Please see below for this year’s CAO Information Night that will help both students and parents as they embark on the process of applying for 3^rd Level College Courses through the CAO or Alternative Routes such as Apprenticeships and Defence Forces.  This image/video will become live at 7:00pm Thursday 10^th December.

If you have any questions or issues, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. O Donnell or any member of the Career Guidance Department.

Many thanks to all involved tonight, especially Ms. O Sullivan, Mr. Healy and Mr. Howard.

Please note that this video will be available over the coming weeks so that it can be reviewed as needed. Many thanks.

More information is available below on CAO, HEAR and DEAR and Non CAO alternatives. We would encourage all students to make themselves familiar with the wide range of resources and links available.

CAO Virtual Information Night 2020

Please refresh the page if the video does not play. Thank you.

 

Useful Resources

The following resources and links are extremely helpful for students, to assist with their course research and applications.

Publications

• College Prospectuses – 2021 Entry.

Please see below for some prospectuses – more can be obtained through college websites.

Trinity College Dublin Prospectus	University College Dublin Prospectus	University College Cork Prospectus
University of Limerick Prospectus	Mary Immaculate College Prospectus	NUI Galway Courses
NUI Maynooth Prospectus	Royal College of Surgeons Prospectus	Limerick Institute of Technology

• CAO Handbook 2021

Internet

• Qualifax – qualifax.ie Irish courses database
• CAO – cao.ie Contains links to course websites, guide for parents/guardians, student resources, alert lists, video guides.
• Careers Portal – careersportal.ie – CAO course finder
• www.classroomguidance.ie
• College websites (Addresses in CAO Handbook)
• transition.ie

People

• Relatives
• Past pupils
• Admissions/Academic staff of colleges
• School Visits (virtual)
• Open Days / Career Exhibitions (virtual)

Guidance Counsellor

• Classroom contact
• One to one appointment system

CAO Key Dates

New Common Points Scale

• The scale was devised and agreed by the Higher Education Institutions(HEIs)
• Central Applications Office (CAO) applies this scale to fulfil its role as a centralised application processing service.
• Applicants need to continue to focus on meeting matriculation (Points) and any course-specific requirements.
• It is important that students list their course choices in genuine order of preference. Applicants will be offered the course highest up on their list that they are deemed eligible for, if any.
• Practice of comparing previous years’ points can be misleading
• Points fluctuate can be influence by an increase or decrease in the no. of applicants for specific course, or reduction or increase in the no. of places being offered.
• Points awarded for Higher Level ‘E’ grade (or H7 under new grading scale – “reflect level of achievement” – encourage take up of higher level curricula in senior cycle and reduce risk in taking higher level examinations

Quick Guide for CAO 2020

DARE – Disability Access Route to Education

HEAR – Higher Education Access Route

Please see the video below on how to apply to the HEAR access programme 2020:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYLfhH0aOaI&feature=youtu.be

Non CAO Alternatives

• Apprenticeships https://www.solas.ie/
• Defence Forces https://www.military.ie/en/
• Gardaí https://careerservices.ie/an-garda-siochana/preparation-courses
• Direct to Employment
• Post Leaving Certificate Courses
  • QQI links scheme
  • https://www.qqi.ie/Articles/Pages/HIgher-Education-Links-Scheme-(HELS).aspx