CAO '12 - Choosing 1 Course

Ryan OConnor

I was just wondering if theres anyone else out there that's chosen just 1 course on their CAO this year and left it at that. I don't do a language but want to go to a university and the only course I found that I qualify for and suits my needs is DC230 Economics, Politics, Law. Anything less would be a compromise and I don't do compromise. It was only 400 points last year and I'm sure I'll have a safety net of in or around 150 but anyone I try and explain this to looks at me like I've 20 heads.. Am I totally mental? Has anyone took this approach in the past and how did it work out?

**Timbuk2**

My advice would be just to fill in a few extra courses, it really makes no difference if you have more than enough points!

Once the order is correct (in terms of preference), then you don't have any less chance of getting into your desired course by having 20 courses instead of just one. And you won't be holding a place that somebody else could have by doing so, if that's what you are worried about - I've seen that cited as a reason for only picking one course before!

But at least on your Level 8 list, there's no reason why you shouldn't pick any more. People can do worse than they think sometimes, courses can jump up largely - you don't want to end up with no offers from CAO (which is just a computer and does not take into consideration how many courses you have applied to).
I know a guy who filled all 10 courses up but was confident he'd get one of the top 3, and ended up getting his 9th course. He's happy where he is now, but he could have easily not filled his Level 8 list and would have had to wait a whole year to apply to CAO again.

Ryan OConnor

I really appreciate your advice and fully accept what you're saying. I really wish I could think like that but I kinda have tunnel vision when it comes to my future and have done for quite a while. I was beginning to think that having nothing to fall back on would be more of an incentive to work than a disadvantage, it's certainly helping me with the Leaving Cert. He who dares wins.

**Timbuk2**

I see what you're saying, in a way, but its not so much from an incentive to work position, more just a safeguard in case you have a bad day in one of your exams, or you could be sick. You have just as much right to repeat the LC if you get a Cao offer you don't want than if you got no offers.

Having said that, I do know one guy that put only veterinary on his, and didn't put any others because he said if he didn't get veterinary he would repeat (he didn't want any other course). It worked for him in the end though - he got veterinary in UCD.

jumpguy

Ryan OConnor wrote: »

I really appreciate your advice and fully accept what you're saying. I really wish I could think like that but I kinda have tunnel vision when it comes to my future and have done for quite a while. I was beginning to think that having nothing to fall back on would be more of an incentive to work than a disadvantage, it's certainly helping me with the Leaving Cert. He who dares wins.

While tunnel vision is general a sign of excellent motivation, it isn't necessarily the best thing and one should have an open mind about their future. Hitches and problems will inevitably arise and you should be prepared to take a slight or major deviation from your plan, and thus a back-up is a really good idea. Not only does this apply now, but in other things in life such as keeping a healthy savings account and etc.

But anyway, back to the point! You've really nothing to lose by putting down more choices on the CAO. You're needlessly depriving yourself of choice. I would advise you have a good think about what else you might like to do just in case. If you think you'll probably end up repeating if you don't get your first preference, then put down a second choice anyway - you never know what your circumstances may be in August.

I was the same way going for medicine. I had science in UL as my second choice after medicine and I declined it to repeat (but I got medicine in a later offer anyway). In hindsight, declining it was a poor decision, as I absolutely hated repeating - it was miserable. But luckily it worked out in the end!

Ryan OConnor

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I see what you're saying, in a way, but its not so much from an incentive to work position, more just a safeguard in case you have a bad day in one of your exams, or you could be sick. You have just as much right to repeat the LC if you get a Cao offer you don't want than if you got no offers.

Having said that, I do know one guy that put only veterinary on his, and didn't put any others because he said if he didn't get veterinary he would repeat (he didn't want any other course). It worked for him in the end though - he got veterinary in UCD.

