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CAO SYSTEM

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  • 07-10-2009 6:00pm
    #1
    ayumi
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭


    Can any1 explain how the CAO system works?
    i know that when you get your results you count the points for the best 6 subjects and say you got 470 points and that was the points to a UCD course.So when they look for the requirements maths and english for example,and you didn't count them in when counting points do they not let go in or do they? do you need to count the required subjects for the points to a course ?


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    #2
    ddddd
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭ddddd


    no you can count any 6 subjects and if you get enough points for a course you will be offered a place provided you meet the specific subject requirements aswell, but these subjects don't have to be part of the 6 that you calculate your points from


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    #3
    Fad
    Registered Users Posts: 7,231 ✭✭✭Fad


    You get points from your best six subjects.

    If a course requires say a C3 in Maths for you to matriculate,(If you got a C3) you can use the C3 in Maths for point, but if you got better than a C3 in everything else, you dont have to use it, but the requirement is still satisfied.


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    #4
    Craguls
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,986 ✭✭✭Craguls


    Fad wrote: »
    You get points from your best six subjects.

    If a course requires say a C3 in Maths for you to matriculate,(If you got a C3) you can use the C3 in Maths for point, but if you got better than a C3 in everything else, you dont have to use it, but the requirement is still satisfied.

    Spot on. Also say you've put down 7 courses and the course with 470 is you 3rd choice. Once you get the points for that everything after 3rd choice is cancelled but you can still be offered your 1st or 2nd choice in later rounds or after getting exams rechecked


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    #5
    Fad
    Registered Users Posts: 7,231 ✭✭✭Fad


    Craguls wrote: »
    Spot on. Also say you've put down 7 courses and the course with 470 is you 3rd choice. Once you get the points for that everything after 3rd choice is cancelled but you can still be offered your 1st or 2nd choice in later rounds or after getting exams rechecked

    Yep!

    People need to be completely clear with that, once you get offered a course, everything below that in your list of preference is cancelled out. If you get an offer, you have one choice*, whether to accept it or not. You do not get a number of offers.

    *(Well two, if you have an level 6/7s down, but not everyone does)


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    #6
    ayumi
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭ayumi


    thanx guys for ur explanations!


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    #7
    RexMundi
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭RexMundi


    What would happen in the following CAO situation.

    Say I get 550 points..I can live in hope... and my course choices are as follows.

    1. Course A 450 points
    2. Course B 500 points
    3. Course C 550 points

    Will I only be offered my first choice or what would happen here?


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    #8
    Craguls
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,986 ✭✭✭Craguls


    RexMundi wrote: »
    What would happen in the following CAO situation.

    Say I get 550 points..I can live in hope... and my course choices are as follows.

    1. Course A 450 points
    2. Course B 500 points
    3. Course C 550 points

    Will I only be offered my first choice or what would happen here?

    You'd only get offered your first. Basically once you qualify for a course everything below it gets cancelled out.


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    #9
    randylonghorn
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 29,509 Mod ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    RexMundi wrote: »
    What would happen in the following CAO situation.

    Say I get 550 points..I can live in hope... and my course choices are as follows.

    1. Course A 450 points
    2. Course B 500 points
    3. Course C 550 points

    Will I only be offered my first choice or what would happen here?
    Craguls wrote: »
    You'd only get offered your first. Basically once you qualify for a course everything below it gets cancelled out.
    Correct, you will be offered the first course on your list for which you have enough points, and everything below that on the list vanishes instantly. If you missed a higher ranked option on your list by a few points, and the points drop in a later round, you may well be offered that ... but you will never be offered a lower option on your list, even if the points for it were higher than the course you were offered, and you achieved those points.

    The system presumes you knew your own mind when you ranked your choices.

    Which is why it is absolutely essential that you rank your CAO choices in the order in which YOU would like to be offered them ... not according to what way you think the points might go, not in order of supposed status, not for any other reason except "I really want to do X, that goes down first; if I don't get X, then Y is my next preference ..." and so on.

    I have a feeling I'll be saying that quite often over the next few months ... :)



    p.s. some off-topic posts moved to Off-topic Thread :p


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