After the elation of the results, parents and students are examining their options closely and wondering what courses will be available come Tuesday.
With such a high failure rate in ordinary-level maths (almost 17 per cent) many are worried this could spoil their chances. Many did well in other subjects and are frustrated that a poor maths performance could drag them down.
The news is not good if you failed. Of course, you should get it rechecked, but if it comes back unchanged you have to face the unpleasant reality that many doors will be closed to you.
The NUI colleges - UCD, UCC, Maynooth, NUI Galway - will accept you with a fail in maths for some courses, such as arts, law and social science (corporate law at Galway does require pass maths).
But other faculties such as engineering, commerce and medicine do require the subject.
Virtually every other college requires maths. For the record, this includes Trinity College, DCU, all the Institutes of Technology, the University of Limerick and most of the private colleges.
So the news is not good if you failed lower or higher-level maths.
However, NUI colleges again have a slight loophole for those who failed at higher level.
They will accept an E in higher-level maths (or English or any other subject) if your results include at least three C3s at higher level or at least one B3 and one C3 at higher level.
But again, this is only for certain faculties, such as arts and law.
In the final analysis it might be advisable to repeat maths next year if you have failed, certainly at ordinary level.
Not only will most colleges not offer you a place, many employers will raise an eyebrow if they see an E or F in maths on your Leaving Cert results.
It is possible to just repeat maths, hold the points from the other subjects, and enjoy a relaxing year doing one subject.
You then enter CAO next year refreshed, with your new maths grade (hopefully a pass this time) and your six subjects from the year before.
Remember, you only need maths to fulfil basic requirements. You do not have to depend on it for points. You can use your six other subjects for that.
About 15 per cent will have received a D grade in higher level and wonder what courses they might qualify for.
The majority of courses are open, but a substantial portion will be off limits.
For example, four of the five engineering courses in UCD require a minimum of a C3, and the other, electronic or electrical engineering (DN 073), requires at least a B3.
Actuarial finance (DN 020) at UCD requires at least a B3, while economics and finance (DN 026) requires at least a C3.
Theoretical physics (DN 031) requires at least a B2, while maths science (DN032) requires a B1 or better.
The same is true for many courses outside UCD involving computers, engineering and specialist science courses, as opposed to general science degrees, which accept honours in maths at lower level in most universities.
The best way to find out before Tuesday is to get the Irish Times College 2001 supplement from Wednesday and look at pages 8 and 9, where all the essential subjects are listed.
Do this so you are not taken by surprise when a certain offer does not come through the letter box on Tuesday.
Our helpline has had several calls about UCD's engineering courses.
In our points chart from Wednesday (showing last year's cut-off figures) we left a space beside their five engineering courses.
This was not a misprint but because these are new courses. UCD used to have an omnibus or general engineering course, but it has broken that into five denominated courses, and there are no points for these from last year.
The points for the old engineering course were 375 in the first round, although this dropped to 370 in the final round.
Points for this years UCD's engineering courses are uncertain, but should float somewhere near that figure, or slightly higher for some options.
Staying with engineering, the Institution of Engineers in Ireland, has contacted us to express its concern about the shortage of people entering the profession.
It says the economy needs 2,000 engineers and 1,800 engineering technicians each year up to and beyond 2003. So they hope as many people as possible accept a place in the sector.
They also hope those who accept remain in the discipline.