Campus Times Q&A

My son got his 5th choice in Ucd, his first four choices were history based in Trinity , he had 520 points and thought he was well covered as last years points ranged from 485 to 515, when they offer in the second round do they go to your second choice or do they look at all your choices.Also I can’t seem to find what the actual 2012 points were with the joint subjects. seem to find the 2012

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:57:25 +0000

When it comes to the second round they will look at all your son’s course choices above his 5th preference and assess if he has become entitled to a place on any of them because of his points. If he has he will be offered the highest one he is now entitled to in round two regardless of whether he accepted his 5th preference in round one or not.

If you go to the TCD website and go to admissions you will find the cut off points for TR001 there. The points are given in bands. You must look up the bands for the two subjects you are choosing for your course combination and take the highest of first two numbers in the two bands. This is then the points for that combination of subjects.

I got 540 points in the leaving and was hoping to do physiotherapy in UCD. However the points for this course skyrocketed an extra 20 this year leaving no hope for that! However my second choice is also physio in the Royal College of Surgeons which rose to 545 points this year but this course was not offered to all applicants who scored 545 points. I am getting one subject rechecked and all going well, will gain another 5 points. My question is if I do manage to get an extra 5 points in the recheck, is it possible to then get into the Royal College of Surgeons for physiotherapy or are they in any way compelled to offer a place on this course if after the recheck the correct points were obtained? Bearing in mind of course that all applicants that scored 545 originally did not get offered a place.

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:46:26 +0000

When you applied to the CAO you were given a randomly generated number. In the Physio course merit list where everyone that applied for it is listed on the basis of their points (highest at the top), the random number is used to determine the position of applicants on the same points, e.g. 545. So if there were 10 people on 545 they would be listed in order of their random number, so everyone in the list has a definite position in the list.

If you get an increase of 5 points in October you would join this random pool of people on 545. Then what happens is the CAO will backdate your extra 5 points to round one offers day and ask would you have been offered a place on physio with your 545 points and your particular random number. If the answer is yes then you must either be offered a place in October or offered at least a defered place the following September.

I got my third choice, not too keen on the course and was wondering if I accept the current college offer and if I am still elgible to receive second round offers?

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:36:11 +0000

There is no guarantee you will be made a higher preference offer in the next rounds so my advice would be to accept what you have been offered already. This would mean that you at least have something that is guaranteed albeit something you are not overly keen on.

It is very important to realise that whether or not you accept any course you have been offered in round one, you still remain in the running for a higher preference course on both lists in round two. So if you become entitled to a higher preference course in the next round you will be offered it.

My son has received his second level 8 choice in Sports management and first choice in level 7 in leisure management, however he also has a place secured on a PlC course in his sport of choice. Can he defer on his CAO offer until next year siting taking up the PLC course as the reason for deferral? is it preferable to accept the level broader based course? thank you.

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:33:01 +0000

Yes he can defer one of his CAO courses and go and do a PLC course for a year. As part of the deferal procedure he must apply through the CAO system next year putting down the course he defered only on the CAO form. If he puts down any other course on the form he looses his defered place.

I’m not sure what you are asking in the latter part of the question.

My son has missed out on his first choice by a few points and has been offered his second choice. If he accepts the current offer is it still possible that he will be offered his first choice in round two offers? If he does not accept the current offer will he still be elligable be considered for second round offers?

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:25:10 +0000

There is no guarantee your son will be made a higher preference offer in the next rounds so my advice would be to accept what he has been offered already. This would mean that he at least has something that is guaranteed albeit something he is not overly happy with.

So if he becomes entitled to a higher preference course in the next round he will be offered it.

I received an offer for one of my least perferences. I am 5 points away from my first perference. Do I reject my first offer or do nothing in the hope of receiving my first preference in the next round of offers.

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:22:28 +0000

It is very important to realise that whether or not you accept any course you have been offered in round one you still remain in the running for a higher preference course on both lists in round two. So if you become entitled to a higher preference course in the next round you will be offered it.

i got 485 in my lc but was 10 points short my first choice for german and economics in trinity,if i appealed some of my subjects and while they were being remarked,i got offered my first choice in round 3 and accepted it,but when the rechecks came back and i was downgraded,would i loose my place on my fist choice?thanks

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:07:39 +0000

It is possible to go down a grade in rechecks and subsequently go down in points. This is why it is highly reccommended that you view your scripts before you decide which papers you want to get rechecked.

While I personally have never come accross a situation where this has happened and a place been removed from someone, I have heard colleges say that they reserve the right to remove a place from someone who has had their grades and hence points lowered. Technically, I suppose if you have had your points lowered you may be taking a place on a course that someone else is more entitled to and this would be an issue.

In quite a predicament! I was hoping to study Medicine this year, received 580 points in leaving cert and a score of 169 in Hpat, leaving me with an overall score of 725, 12 points short of Galway. I have considered, like many others, taking a year out to focus on repeating Hpat and hopefully improve my score and apply for a place in 2013. However, I fear that I will not be able to improve my Hpat score that substantially and I am now considering repeating the Leaving Cert also to give me the best possible chance. Would it be worth my while to repeat the Leaving Cert also?? I have been informed that it is very difficult to increase leaving Cert points over 580! Very Confused!!!

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:49:31 +0000

This is a very difficult decision to make and is being considered by a number of students around the country. Some are just considering repeating the HPAT only and others both the Leaving and HPAT again.

When you are looking at increasing your score over 580 it is very difficult and at that level there is certainly an element of luck involved on the day of the exams. You will have to sit down and really think if it would be possible for you to perform better than you have done this year and how that might happen. You could discuss this with some of your teachers in school and get their opinions also.

If you really desperately want to do medicine some would say it might be worth giving it one last shot by repeating both the leaving cert and the HPAT and hopefully then pick up your medical place. At the very least if it doesn’t work out you can say you gave it everything. The best of luck with your decision.

I recieved 425 in my leaving cert and was offered my 1st choice Law and Society in DCU but i no longer want my first choice i want my third choice. My third choice is Business is DCU is there any way of changing my course internally as they are both in DCU?

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:28:56 +0000

Some colleges have internal transfer systems in place. These usually take place in October when the CAO system has finished. The general rule of thumb is that you can only hope to transfer to a course that you would have gotten into with your own points in the Leaving Cert. which it sounds like you would have done.

I would suggest that you give Admissions in DCU a ring and seek their advice about the possibility of a transfer. Transfers are usually very limited in number.

My daughter wants to do nursing. She got 375 points in LC. She has a place on a pre-nursing course in Inchicore. If she does the pre nursing course what are the chances of her getting nursing in a Dublin uni next year? Also, will she need to defer her cao offer this year and re-apply to CAO next year?Thank you

Campus Times — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:23:07 +0000

Getting into Nursing through a PLC – FETAC course is quite difficult. The chances of getting a place in a dublin uni are slim enough. Firstly the number of places reserved on nursing courses for FETAC applicants is very small, maybe only 2/3/4 places on each nursing programme. Invariably the number of FETAC applicants is far above the number of course places so a competition has to take place.

Points are awarded for the scores the FETAC student achieves on each of the 8 modules of the FETAC course.Those with the highest points for their FETAC course are then awarded the limited number of places. Even with this mini points system, the problem is that many FETAC applicants have the maximum points for their FETAC award and so random selection is often used among this group to decide who is going to get the places.

I’m not sure what the reference is to repeating her CAO course.