Errors, oversights and pure bad luck

You didn't get an offer of a college place and you simply can't understand why. The following is a checklist that should guide you through some of the common errors and misconceptions about this turn of events.

Did you add up your points correctly? Remember you can only count six subjects from any one sitting of the Leaving Cert.

Bonus points for higher-level maths are awarded by UL only (see page 6 of your CAO handbook). DIT gives some additional points for maths and science subjects in the case of one degree only - FT221, electrical/electronic engineering.

If you sat the Leaving Cert Vocational Programme you may well be confused by the fact that the universities and the DIT are awarding lower points for the link modules than the other institutes of technology. The ITs (other than DIT) give 70 points for a distinction, 50 for a merit and 30 for a pass. The universities and DIT give 50 points for a distinction, 40 for a merit and 30 for a pass.

Subject requirements

Many courses have specific subject requirements as well as points requirements.

For instance, you need a B3 in higher-level maths to get a place on UCD's engineering course. A master chart of subject requirements was published in the Going to College supplement published in The Irish Times on August 18th. You must fulfil the subject requirements no matter how many points you have.

Random selection

You have both the points and the subject requirements but you still didn't get an offer. Look at the chart with the cut-off points. If there is an asterix beside the points listing, this means that random selection applied. Not all students with this points level were offered a place. Places were allocated by computerised lottery. Don't give up hope yet. It is possible that some of the applicants who were offered places in round one will not take them up. These places will then be allocated in round two or subsequent rounds.

You suspect your letter is held up in the post.

Regardless of whether you are being made an offer of a place or not, you should have received a letter from the CAO. The CAO can be contacted by telephone at (091) 509800 or you can fill out the enquiry form that comes with your offer notice and post it to the CAO, which will respond by return of post.

Helplines

Sometimes it can be helpful to talk to someone in the relevant college about your particular situation. All of the colleges are operating helplines. See page 3 of this supplement for phone numbers.

CAO queries should be posted using the enquiry form mentioned above. The Irish Times College Places helpline (tel: (01) 679 1918, (01) 679 1919) is in place and is staffed by experienced guidance counsellors who will do their best to answer your queries. Check the daily College Places column for times.

Definitely no offer

You have got a letter from the CAO stating that you do not have a round one offer. This is only the beginning of the offers process. Many applicants will reject the offers that they receive. These will be re-offered in round two and subsequent rounds. The second round of offers will be posted on Monday, September 6th, and the reply date for acceptances will be Monday, September 13th. There will not be any third round of offers this year but vacancies will continue to be offered as they arise.

You may well get an offer in subsequent rounds, but it would be advisable to to use the waiting time to investigate options outside the CAO. There are still vacancies on some Post Leaving Cert courses as well as in private colleges and colleges in Britain and Northern Ireland. You may also wish to consider the possibility of repeating your Leaving Cert.