Record number of CAO applications

redout

A record number of applications for third level places have been received by the CAO this year.

The 10% rise in applications - to over 71,000 - means that there will be almost two candidates for every college and university place.

The Institute of Guidance Counsellors has attributed the increase to the unemployment crisis, with students opting for third level, instead of apprenticeships or a highly competitive workplace.

Unprecedented numbers of mature students are also applying for places.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0202/cao.html


Half of applicants to miss out on a place at college

ONLY half of this year's record number of third level applicants will get a college place next autumn, the Irish Independent has learned.
There are just under two candidates for every place in our colleges and universities, new figures released last night reveal.

The jobs crisis has sparked a huge surge in applications as school leavers compete for places against unprecedented numbers of jobless adults seeking to upskill.

The rise in applications is likely to push up entry points for many courses, particularly in the arts and sciences.

When the normal CAO deadline for applications closed at 5.15pm yesterday, a massive 71,232 had applied online compared with 67,634 at the same time last year. The figures do not take into account the estimated 2,000 others who have applied in writing. And it is expected a further 3,000 to 4,000 more will have applied by the late-closing date of May 1.

Around 14pc of current first year students are classified as 'mature', over the age of 23. However, this figure is set to rocket this year.
Last Friday the Central Bank predicted unemployment will reach 13.5pc by the end of 2010.

"The increased competition is bound to have some impact on the points needed," Eilis Coakley, president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors said last night. Ms Coakley said redundant young adults had studied the options and saw going back to college offered them an opportunity to improve skills.

The near collapse of apprenticeships is also pushing more young males down the college route, especially for technician level courses in the institutes of technology.

The increased demand for places could not come at a worse time for the third-level colleges, which are already struggling with fewer staff, tighter budgets and more students following their highest ever intake last autumn.

Numbers
The Higher Education Authority has warned that a point may come when numbers will have to be capped, rather than let the quality of higher education suffer.

It is expected the forthcoming national strategy report will re-open the issue of some form of student contribution to third level education costs, even though the idea has officially been put on hold for the duration of the lifetime of the current Government.

An indication of the problems facing the sector is revealed in new figures which show a loss of 350 full-time jobs in the institutes of technology between January and September of last year.

It is expected most jobs in the sector will be shed by the end of this year.
Losses on a similar scale are reported in universities.

Figures released by Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe in response to a parliamentary question from Labour's Joanna Tuffy show full-time staff numbers in the 14 institutes dropped from 8,889 in 2008 to 8,539 last year. Meanwhile, separate figures show the number of full-time undergraduates in the institutes rose from 54,464 to 55,805 during the same period.

In addition, post-graduate numbers rose to 2,419.

The Teachers' Union of Ireland said the fall in staff numbers was a matter of grave concern, representing an overall cut of 4pc in staffing levels over a nine-month period.

"This is having a negative effect on courses, some of which are being cut down in content as the resources of the institutes are stripped away," general secretary Peter MacMenamim said.

"Service to students is undoubtedly negatively affected when posts -- academic or otherwise -- are not filled.

"This unacceptable situation will be exacerbated the longer this retrograde moratorium remains in place," he added.

A staffing framework agreement allows third-level colleges some flexibility in filling vacancies.

But institute sources say there are particular problems caused by the dramatic drop in the number of apprentices who have to spend some time in the institutes, but whose teachers are not now needed in huge numbers.

"If they can be retrained, that's fine, but it's not always possible," a source told the Irish Independent.

http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/half-of-applicants-to-miss-out-on-a-place-at-college-2043552.html


Not good news.

Larianne

Yeah, but do they all know about this forum.

entropi

Seen this early on the RTE teletext this morning...sounds pretty bad for us Mature ones applying for our first undergrad:(

Places on my course choices are already pretty limited as it is...:(

redout

I read that this academic year (2009/2010) there were 45,500 places for 1st years but about 70,000 had applied so I presume that meant about 25,000 didnt get accepted. Quite high but will no doubt be surpassed come august.

isabell

but there is increase in places for mature students (for 2010/11) as well i think. a man from DIT was saying about it...........

Larianne

It was to be expected but still not nice to hear! Only thing now is to really prepare for your interview if your course requires you to attend one.

Research the course, speak to students of the course if you can. Try think of all the questions they could ask you. And just so you know they normally don't give you much time to prepare! I got called for interview a week before the date!

Another thing is, even though a lot of mature students applied this year, quite a number of people don't take up the offered place for whatever reasons. Think positive!!!!

Little Acorn

By how much do ye think the course points will be affected?
I mean,could it be likely that they could jump 65 or even 85 points higher than last years?

Laydee

Larianne wrote: »

Yeah, but do they all know about this forum.

True.

I know a few other mature students applying, none of them knew what a personal statement was and felt it unnecessary to send one.
Even if my personal statement just secures an interview, I will be glad I put effort into it & sent it off.
Thank you Boards.ie- mature students forum.

Larianne

Well I know for all the courses offered to mature students in UCD, a personal statement is required. For Trinity there is a section for explaining why you want to do the course, i.e. basically a personal statement.

