MORE THAN 30,000 students are set to change their Central Applications Office (CAO) applications before the July 1st deadline.
The huge numbers using the Change of Mind process – more than 50 per cent of all CAO applicants – reflect growing uncertainty about job prospects.
The process allows students to change their initial CAO application – completed last January – in light of their performance in the Leaving Cert exams. More than 16,000 have already completed the process.
This year, applications from those over 23 years of age – classified as mature applicants – are up by 17 per cent, while applications from those who have previously attended higher education are up by 15 per cent.
Costs will be a major issue for many students applying for college this year. The registration charge has nearly doubled in recent years to €1,500. There is also uncertainty about third-level fees.
While those already in college should escape fees, there are clear signals from Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe that new students could become liable. However the shape of any new fees regime may not be known until September, just as students register for their new course.
The number applying to the CAO has increased significantly this year but points for most courses are expected to be broadly similar to last year because of the plentiful supply of places for most courses.
The CAO process was marked this year by an increasing conservatism among students. Broadly, they opted out of high-risk careers in business, property and law. There was also less demand for degrees where there are unclear job prospects including pharmacy (down more than 30 per cent) and physiotherapy (down 3 per cent).
Demand for nursing courses is up by 12 per cent, though, so CAO points for nursing can be expected to increase this year. Demand for teaching posts has also increased.
Overall, there were 3,766 extra applicants in the CAO system this year, with more than 1,500 of these being mature students. The additional CAO applicants are not expected to place any upward pressure on Level 8 higher degree courses, as most will be applying for certificate and ordinary level courses where points levels are low.
In recent years, various third-level colleges have spent huge sums on marketing campaigns designed to attract students to coincide with the Change of Mind process.
Competition between third-level colleges has increased because fewer Leaving Cert students are chasing more and more college places.
While this competition for students remains intense, the colleges have a smaller marketing budget since Government moves to cut all marketing and promotional spending by more than 50 per cent earlier this year.
Some 70 per cent of CAO applicants will receive one of their top three options and about 40 per cent will receive their first option.
