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�

CAO & Further Options

Guidance Department

Information Evening

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Warning to students...

Don’t sleepwalk

through the

CAO process!

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Golden Rule… the 3 Rs…

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Explore Options…

Research Tools

www.CareersPortal.ie
www.qualifax.ie
UCAS.com
Eunicas.ie
CAO Handbook
Higher Options Event RDS
Open Days
Campus Visits
Other students

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Get Focused…

Course Investigation Sheet

https://careersportal.ie/pdfs/CourseInvestigation.pdf

Research Folder
CAO Handbook
Guidance appointments
Long List
Short List
Top choices

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Take Action…

CAO applications
HEAR/DARE applications
UCAS applications
Scholarship applications
SUSI applications
1916 Bursery
NUI exemptions

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Qualification Framework

This is the Qualification Framework ‘fan’ and all of our LC students are proud owners of a level 3 standard of education - Junior Cycle. You can look at any course in this country and map it out on this framework If you know the level of the course you know where it sits on this fan and it lets you know the level you will get when you complete the course. When students finish LC they will have jumped up to a level 5, halfway through the framework after all those years of primary and secondary school.

Many options available: 1 year PLC FETAC level 5. Same on the Framework as LC but instead of studying 7 subjects, they’ll focus on one specific area like business or pre-university science, so they’re focussing on an area they’re interested in. So even though it’s the same level it’s much more intensive and in depth in one area.

Also, an option through the CAO to apply for courses that are a level 6, 7 or 8. A level 8 honours degree is nt the only option through the CAO. They can apply for a level 6 - usually a 3 year certificate or a level 7 -usually a 3 year Diploma or sometimes called an Ordinary degree and then there’s the Honours Bachelor degree usually ¾ years depending on the programme.

So those are the courses that you apply through the CAO. There are a very small number of courses working through to a level 9 combining a degree and Masters such as particular Engineering qualifications but most level 9s are postgraduate and you have to go through a different system. So level 9 - Pst grad and Masters, level 10 - Doctorate.

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Sources of Information?

CAO Handbook www.cao.ie
Alert list
Open days - College visits (most on Saturdays)
Useful websites (all on school website)

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AimingHigher_update_15_4_2015-3.pdf (scoilmhuiretrim.info)

http://www2.cao.ie/downloads/documents/

CAOparentsguide.pdf

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What is the CAO?

What is the CAO?

Central Applications Office

based in Galway.

What do they do?

They process all applications to undergraduate courses in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

What do they NOT do?

They do not SET the points each year.

An office based in Galway that processes all the applications. Last year’s points are the ones you find on Careers Portal, the college website or prospectuses.

To open an account, all you have to do is go onto CAO.ie, click on apply, put your name, contact details and pay the fee, currently 30euros.

Sometimes students put off applying because they don’t know which courses to apply for but it’s advisable to get that 8 digit CAO number (will start with 24 - year doing the LC) and open your account. We can then help your child during our Guidance meetings, they can open up their account and we can help them through the process. It is their account though, we wouldn’t know passwords and bare in mind that 1st uly is the final cut off for late applications and school will have been closed since early June.

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CAO dates

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

Safety Net Courses

Dream Courses

Realistic courses

Listed in genuine

order of preference!

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Genuine order of preference!!!

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How Places are Allocated?

When examination results are released in August they are entered into the CAO computer.

The computer checks each applicant’s results. For each course the applicant has applied for, the computer first determines if the applicant has the Minimum Entry Requirements for the course.
Specific entry requirements (e.g Irish for Primary)
CAO only then only look at the queue

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How Places are Allocated?

If the applicant meets the minimum entry requirements for the course, the applicant’s points are calculated for this course choice.

All eligible applicants are then placed in a list, in order of the points they achieved, for each course that they applied for.

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How Places are Allocated?

The colleges tell CAO how many places are to be offered 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.

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Applicants must respond to offer by the designated reply date. �
If offered Level 8 and Level 6/7 offer, accepting one automatically rejects the other.�
Rejecting an offer does NOT guarantee that you will get another – Think carefully!�

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Genuine Order

of Preference

You do not need to guess what the points are going to be for the courses you are interested in.

Simply list your courses in genuine order of preference from the highest preference 1, to the lowest preference 10.

If you are entitled to an offer, you will be offered the highest preference that you are entitled to.

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�Errors made when �selecting courses

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Not enough research into courses

Listing courses in order of points instead of genuine preference

Under estimating / overestimating Leaving Certificate results

Targeting low point courses in hope of getting a college place

Targeting Level 8 courses only and ignoring Level 7 & 6 courses, thereby ignoring the Ladder of Opportunity

Not considering courses outside certain geographic areas

Common Errors

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Dos / Don’ts of CAO Applications

Do choose ten options if at all possible
Do list courses in order of genuine preference
Do make sure to have other options if you do not get your preferences e.g. PLC course
Do check Alert Lists on CAO website

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Dos / ‘Don’ts of CAO Applications

Do not depend totally on getting the 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd choice

You may be offered your 4^th / 5^th/ 6^th / 7^th/ 8^th / 9^th/ 10^thchoice. Be prepared for this and choose wisely!

Do not disregard the GENUINE ORDER OF PREFERENCE rule!

Do not ignore the Level 6/7 route

Do not target only low point courses in hope of getting to college

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Things To Note:

Apply online at www.cao.ie

Interactive demo facility

Alert Lists

Restricted courses

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KTCS Career Guidance

2. Guidance Interviews

7. Student Mentoring

Study Skills

Athena Tracker

4. Careers Events videos posted weekly/ daily GC

5. Lunchtime CAO application sessions

8. Information- GC

eihlnqf, Vsware App, email, @careersKTCS

3. College Presentations. Career Events, Open days

1. Guidance Module Career Exploration & Applications

6. Focus on Apprenticeships- Construction & Local Partnership

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Senior Cycle Career Guidance In KTCS...

Mentoring students to reach their potential using Athena Tracker

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Access Routes

Dare

(Disability Access Route to Education)

Hear (Higher Education Access Route)

1st February
1st March
15^th March

1st February
1st March
15^th March

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The way you apply for a third language and Irish exemption has changed, it is now applied for online.

NUI Matriculation - Application for Exemption

Also link on the school website in the Guidance section.

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Construction
Electrical
Motor
Engineering

Finance
Auctioneering
Pharmaceuticals
Hospitality

www.apprenticeship.ie

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FETAC Level 5 pathways �

Offer an alternative entry route into Level 6, 7 & 8 courses.�
Increased progression routes and pathways on to degree courses in colleges based on their performance.

Wide range of ‘Pre-University courses’ eg Law, Business, Engineering, Science, Humanities, Nursing, Psychology etc.

Alternative GAP Year / Taster year

Should apply from January directly to the College of Further Education. Interview process.

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Stepping Stone courses?

College Taster?

Gap Year?

Lots of options for everyone!

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Thank you for your attention

eurell@ktcs.ie

lgiordano@ktcs.ie