Cao Points News Today

Ciara Smith grew up on a farm in Wilkinstown, Co Meath, and from an early age, knew she wanted to continue the family tradition of farming. So it was no surprise when she opted for a degree programme in agriculture after finishing St Joseph’s Mercy Secondary School, in Navan, Co Meath.

As Leaving Cert students enter into this very important and busy term of sixth year, managing workload is key to success. Teachers are working hard to ensure that the entire course is completed in a timely manner, and putting pressure on students to get through the last remaining topics.

The Leaving Cert year can be hectic for students but it’s no walk in the park for parents either. There will, of course, be some students who are clear about their CAO choices and even their future careers. But in my experience, certainty is for the few and CAO decisions don’t always come neatly packaged.

Support for accessing third-level education is essential for many students. The main schemes for young people experiencing challenges are Hear and Dare.

It is one of Ireland’s most affordable fee-paying schools where the majority of students progress to college – but the principal says it would be a plus to see more partake in apprenticeships.

It is one of Ireland’s most affordable fee-paying schools where the majority of students progress to college – but the principal says it would be a plus to see more partake in apprenticeships.

There are two different schemes to support students in accessing third-level education which offer reduced points access — the DARE scheme and the HEAR scheme.

The Central Applications Office is responsible for overseeing entry to third level. They look after the application forms and offers, and apply the rules and regulations. In the past number of years, the CAO also created a resource section of their website which provides ample information to applicants in a convenient and accessible form.

“Random selection” has been widely decried this past week. Our third-level admissions system prides itself on fairness; so, when a tiny number of top-performing students missed out on places in their chosen courses because those places had to be randomly allocated, this was seen as an injustice.

Becoming a student has always been one of life’s biggest financial challenges, whether you were cooking beans for dinner on a gas ring in a freezing Rathmines bedsit in 1992 or sofa-surfing on a friend’s couch during the housing crisis in 2022.