am 12th of August, more details will be shared next week.