Q: What are my chances of getting an offer in the 2nd or 3rd round if I didn't get in due to random selection?
A:
This very much depends how many people are in the random pool of applicants on the cut off points waiting to get an offer and the number of places that may be offered in the next round due mainly to round one applicants who were offered a place and are not accepting the it. There is no way of finding out this information so unfortunately it is a waiting game again until round two to see what happens.
Q: I got 220 points, but the course I want to do is Computing Level 7 in DKIT. I'm 10 points off, how likely is it the points will go down in Round 2?
A:
Unfortunately we have no way of knowing what is going to happen with the points for courses in round two yet. This depends on a number of issues, the biggest of which is what the applicants who are currently holding the offers of places from round one are going to do with these places. Unfortunately its a waiting game until the 28th August. Good luck.
Q: My son has missed his preferred course by 5 points. If he accepts the course he has been offered does that mean he won't receive a second round offer if the points for the course he wanted falls?
A:
No. Whether he accepts the course he has been offered or not he will still remain in the running for a higher preference course. If he becomes entitled to a higher preference place in the next rounds he will be offered it and it is up to him whether to accept or not. The danger of not accepting a course in round one is that there is no guarantee of another offer in successive rounds.
Q: My daughter appears to have fallen victim to the issue highlighted in your lead article - she applied for politics and geography in TCD which was 445 last year, thought she was comfortable at 465,only to find that the points have jumped to 490!
Is there any possibility this number will change significantly in the second round or more places will be offered - it certainly appears to be a very dramatic switch?
A:
There is always a possibilty. If or by how much it will fall will depend on the number of successful applicants who defer or reject their offer. It will also depend on where your daughter is in the queue. Candidates are placed in the queue in order of points.
Q: Are you guaranteed an offer in round two if you don't accept your round one offer? I got the points I need for my first choice but didn't get maths grade I need. If I get my maths rechecked, and get it, does that mean I'll get an offer?
A:
No there are no guarantees like this, you may get no further offers in round two and beyond so we advise accepting something in round one for this reason. Whatever results you get as a result of a recheck in October are backdated to today, so if you would have been entitled to your first choice today with your upgraded results then you must be offered it in October.