You didn't get an offer of a college place today and you simply can't understand why. The following is a checklist that should guide you through some of the common errors and misconceptions about this turn of events.
Points
Did you add up your points correctly? Remember you can only count six subjects. These must all come from one sitting of the Leaving Certificate.
Bonus points for higher-level maths are awarded by the University of Limerick only. DIT gives some additional points for maths and science subjects in the case of one degree only - FT221, electrical/electronic engineering.
If you sat the Leaving Cert Vocational Programme you may be confused by the fact that the universities and the DIT are awarding lower points for the link modules than the other institutes of technology. The ITs (other than DIT) give 70 points for a distinction, 50 for a merit and 30 for a pass. The universities and DIT give 50 points for a distinction, 40 for a merit and 30 for a pass.
Subject requirements
Many courses have specific subject requirements as well as points requirements. For instance, you need a C3 in higher-level chemistry to get a place on DIT's medical lab sciences course. A master chart of subject requirements was published in the Going to College supplement published in The Irish Times on August 16th. You must fulfil the subject requirements no matter how many points you have.
Random selection
You have the points and the subject requirements but still don't have an offer. Look at the chart with the cut-off points. If there is an asterix beside the points listing, this means that random selection applied. Not all students with this level of points were allocated a place. Places were allocated by computerised lottery.
Don't give up hope yet. It is possible that some of the applicants who were offered places in round one will not take them up. These places will then be re-allocated in round two or subsequent rounds.
Postal difficulties
Regardless of whether you received an offer or not, you should have received a letter from the CAO. The CAO can be contacted by telephone at 091 509800 or you can post an enquiry to CAO, Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway. The CAO will respond by return of post.
Helplines
Sometimes it can be helpful to talk to someone in the relevant college about your particular situation. See panel on this supplement for a listing of useful helpline numbers.
The Irish Times College Places helpline (tel: 1850 747724) is in place and is staffed by experienced guidance counsellors who will do their best to answer your enquiries. Check the daily College Places column in The Irish Times for times.
Definitely no offer
You have got a letter from the CAO stating that you do not have a round one offer. This is only the beginning of the college offers process. Many applicants will reject offers that they receive.
These will be re-offered in round two and subsequent rounds. The second round of offers will be posted on Monday, September 4th, to arrive on Tuesday, September 5th. The reply date for acceptances will be September 11th. After this date, vacancies will continue to be offered as they arise.
You will get an offer in subsequent rounds, but it would be advisable to use the waiting time to investigate options outside the CAO. There are still some vacancies on Post Leaving Cert courses as well as in private colleges and colleges in Britain and Northern Ireland. You may also wish to consider the possibility of repeating your Leaving Certificate.
