Points equal quality - or do they? Many students seem to be under the impression that the cut-off points for a course are directly related to the quality of the course. This is, of course, a fallacy. Cut-off points are determined by supply (the number of available places) and demand (the number and quality of applicants as measured in points).
For many high-points courses, the key determinant is the small number of places on offer. The background document published by the Points Commission on Tuesday includes a table which details the number of places available in degree courses with cut-offs of more than 500 in 1997 and certificate/diploma courses which required more than 400 points in 1997.
For instance, at degree level, finance and maths in DCU (520 points) had 25 first-year acceptances while dentistry in UCC (520 points) recorded 36 acceptances. UL had a quota of five places on its mechanical engineering and German programme (530 points) while TCD had a quota of eight places on human genetics (530 points).
At certificate/diploma level, DIT recorded 15 acceptances of places in medical lab sciences (425 points) while there were 18 acceptances for its optometry course (515 points). In Cork Institute of Technology there were 21 acceptances of places in medical lab sciences (460 points) while Galway Mayo IT recorded 26 acceptances on its medical lab sciences course (435 points).
The small number of places combined with the huge demand for certain courses makes the high cut-off points inevitable.
Conversely, a large number of first-year places can affect cut-off levels. For instance, this year, TCD has advertised vacancies on its BA (Mod) in information and communications technology. This is due to the fact it has 120 first-year places and the course was advertised late. It has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the course.
Too often, parents and students think points should not be "squandered" by opting for a course with a lower cut-off level than the student's points. Now, as vacancies arise and second-round offers are made, it is time for students to have a serious rethink about what the cut-off levels actually mean.
Grant approval
Bewildered grant applicants continue to ring the helpline asking when they will be told if their application was successful. College Places rang a number of local authorities to find out how the processing of grant applications is progressing.
A spokesman for Dublin Corporation's higher education grants section says that between 500 and 600 grant applicants should receive their grant approval notice within the next few days.
If applicants, who applied in time, did not supply all of the required information or documentation, Dublin Corporation notified them during August. Late applicants with incomplete applications will hear later.
Students with grant approval must get a form stamped by the college to prove their attendance. On receipt of the stamped form, Dublin Corporation will send the money out as soon as possible. Students generally receive the first instalment around the middle of October. If you have a query, telephone Dublin Corporation at (01) 679 6111 and ask for the higher education grants section.
In Cork, a spokesman for the county council says that "quite a large number" of applicants have received notification of their grant approval at this stage. "We work through them as quickly as possible," he says. The council has to know what college the student will attend before a grant award is made. Students waiting for round two offers will not have received grant approval notice yet from the council. The sooner they let the Cork office know, the faster their application will be processed.
Although some students who failed to supply the council with all the documentation "will be screaming", says the spokesman, "the onus is on them to provide this information as quickly as possible".
Galway County Council does not accept incomplete application forms. Applications received on time in July have been checked and incomplete forms were returned or a request for further information was issued before August 24th. If the final course acceptance schedule is returned by Friday, applicants will receive notification of grant approval by Friday, September 18th, and the first portion of the grant will be paid by the end of the month.
If the final course acceptance form is received between Monday, September 7th and Monday, September 28th, notification of approval, if applicable, will be sent to a student by October 12th and the appropriate portion of the grant will be forwarded to the relevant college by Wednesday, October 21st. Late applicants and/or applications where further information has been requested - forms submitted on time but not properly completed - will not be dealt with until time allows. Dublin City VEC grant applicants will learn their fate during September and eligible applicants should receive their first instalment towards the end of October. Mr John McGrath, principal officer with Dublin City VEC, says the 7,500 PLC students who apply for grants will mean additional work but extra clerical staff have been brought in and are working "flat out".
Dublin City VEC has put in a direct line to deal with grant queries. Call (01) 660 4751.
There were about 400 new grant applicants to Cork Corporation this year. Students who have accepted round one offers will be informed about grant approval within the next fortnight. Eligible applicants will receive their first instalment in the first week in October. At Cork City VEC, a decision will be taken at a full committee meeting at the end of the month and applicants will be notified early in October. They will get the first instalment "more than likely" by the end of October. (People who are renewing their grant application will get payment in September.) According to a spokeswoman for Cork City VEC, the PLC maintenance grants scheme will put huge pressure on the grants section, with up to 3,000 extra student applicants to process. It's likely that some of the PLC applicants who have supplied all the necessary documentation will be cleared by the end of September, notified in October, and it is hoped that they will be paid in December.
It seems a pity that grant applications cannot be synchronised with CAO applications so that grant applicants will know if they are eligible for a grant before the college offers season begins in August.
DCU reports that its pre-booking system is working well. Students can book accommodation from October 1st of the year before they go to college. A list is compiled and people who get an offer in the first round are offered a room. There are 30 rooms reserved for first-year students and the pre-booking fee is £100. If a student gets an offer in another college in the second round the total deposit will be refunded. This seems very fair.
Still with DCU, the college has put in a 1-850 number so students with admissions queries can ring the admissions office from anywhere in the State for the price of a local call. A dedicated switchboard has also been installed for admissions. Mr Barry Kehoe, student services officer, says this arrangement has been working well. First-year students who have been offered places will receive the college handbook and calendar early next week.
DCU admissions can be contacted at 1 850 704 5566.
Additional reporting by Catherine Foley