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CAO Confusion

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  • 13-06-2016 10:15pm
    #1
    Fatfeet
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭


    Alright, so I've seen the video in school where it lays down the basics of the CAO process but I would like some things cleared up.
    1.) If I want to do arts in Maynooth and its 350 points is there a chance I wouldnt get in at 400 points because of a high demand aka lots of 600 pointers going for it?
    2.) Am I only offered one course on my CAO? If I get my top choice can I not get the ones below it even if I have the points?
    3.) If I apply for a level7 or a PLC will it automatically pick them? Like I really dont understand, because theres a separate list for them and im honestly so confused
    Tagged:


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    #2
    A97
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭A97


    1.) That's theoretically possible, but crazy point fluctuations are rare. It's all about supply and demand. The number of points that are published is equal to the amount of points that the person who got in with the lowest amount of points.

    2.) You're offered your highest preference that you qualified for. You can't move down your selection list so make sure you have them in the order you want them by the time the "Change of Mind" window closes.

    3.) You get offered one Level 8 and one Level 7/6 course provided you qualify for one in both. Accept the one you want from the CAO website. PLCs are completely unrelated to the CAO and you accept their offer through some other method.


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    #3
    randylonghorn
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 29,509 Mod ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    Good answers.

    Fatfeet, when the LC is over, read the first post in the CAO thread above, and then have a proper browse through your handbook.


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    #4
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users Posts: 15,381 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    A97 wrote: »
    1.) That's theoretically possible, but crazy point fluctuations are rare. It's all about supply and demand. The number of points that are published is equal to the amount of points that the person who got in with the lowest amount of points.

    Very true. Essentially anyone that has Arts in Maynooth listed on their CAO is put onto the list for Arts in order of points. Anyone that doesn't meet the requirements (e.g. hasn't passed Maths/French/Ancient Greek - whatever the subject requirement is) is crossed off the list. This happens for every course you apply for. Students then get offered their top preference and a domino affect happens within the CAO system. So if there are 100 places in Arts Maynooth and 100 places in Arts in NUIG and someone had NUIG as their first choice and they made the first 100 in both lists, they will be offered Galway and crossed off the Maynooth list and all remaining Maynooth candidates move up one.

    Same goes for you, if you make the cut for places in Maynooth you will be crossed off all the other lists for courses further down your CAO list. By putting them as 2, 3, 4....10 you are telling CAO you want Maynooth more than any other course, so they give you your top preference. If on the other hand you end up at position 101 in Maynooth and position 95 in Galway (your second choice) you get offered Galway. In the second round if someone declined Maynooth, they are crossed off the list and you move into position 100 and get the second round offer.

    Now imagine that on a massive scale for 60000 students!!!


    Points do fluctuate but not massively for large intake courses such as Arts, Business and General Science. Mainly because those courses take in a few hundred each every year, most colleges offer them so there are generally a similar amount of people looking for them every year. Theoretically if there are 100 places on the course and the top 100 people looking for the course all scored 600 then, yes, the points could rise dramatically, but that is not going to happen. Unless you see Enda Kenny make an announcement tomorrow that a €1 million grant will be given to each Maynooth Arts student in September, you can be fairly certain the points will not sway much from the 350 mark. You probably have a better chance of winning the lotto than Arts going up 50 points anywhere in the country.
    A97 wrote: »
    2.) You're offered your highest preference that you qualified for. You can't move down your selection list so make sure you have them in the order you want them by the time the "Change of Mind" window closes.

    This cannot be stressed enough. As sure as I am about Arts points remaining relatively stable, I would bet my house that the Monday the offers are released in August, there will be a thread on here with some regular posters devastated because they put their preferred choice second because they didn't think they would get the points. They ended up getting the points, but also got the points for their first choice, and they will be stuck with their first choice which they don't want. Put your courses down in order of choice, not points.
    A97 wrote: »

    3.) You get offered one Level 8 and one Level 7/6 course provided you qualify for one in both. Accept the one you want from the CAO website. PLCs are completely unrelated to the CAO and you accept their offer through some other method.

    PLCs are not part of the CAO system. You apply to PLC colleges directly and individually. An offer from a PLC college is completely separate to the CAO.


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