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Leaving Cert Results/CAO 2021

Welcome to our special 2021 Leaving Cert and CAO hub for everything you need to know about calculated grades, CAO offers, and other post-secondary options.

‘We live in a country for the last number of decades, there’s nearly been a bit of an obsession with the CAO and the points race,’ Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said at the Irish Times Higher Options event. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Single portal for CAO and further education options to open from next month

Service will help students look beyond ‘obsession’ with Leaving Cert points race

‘I got maximum points - and I still lost out’: Is it time to ditch the points race for college?

‘I got maximum points - and I still lost out’: Is it time to ditch the points race for college?

Many students missed out on their chosen college courses this year despite gaining stellar results. Some say it is time to replace the ‘cruel’ CAO system with a fairer alternative

My son accepted a college course but is now unsure of it. What should he do?

My son accepted a college course but is now unsure of it. What should he do?

Ask Brian: I’m worried about the cost of fees and accommodation if he drops out

Analysis

Call to tackle ‘cruel’ grade inflation as college points hit new high

2:51 Call to tackle ‘cruel’ grade inflation as college points hit new high

Some students with maximum points failed to get their first choice of college course

Some students who achieved maximum points not offered preferred courses

4:35 Some students who achieved maximum points not offered preferred courses

Government signed off on system which left students with a 100 per cent score without a place on their first-choice programme.

CAO breakdown: Points reach record highs

CAO breakdown: Points reach record highs

Top grades for Leaving Cert class of 2021 leads to record CAO points in Round One

Barrier of 600 points breached: Five takeaways from CAO offers

Barrier of 600 points breached: Five takeaways from CAO offers

Brian Mooney: Maximum Leaving Cert points no longer secure that college place

Advice

Evidence of Leaving Cert grade inflation across the board

Evidence of Leaving Cert grade inflation across the board

Most subjects show increase in grades following adoption of dual grading system

Wait is over as Leaving Cert results are released

Wait is over as Leaving Cert results are released

Results are being released some three weeks later than usual

Leaving Cert results day: Number of students getting top grades soars to record high

2:53 Leaving Cert results day: Number of students getting top grades soars to record high

Sharp rise in number of students securing top grades under new twin-track process

Leaving Cert 2021: Five key take-aways from this year’s results

Leaving Cert 2021: Five key take-aways from this year’s results

Students benefit from choice between exams and accredited grades but CAO points will rise

Other news

CAO breakdown: Points reach record highs

CAO breakdown: Points reach record highs

Top grades for Leaving Cert class of 2021 leads to record CAO points in Round One

Barrier of 600 points breached: Five takeaways from CAO offers

Barrier of 600 points breached: Five takeaways from CAO offers

Brian Mooney: Maximum Leaving Cert points no longer secure that college place

Most CAO applicants likely to get one of their top-three choices despite points rise

Most CAO applicants likely to get one of their top-three choices despite points rise

Government’s 4,600 extra college places aimed at easing admissions race

Girls get Leaving Cert results boost from ‘unconscious bias’

3:19 Girls get Leaving Cert results boost from ‘unconscious bias’

Gender gap under estimated marks wider than with traditional exams, SEC finds

Colleges expect spike in random selection

2:52 Colleges expect spike in random selection

High-points courses in health, law, pharmacy and science most likely to be affected

Evidence of Leaving Cert grade inflation across the board

Evidence of Leaving Cert grade inflation across the board

Most subjects show increase in grades following adoption of dual grading system

Wait is over as Leaving Cert results are released

Wait is over as Leaving Cert results are released

Results are being released some three weeks later than usual

Leaving Cert results day: Number of students getting top grades soars to record high

2:53 Leaving Cert results day: Number of students getting top grades soars to record high

Sharp rise in number of students securing top grades under new twin-track process

Leaving Cert 2021: Five key take-aways from this year’s results

Leaving Cert 2021: Five key take-aways from this year’s results

Students benefit from choice between exams and accredited grades but CAO points will rise

Why have Leaving Cert results climbed to a record high?

Why have Leaving Cert results climbed to a record high?

This was an exam year like no other – which poses big questions for the future

Also in Education

Matt Melvin, principal at St Etchen’s National School in Kinegad, Co Westmeath, where he has had to step in as a teacher, an SNA and a bus escort on various days this week. Photograph: Alan Betson

10:13 How safe are our primary schools amid latest Covid wave?

Children aged between five and 12 have the highest rate of Covid-19 of any age group

CAO 2021 ‘I got maximum points - and I still lost out’

Homeschool hub Our guide to the best teaching and learning resources online

Student Hub The online resource for third-level students in Ireland

Advice: Brian Mooney

CAO Countdown

The 2021 Irish Times, Higher Options expo will be live streamed from the RDS Dublin on October 13th and 14th. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times

Higher Options 2021 What to study? Check out Higher Options 2021

Feeder schools listings Access historical feeder school data using our dedicated searchable app.

@ExamWatch

Tweets by @Examwatch

Grad Week 2021 What lies ahead for this year's graduates?

Homeschool hub Our guide to the best teaching and learning resources online

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