CAO helpdesk: should I defer?

Guidance counsellors Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett answer questions asked on our live blog

My son has a Level 7 engineering related offer from DIT. He wishes to do a PLC which will give more choice of engineering courses next year. Can he defer if DIT agree and make a decision re the best option in next year’s CAO?

If he defers then he will have to apply through CAO 2016. He must only apply for his deferred course and no other course otherwise he will lose his deferred place. If he was to enter more course choices than his deferred course he puts himself in the position of competing with other 2016 CAO applicants and runs the risk of points rising.

I have a place in UCC for dentistry but was also accepted in Bristol university. I got 600 points but am unsure if dentistry is right course for me so am taking year out . Can I defer my place in Bristol but add new choices to CAO next year.

If you are going to defer you must contact admissions in UCC. They will then contact CAO. You must also state your reasoning for wanting to defer. You will then reapply through the CAO next year. Your deferral will only hold if you choose one course and one course only. That course must be Dentistry UCC otherwise you’ll lose your deferral and be competing with all other 2016 CAO applicants.

You must contact admissions in Bristol. Usually deferral is dealt with at the application stage.

My niece got offered nursing in Trinity but her heart was set on DCU. She is now considering not taking the Trinity offer and doing a pre-nursing course and then going into second year in DCU.

A pre-nursing course would be a good learning curve for her and she would get to experience the theory and work placement. All this would really confirm if a career in nursing is definitely for her. But completion of a pre-nursing course can only get one into first year on a nursing programme.

It seems to me that she mixed up her order of preferences on her CAO form? To rectify this she could take a year out. She could earn money and maybe get some work experience in her area of interest. She could then reapply through the CAO 2016. CAO points for nursing at DCU and Trinity may go up or down next year so she would be competing with next year’s applicants.

When doing a nursing degree it is preferable to attend an institution that is attached to a commutable hospital.

I would strongly advise her to take it. Points may vary next year.

My daughter has been offered a place on bio med in NUIG. She accepted yesterday but now feels that she wishes to defer her place for a year. Is this possible?

Officially for the deferral procedure, applicants are asked not to accept the place and seek the deferral first. But in this instance what you need to do is email admissions in NUIG on undergradadmissions@nuigalway.ie and say you have accepted a place already and would now like to defer this place. Quote all the details about yourself and your course in the email. Then go to nuigalway.ie/admissions and follow the deferral procedure on the on the left-hand side of the page. I would do this as a matter of urgency so that your place may possibly be offered to somebody in round two.