Applying To Third Level

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Classroom Guidance

About Applying

• It Is YOUR Choice• It Is YOUR Responsibility • It Is YOUR Decision

NOT The Guidance CounsellorNOT Your ParentsNOT Your Friends

• Not Your Guidance Counsellor• Not Your Parents • Not Your Friends

Third Level Is A Challenge

Independent Study – Nobody Pushing , Checking Or Watching

Freedom – Go To Lectures, Study Or Drink Coffee

Third Level Is A Challenge

• Accommodation – Work And Study Away From Home Without Any Of The Normal Supports

• Learning Challenges - Study In Dept At A Much Higher Level Then In Secondary School

• Are You Ready For This?

Deciding

• Research The Course On Offer • Don’t Assume You Know A Course By It’s Title• Consider The Lecture And Teaching Methods• What Options Are Within The Course

Deciding

• Is There Work Experience Or Internship?• Is There Mentoring Of First Years?• Career Implications• Cost – Fees, Private Colleges, Accommodation

Get The Information

• Get The College Prospectuses• Check The Colleges’ Website• 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

• All Qualification Link Up In A 10 Scale• You Never Reach A “Dead End” In Study But Can Move On To The Next Level• Leaving Cert And Post Leaving Cert Are At Level 5• Higher Certificates Level 6, Ordinary Degrees Level 7, Honours Degrees Level 8

How To Get There

• Apply For Almost All Third Level Courses Through The CAO (Central Applications Office)

• Two Ways Of Applying :

1. Online At www.cao.ie2. By Post Using The CAO Form

Advantages Of Applying Online

• Cheaper, Almost Half Price

• It Won’t Allow Errors

• You Can Pay Online By Card • Get Text, Email And Print Choices

R.T.F.M.

Read The Flipping ManualRead It CarefullyAll Your Questions Are Answered

Read it!!!

Handbook Has Two Sections

1st Section - White Pages

Details Of Applications Procedures, Offers, Deadlines And Other Instructions

2nd Section – Yellow Pages

Lists Of Courses and Codes in the Different Colleges

Choosing Your Courses

• You Can Choose Up To 10 Honours Degree Level 8 Courses

• You Can Choose Up To 10 Higher Certificate/Ordinary Degree Levels 6 & 7 Courses

Choosing Your Courses

• 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 When/If Offered

Making Your Choice

• Use Your Genuine Order Of Preference• The First Choice Is The One You Want To Do Most•Ignore The Points Go For What You Want Most!

You’ll Get 600 Points What Would You Choose First, Then Second…

Aim High – But Keep At Least “One Sure Thing” In Your Choices

How To Choose…Just Imagine…

What You Need For Third Level

C 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 Engineering

Points • Best Six Subjects In One Sitting Of The Leaving Certificate

Fp

How The CAO Works

You Send Your Application With Up To 10 CoursesIn Each Of The Two Sections Of Your CAO Application

After Your Examination Results Are Published The CAOComputer Begins To Process Your Application

Round One

Course 1

Course 2

Course 3

Course 4

C F

C F

C F P OFFER

Course 5 C PCourse 6 CCourse 7 F PCourse 8 C F PCourse 9 C PCourse 10 C F P

No Longer Considered

Applicants

Available Places

Leaving Certificate

550500480400320

550 400 480 320 190 500 290

TOO MANY

Leaving Certificate

550500480400320

550 400 480 320 190 500 290

was the lowest points to gain entry

320

If a place is not accepted ...

550500400320

550 400 480 320 190 500 290

was the lowest points to gain entry320

If a place is not accepted it goes to the next in line

290

290 is now the lowest points to gain entry

COURSE 1

COURSE 2

COURSE 3

COURSE 4

COURSE 5

COURSE 6

COURSE 7

COURSE 8

COURSE 9

COURSE 10

OFFER 1

NO LONGER CONSIDERED

Some People Don’t Accept Offers

OFFER 2

COURSE 1

COURSE 2

COURSE 3

COURSE 4

COURSE 5

COURSE 6

COURSE 7

COURSE 8

COURSE 9

COURSE 10

OFFER 1

NO LONGER CONSIDERED

NO LONGER CONSIDERED

The Important Things Are

• Know What The Course Involves Before You Apply

• Apply In Your Genuine Order Of Preference

• Ignore Points

• Only Apply For Courses You Genuinely Want To Do

2014 on-line Application Personal Details

Basic details

Select your category

Selecting your category

Payment and creating an account

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

Good idea to do the demo application

Restricted Applications

• Some Courses Consider More Then 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

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

Change Of Mind

• You Will Also Be Sent A Change Of Mind Form In May

• You Can Change Your Mind Online Even If You Have Applied On Paper

• The Final Date For Changing Your Mind Is July 1st

Offers And Acceptance

• 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!

Vacant Places

• In August Courses With Places Still Available Or New Courses Are Advertised On The Website www.cao.ie

• You Can Apply For These Provided You Have The Minimum Requirements For Them

• You Don’t Have To Have Made An Application To CAO To Avail Of These

• They Can Be Worth Checking Out

Deferring A Place

• Deferring Means That You Don’t Want To Take Your Place This Year But Will Do So Next Year

• 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 You Know If The Offer Will Be Deferred

The Following Year

•Reapply The Following Year With That Course As Your Only Choice

•You Will Then Get Offered It In Round Zero

•If You Put Any Courses On The Form You Will Lose Your Deferred Place

•You Then Compete For Places With All Other Applicants

Important Information

• If an applicant has lived outside the EU see page 7 of Handbook • If exemption from Irish and/or third language they must

complete an NUI Exemption Form to ensure you meet the entry requirements NUI Colleges.

• Nov 5th CAO on-line application opens• 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

Important Dates

An admissions route for school leavers who for social, financial or cultural reasons are under-represented at third level education.

If you quaify for HEAR you can get into a course on reduced points See www.cao.ie, www.hear.ie and a presentation on www.classroomguidance.ie

An admissions scheme which offers college places on reduced points to school leavers with disabilities.

Because disability can effect educational attainment at school and progression to higher education.

http://accesscollege.ie/dare/index.php

Finally

Get lots of informationRead the instructionsBe on timeCourses in YOUR order of preferenceInclude one “dead cert”

The CAO Essence

Go for what you really want

Work really hard to get it