What to focus on during college Open Days
Do your homework first. Open days offer prospective students a valuable opportunity to get a flavour of college life
My daughter wants to study nursing but I worry that CAO points are too high. Are there other options?
For well-motivated Leaving Cert students, there are several alternative entry pathways into nursing
My son in thinking of going to college abroad due to high CAO points at home. Is this wise?
Courses can be demanding but are an excellent pathway for a student to study their dream course
Will CAO points fall next year due to reduction in Leaving Cert grade inflation?
Supply and demand of places, as well as applicants’ grades, determine CAO entry points for individual courses
I worry my daughter will drift during a ‘doss’ transition year. Should she skip it?
This can be particularly beneficial for students who thrive in interactive and collaborative learning environments.
‘I don’t want to give my child a smartphone but worry he will feel left out if I don’t’
Parents have felt powerless in the face of advances in technology - that, hopefully, is changing
Mapping your career path: How to engage with Higher Options
Expo can help you make the right choice before deciding on what career option to pursue after the Leaving Cert
One of best-kept secrets for access to college is a new route that does not require CAO points
One of best-kept secrets for access to third level is a new route that does not require Leaving Cert points
My daughter wants to drop to ordinary level Irish so she can focus on a top grade in other subjects. Should she?
It is common for students to be strategic in order to target high CAO points, but it is a misguided approach
My son in sixth year still has no idea what to do after he leaves school. Can you help?
No matter what option he eventually chooses, he has until the end of sixth year to make his choices
I narrowly missed out on my first-choice CAO course. Is there another route to university?
There are still options to secure the course of your dreams – even if you didn’t get a CAO offer
CAO offers: Major effort to minimise use of random selection
Minister for Education Norma Foley announced in April that there will be no change from last year, with grades to stay at the same level
Five takeaways from CAO offers, from drop in points for medicine to why students are following the economy
Fly in ointment for many potential third-level students is finding a place to live
CAO 2024: Here’s how to respond to an offer
Over 80,000 applicants have registered their aspiration for a place on one of more than a thousand courses on offer at Ireland’s third-level institutions.
Evolving career routes boost options for school-leavers
For a programme of study to be successful, it must be a good fit for the student’s strengths and aptitudes