Mount Sackville – Class of 2019

Introductions Miriam Kenny – Athena & Phoebe Catherine Flanagan – Helen & Iris All students will have guidance class (every second week) from now until Christmas. All students will have opportunity for 1-to-1 appointments throughout the year.

Information Evening for 6th Year Parents CAO – important Dates Other post-school course options Survival guide to sixth year

CAO Central Applications Office Applying to colleges in the Republic of Ireland NOT FOR QQI /FETAC / PLC (these need to be applied for separately)

CAO information evening - Mount Sackville 1977 5 colleges & 69 courses 2000 28 colleges & c. 300 courses 2019 - 44 Colleges in CAO Universities Institutes of Technology Private Colleges c. 1,300 Courses 5

Significant Dates in CAO Calendar CAO opens November 5th FEBRUARY 1 Initial Closing Date (Discount fee of €25 to apply by January 20th) *Restricted courses must be listed by February 1st * May 5th Change of mind opens JULY 1 Closing date for change of mind All deadlines are 17:15 on the day

How to apply Go to www.cao.ie Click on “Apply” (interactive demo for “dummy run”) Closing dates are strict to ensure fairness. Students will receive their CAO handbook with the codes for all the courses (also available online). Spend time familiarising yourself with the website / video guide/ notes for parents etc.

CAO Handbook The handbook contains: A reference list of all the HEIs (Higher Education Institutions that use CAO). Detailed information regarding CAO applications, offers and acceptance. A listing from the HEIs of the courses on offer for 2019 entry (subject to change – see alert lists)

Restricted courses MUST BE ON THE CAO BY FEBRUARY 1st Clearly marked in the handbook. Courses that have a test/ audition/ portfolio/ interview etc. as part of the application process. MUST BE ON THE CAO BY FEBRUARY 1st Can remove them later but cannot introduce them after this time.

Qualification Framework

CAO Course Options Three levels of Certification Level 6 Higher Certificate (formerly Cert) Level 7 Ordinary Degree (formerly Dip) ______________________________ Level 8 Honours Degree Mainly found in the Institutes of Technology and private colleges. Found in all CAO colleges

Selection of Courses Two Lists: Level 8 Hons Degree Levels 6 & 7 Higher Cert/ Ord Degree Students choose courses in order of preference. Maximum of ten courses may be chosen from each list.

Level 8 Level 6/7 Pref Course Code 1 CK101 (Arts in UCC) BN003 (business studies) 2 DC201 TA102 3 AL033 TA101 4 DN021 NC101 5 TR084 TA108 6 DC115 DT315 7 DT366 DT521 8 BN101 9 DT413 10 PD101

Offers Leaving Cert results issued in August – sent directly to CAO. HEIs contact CAO and instruct them on how many places to offer on each course. CAO then makes offers to the required number of applicants on each course starting with the applicant with the highest points and working down until enough places have been offered.

The applicants marked in green have enough points to be offered places. The applicant marked in red has enough points for her second preference.

The applicant in red is offered her second preference, the highest preference course that she has enough points for, and she will now disappear from the queue in all her lower choices. 17 17

Normally given a week to accept the offer but very important to check the deadline date given with the offer. If offered Level 8 and Level 6/7 offer, accepting one automatically rejects the other. You may never receive another offer from the CAO so think very carefully before rejecting the offer. Accepting or rejecting an offer will have no effect on your higher course choices.

In the Second round of offers three more offers are made on CK101 and our applicant, who was second in line, now receives an offer. She may do nothing and remain in DN201 or she may accept the offer and begin in CK101. 19 19

DARE applications Learning Difficulty or ongoing medical issue The student must tick box on CAO form and fill out Part A (online) by March 1st 2 further sections to be completed and sent to CAO by April 1st: Part B – educational impact statement to be completed by the candidate and the school. Part C – signed by Consultant / Psychologist etc.

Any Questions?

QQI / FETAC ( formerly called PLC) NOT PART OF CAO! Apply to these separately. Most use on-line application system on their website. Can apply to as many as you like. No set deadline but popular courses fill up fast. E.g. Make-Up & Beauty in SCD – apply by December! Most FETAC open days are in the New Year.

Applications to UK & Northern Ireland Initial deadline for Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry and all Oxford and Cambridge Courses is October 15th. Everything else – January 15th Will need to write a personal statement and get school reference – please leave plenty of time. www.ucas.com

Further afield European Universities – visit EUNICAS (www.eunicas.ie) Many opportunities to study in English in top Universities across Europe. USA – Education USA (part of US embassy) provides support.

How to make a good choice…. Research, research, research! Go to Open Days – ask current students about what surprised them about the course. Focus on course content and not on job titles. Ask yourself “is this what I want to LEARN?” Use your networks – past pupils / older siblings/ cousins/ friends. Most colleges will allow you to spend a day on campus at any time. Become familiar with using websites like Qualifax – read the content of the course. The last word in a course title will be more important than the first words for understanding the content of the degree.

Final thoughts Not all students are ready for further education after school. Many students in their lifetime will be successful in jobs that don’t even exist today. We encourage them to think of this step as the next stage of their education – NOT career guidance!

Dates for your diary UCD Open Day – Saturday 3rd November Trinity Open Day – 10th November Blanchardstown IT Open Evening – 14th November DCU Open Day - 17th November Better Options – Very important for DARE applicants – Monday 19th November in RCSI Maynooth University Open Day- 24th November DIT Open Day -1st December

Websites www.cao.ie – excellent video and parents guide www.qualifax.ie – list of open days and course search www.myucd.ie – website for prospective students to UCD www.gomaynooth – website for prospective students to Maynooth University. www.eunicas.com – agency for applying to courses in Europe taught through English. www.ucas.com – for courses and applications to the UK & Northern Ireland. www.accesscollege.ie – information about DARE

Significant Dates Apply to CAO. From now – February 1st Apply to CAO. January 15th – Deadline for applying to the UK and Northern Ireland. Apply to FETAC colleges. February 1st – beginning May Apply to FETAC colleges. DARE application deadline – PART A, March 1st PART B, April 1st May – July 1st Change of mind as often as you like on CAO.