Although I've never been one for contingincey planning, if I'm going into politics it might be wise to be seen to have plan B's, especially if people will want to trust me with the economy (or at least as some sort of EU representive on the economy) I'll have a look around and see if there's anything at all I would have a remote chance of settling for in a worst-case scenario but it's really unlikely. Thanks for the advice.

jumpguy wrote:

While tunnel vision is general a sign of excellent motivation, it isn't necessarily the best thing and one should have an open mind about their future. Hitches and problems will inevitably arise and you should be prepared to take a slight or major deviation from your plan, and thus a back-up is a really good idea. Not only does this apply now, but in other things in life such as keeping a healthy savings account and etc.

But anyway, back to the point! You've really nothing to lose by putting down more choices on the CAO. You're needlessly depriving yourself of choice. I would advise you have a good think about what else you might like to do just in case. If you think you'll probably end up repeating if you don't get your first preference, then put down a second choice anyway - you never know what your circumstances may be in August.

I was the same way going for medicine. I had science in UL as my second choice after medicine and I declined it to repeat (but I got medicine in a later offer anyway). In hindsight, declining it was a poor decision, as I absolutely hated repeating - it was miserable. But luckily it worked out in the end!

I have to say I disagree with that. Maybe it's my lack of life experience talking but I'd like to think adapting to and overcoming those "hitches and problems" in pursuit of a dream is the key to success. I've never deviated from or thought "realistically" about anything and 90% of the time I achieve what I set out to. Sorry if I sound like a self-help book
As I said I'll have another look and see if I can come up with anything else. Thanks for the advice and I'm glad it worked out for you!

Truman Burbank

jumpguy wrote: »

While tunnel vision is general a sign of excellent motivation, it isn't necessarily the best thing and one should have an open mind about their future. Hitches and problems will inevitably arise and you should be prepared to take a slight or major deviation from your plan, and thus a back-up is a really good idea. Not only does this apply now, but in other things in life such as keeping a healthy savings account and etc.

But anyway, back to the point! You've really nothing to lose by putting down more choices on the CAO. You're needlessly depriving yourself of choice. I would advise you have a good think about what else you might like to do just in case. If you think you'll probably end up repeating if you don't get your first preference, then put down a second choice anyway - you never know what your circumstances may be in August.

I was the same way going for medicine. I had science in UL as my second choice after medicine and I declined it to repeat (but I got medicine in a later offer anyway). In hindsight, declining it was a poor decision, as I absolutely hated repeating - it was miserable. But luckily it worked out in the end!

Spot-on advice. This is "life experience" Ryan!

Would I be correct in saying you're perhaps aiming for/looking at 550 points?? (400 for the DCU course plus the "safely net" of 150).

Are you doing Irish? TCD require English plus any language. Law and Politics was 560 2011, Law and Business 555*, Law 505*, PPES 525*, and BESS 480, Economics, I think is part of Arts so points vary with the 2nd subject chosen (supply and demand).

DCU is a great university and that course is highly regarded, so to answer your "Am I totally mental" question - unless you are 100% sure you intend to repeat if results don't go your way to get THAT course, then Yes! As you know the 'change of mind' goes to summertime, plenty of time.

Ryan OConnor

Truman Burbank wrote: »

Spot-on advice. This is "life experience" Ryan!

Would I be correct in saying you're perhaps aiming for/looking at 550 points?? (400 for the DCU course plus the "safely net" of 150).

Are you doing Irish? TCD require English plus any language. Law and Politics was 560 2011, Law and Business 555*, Law 505*, PPES 525*, and BESS 480, Economics, I think is part of Arts so points vary with the 2nd subject chosen (supply and demand).

DCU is a great university and that course is highly regarded, so to answer your "Am I totally mental" question - unless you are 100% sure you intend to repeat if results don't go your way to get THAT course, then Yes! As you know the 'change of mind' goes to summertime, plenty of time.

You're correct indeed, in or around that. I do Irish but not very well! I did see a course in TCD a while back, I think it was Political Science, Philosophy, Economics and Sociology. That looked interesting but wasn't sure if I qualified or not. If I were to put that down and got the points for it, do I still get offered the one in DCU even though there are less points required?

