The first round of CAO points published this morning presents an encouraging picture for students and their parents. There was some speculation in recent weeks that points requirements would rise because of the increase in CAO applications. But this has proven to be misplaced; points are broadly in line with last year's historically low levels.
This year provides further evidence of how the 1980s-style points race - where a huge swathe of students were trying to squeeze through a narrow door into third-level - no longer exists. The largest undergraduate course in the State, arts at UCD, is down five points to 345. Ten years ago, students needed 390 points.
The Class of 2007 is looking for college places in what might be termed a golden age. Demographic trends and the huge rise in the number of college places in the past decade have produced a situation where supply vastly exceeds demand for most courses. More than 45,000 applicants received an offer this morning with over 33,000 of these having the option of a higher degree place, the highest figure in the 30-year history of the CAO. The points race may continue for so called bluechip courses in medicine and related areas but for most students it is no longer relevant. Increasingly, it is students - rather than colleges - who are in control of the system. And even in medical and some associated courses points have softened in some colleges this year, including in TCD and UCD where medicine is down by five points. Hopefully, the introduction of postgraduate education in medicine this September will accelerate the downward trend.
But there are some important and worrying trends in this year's CAO figures. With the exception of Trinity College, points for higher degree courses in science, technology and engineering courses are generally down, reflecting the continuing fall-off in student demand. Demand remains strong for areas like teaching, business and law. There is little sense here that the Class of 2007 is paying the slightest heed to Government rhetoric about the drive towards the high technology knowledge economy; they are opting for career choices which they see as more reliable and/or more potentially lucrative.
Why does today's school leaver see his or her future in business, the classroom and the courts - rather than in the science laboratories or in the roll-out of the State's multi-billion euro National Development Plan? CAO choices are clearly influenced by students' experience of science and technology in the classroom. Dilapidated and under- resourced science laboratories and lack of opportunity to conduct experiments has, unsurprisingly, failed to spark student interest. Yes, things are improving. The Junior Cert science course is interesting and dynamic while €24 million is being used annually to upgrade laboratories in schools. But this morning's CAO figures underline the scale of the challenge in finding tomorrow's scientists and engineers and, perhaps, in maintaining the momentum of our economic development.