I looked at UCAS applications as a template as what to include in my application. I guess some people might not put a lot of thought into it. 2nd time round I made sure for defo it was the best it could be.

Best of luck to everyone. It's now a case of waiting and maybe hearing back sometime in April. (Depends on the course).

redout

Talk about the points increase could also push some more out of the boat I suppose.
Its crazy that some people didnt write a personal statement or research about what to include with their application. That is just laziness in my opinion. What is the point of doing it if you are only gonna do a half arse job ? No doubt a fair few will fall at the first hurdle because of it.

Larianne

Points increase wouldn't affect mature students in the slightest.

I guess some people don't realise how much work it is or how many other people they have to compete against. But as well as that a lot of people would have been let go recently and not have thought about returning to education, hoping for a job to turn up.

But like you've said Redout about the personal statements. There maybe an increase in mature student applications but you would wonder how many of them would be up to scratch?

redout

Larianne wrote: »

Points increase wouldn't affect mature students in the slightest.

I guess some people don't realise how much work it is or how many other people they have to compete against. But as well as that a lot of people would have been let go recently and not have thought about returning to education, hoping for a job to turn up.

But like you've said Redout about the personal statements. There maybe an increase in mature student applications but you would wonder how many of them would be up to scratch?

I am referring to the CAO handbook where it states that HEIs may determine a points score for mature students. (page 9)

I agree with the statements. I think a lot of people could come up short there. I dont know how long people spent but if I had to guess I reckon that I personally put in about 30 hours (over 3 weeks) between researching the courses, mature student requirements, calling different HEIs, speaking to current students, drafting/writing personal statement and putting together all the other bits and pieces to accompany it. It was actually a lot of work and yet you see some people just filling in an application and picking courses at the last minute. No doubt some of them applications are going to fall short would be my opinion.

IM0

Larianne wrote: »

Points increase wouldn't affect mature students in the slightest.

I disagree with that, as points are how the demand for a course (and obviously who gets it and not for LC students) is measured, and if the demand goes up then your chances of getting a place decrease (if course numbers stay the same) but then again mature places are seperate to LC places, but whats to stop the courses from catering for the demand by reducing mature numbers in favour of the LC'ers - in that situation then mature students chances will be impacted on..who knows

Anyway in before the Lock (on education )

redout

me@ucd wrote: »

I disagree with that, as points are how the demand for a course (and obviously who gets it and not for LC students) is measured, and if the demand goes up then your chances of getting a place decrease (if course numbers stay the same) but then again mature places are seperate to LC places, but whats to stop the courses from catering for the demand by reducing mature numbers in favour of the LC'ers - in that situation then mature students chances will be impacted on..who knows

Anyway in before the Lock (on education )

One would have thought that with an increase to record levels of mature students applying the HEIs are hardly going to reduce to amount of places on offer for them.

IM0

redout wrote: »

One would have thought that with an increase to record levels of mature students applying the HEIs are hardly going to reduce to amount of places on offer for them.

theres also record numbers of LC students applying.

Larianne

I'm pretty sure HEI's would not get rid of any mature student places.

Dim

do you think if they got rid of the back to school allowance (you know the one that if you are on the dole for a certain lenght of time you get your dole and a grant to go to college? basically getting paid to go to college) was removed, would there be as many mature students applying to the colleges?

qwertytlk

DEPRESSING!!!!!Thats all i can say.. D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-N-G:rolleyes:! I am worried now, i put so much effort and time into my application so obviously i would be gutted if i didnt get an offer after all that!!

Not much more we can do anyway:p... so fingers crossed now and best of luck to everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

qwertytlk

By the way, i was also thinking of looking into FETAC and other such courses as a back-up plan, just in case i am disappointed. What does everyone else think of that, do you all have a plan B?!

redout

qwertytlk wrote: »

By the way, i was also thinking of looking into FETAC and other such courses as a back-up plan, just in case i am disappointed. What does everyone else think of that, do you all have a plan B?!

I havent really thought of a backup as such.

I put down 14 courses out of the 20 allowed.

Some were just down I suppose as backups but only after my preferred area of study.

Have many did you put down ?

Larianne

Yep, FETAC courses are a good idea. Many have routes to universities once you get distinctions in all your modules. Many people enter uni this way. I know things like nursing and science anyway.

Further Ed.

It's the same story with FETAC courses and has been for the past number of years - an under supply of places due to a government cap. There hasnt been much said about it until this year. But if you are thinking of applying for a FETAC (PLC) place then get your application into the individual colleges asap.

The following is taken from the TUI website

Research carried out by TUI shows that 6,200 students applied for just 1,300 first year places in Ballyfermot College last year. Due to the cap on student numbers, almost 5,000 were left disappointed. Trends are the same in every province and in every town and city. Whether it is Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Drogheda, Limerick, Sligo or Galway, colleges ended up with long waiting lists of applicants. On average there were two applicants for every PLC place, or a staggering 60,000 applications for just half the number of places.