**Timbuk2**

Ryan OConnor wrote: »

You're correct indeed, in or around that. I do Irish but not very well! I did see a course in TCD a while back, I think it was Political Science, Philosophy, Economics and Sociology. That looked interesting but wasn't sure if I qualified or not. If I were to put that down and got the points for it, do I still get offered the one in DCU even though there are less points required?

List the courses in order of preference, not in order of points.

CAO then starts at the top of the list, and keeps going down until it hits the first course where you meet the matriculation requirements (e.g. third language), course requirements (e.g. B3 Maths OL) and points requirement (e.g. 300) - once it finds a course where you satisfy all those 3, it effectively 'deletes' the rest of the list - you can no longer be offered a course lower on your list, even if you have enough points for it (you may be offered courses higher on the list if they come down in points in the second or subsequent rounds).

Read the sticky at the top of this forum on CAO.

Ryan OConnor

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

List the courses in order of preference, not in order of points.

CAO then starts at the top of the list, and keeps going down until it hits the first course where you meet the matriculation requirements (e.g. third language), course requirements (e.g. B3 Maths OL) and points requirement (e.g. 300) - once it finds a course where you satisfy all those 3, it effectively 'deletes' the rest of the list - you can no longer be offered a course lower on your list, even if you have enough points for it (you may be offered courses higher on the list if they come down in points in the second or subsequent rounds).

Read the sticky at the top of this forum on CAO.

I suppose there's no harm in putting it down as a second preference anyway, even though If I have gotten the points for it I will have satisfied everything I need for DCU and have been offered that. That's why I always thought you ranked in order of points but I suppose theoretically you can still get the points without meeting the course requirements. Thanks again, you've been very helpfull.

Truman Burbank

Ryan OConnor wrote: »

You're correct indeed, in or around that. I do Irish but not very well! I did see a course in TCD a while back, I think it was Political Science, Philosophy, Economics and Sociology. That looked interesting but wasn't sure if I qualified or not. If I were to put that down and got the points for it, do I still get offered the one in DCU even though there are less points required?

I'm assuming so you're doing 6 higher level subjects and pass Irish, you 'only' have to pass the latter and I have faith you can do that "very well" :P

I'm not familiar with this course, PPES, and I actually just put the initials thinking that might be the shortened title :eek:. I just looked up the list of courses on the TCD site and put down courses that might interest you when you gave the DCU course of Law, Economics and Politics - sounds like you'd be set for life with that one thou!!

Surprisingly, TCD have 'Entry Requirements 2012' with all the info on course requirements on their site BUT it includes 2010 and NOT 2011 points! There is a notable difference in some courses, so I got the 2011 points on the CAO website.

Timbuk2 is right - put down your choices in order of what you'd love to study, not what you get the points for, it's a common mistake (thou I get you get it). As mentioned, you have plenty of time so research all your course options, go to Open Days, think about college location, travel costs, sports if you're interested, scholarships, career opportunities and look up DCU/TCD etc on Boards to get answers/ask questions on the individual courses. See the Stickies.

Best of luck!

Truman Burbank

Ryan OConnor wrote: »

I suppose there's no harm in putting it down as a second preference anyway, even though If I have gotten the points for it I will have satisfied everything I need for DCU and have been offered that. That's why I always thought you ranked in order of points but I suppose theoretically you can still get the points without meeting the course requirements. Thanks again, you've been very helpfull.

It's really UCD courses you may be interested in (i.e. NUI) that you need the 3rd language for. Scroll down for the full grid, https://myucd.ucd.ie/admission/entry_ug.ezc?pageID=1263

TCD = English and any language
DCU = English or Irish
DIT = English or Irish

Ryan OConnor

Truman Burbank wrote: »

It's really UCD courses you may be interested in (i.e. NUI) that you need the 3rd language for. Scroll down for the full grid, https://myucd.ucd.ie/admission/entry_ug.ezc?pageID=1263

TCD = English and any language
DCU = English or Irish
DIT = English or Irish

I would have liked UCD but I don't do the 3rd language just English and Irish.