Numbers game adds up to offers in many attractive CAO courses

Many applicants have been given a last-minute reprieve from a course they were less than enthused about in the second-round offers this morning. Others have been spared the agony of having to go through the Leaving Cert again, while some students will get a big surprise when they rumble through their post.

While some colleges were happy with their intake in the first round, many effectively miscalculated and did not make enough offers - a fact that became clear as the acceptances came in. They have made up for this in the second round, with almost 100 degree courses alone dropping in points.

Even courses at the top dropped a little. For example, medicine was down at UCC and TCD, while other healthcare courses such as dentistry and pharmacy also slipped a little.

The biggest shock of the second round was nursing. Virtually ever nursing course has dropped. This indicates that colleges did not offer remotely enough people a place in the first round. It also indicates that many students selected a nursing course, but rejected it for a degree or diploma/certificate course when the offers came out.

The falls on the nursing list are spectacular, with one of DCU's mental-handicap courses (DC305) shedding 160 points between rounds one and two. The second-round figures are probably a better indication of where points will settle for nursing in future years.

So who else should be happy? Well those hoping for a lucky break in the computer area should. On many computer/IT related courses points have dropped; these include DCU's computer applications course (DC121), DIT's computer science course (FT228) and Trinity's computer science option (TR033).

The same goes for many computer related diplomas and certificates.

Points for science courses fell through the floor again in the second round. They were at historic lows after the first round, but there was further slippage for biological and chemical sciences at UCC (CK402), science at NUI Galway (GY301) and physics and chemistry teaching at the University of Limerick (LM096). Science at UCD (DN008) fells to 300 points in the first round, but did not budge in the second round.

Among the big losers in the first round were those hoping to do engineering or at least an engineering degree. The second round has brought them mixed blessings. While there were falls at Cork IT, UCC and DCU, UCD's new denominated options failed to drop. Last year 375 points was enough to get you a place on its general entry course, but this time most of its six courses require more than 400 points.

Over on the certificate/diploma list things were more static with about 80 courses shedding points. Nowadays so many courses are AQA in the first round that there is no reason for points to fall on the second round.

Also the ITs tend to be more realistic in the first round and offer large numbers of places so they do not have to repeat the exercise in the second round. Browse through the list in this supplement and you will also notice the number of ITs who set low points in the first place. This makes huge numbers of students eligible and means places at the ITs fill up very quickly.

One thing however has made life difficult for the ITs this year: the high failure rate (approximately 17 per cent) in ordinary-level maths. This rules out thousands of students from a place in an IT and reduces the pool of eligible students to a trickle on some courses.

However points did drop on many science, business and engineering courses in the second round at the various ITs. Blanchardstown IT saw its eight diploma/certificate courses fall, for example.

Another notable trend this year was the number of art/design/make-up courses falling in the second round. At D·n Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. six of its courses in these areas fell.

If you have not got an offer this morning, you have to make a decision. If you have already accepted an offer in the first round, will you take it? The advice is yes. The CAO and the college presume you want it because you have sent back an acceptance. Points are unlikely to drop further and most courses are now full, though there are still vacant places available and you will remain in the system, whether you have accepted a place or not.

Either way, this is your college place, so grasp it with both hands and step into the next phase of your life.

However, if you are still disappointed and believe you are worth that place you missed out on, you can always appeal your Leaving Cert grades. If you are doing so, contact your school this afternoon. They are preparing to send off their list of appeals to the Department of Education tomorrow, so time is short.