Louisa Tyrrell, International Officer with the Irish Second-Level Students' Union, is off to college! Following on from their Leaving Cert results day nerves, they tell us what's next as the CAO Round 1 offers were released today.
Personally, I'm heading to University of Galway, studying Irish, French, Politics and Sociology, and Human Rights! I'm immensely excited because I've managed to find a course that combines so many of the things I'm interested in, however the accommodation search was very difficult as I'm from Wicklow and Galway was the only place I could do everything.
I received my CAO offer at exactly seven minutes past one this afternoon, on my lunch break at work. The experience reminded me of a conveyor belt, unlike the nerve-wracking leaving certificate results portal login screen, the instantaneous text message was both brief and direct.
The next steps for me were very clearly laid out - follow the link, accept my offer, confirm my accommodation with the University. Unfortunately for many students, the same cannot be said. With a record number of CAO applicants this year, our supply and demand system for allocating course places is again under pressure.
In spite of grade deflation, there have been some substantial points jumps across various courses. My course which had remained steady for the past few years rose by 55 points. While I still secured a place, I'm sure this will have been a nasty and unexpected surprise for many.
Among my friends and students that I've spoken with so far, this jump is actually on the lower end of some of the increases this year. From Galway, to Cork, to Dublin, there are courses which have increased by 101 points right up to 250.
Watch more CAO reaction from RTÉ News. Press play on the image above.
For students who may have received their leaving cert results on Friday, breathed a sigh of relief and thought "thank goodness, I'm a hundred, two hundred points over my course" this will have been a huge shock.
As well as the emotional toll, for many there is also a new worry presenting itself, accommodation. Students who may have believed they didn't need to worry about farther away courses further down their CAO have now been plunged into this chaotic scramble.
Additionally, in spite of grade deflation, multiple maximum points courses have once again resorted to a lottery. At ISSU we firmly believe that supports need to be put into place to ensure that this doesn't continue.
Overall it is clear that both the supply of college places and levels of grade deflation still need to be refined. While the work done is hugely welcome, we have a road to go yet to ensure students in Ireland are not caught in these unexpected predicaments.
For more help and guidance at this time check out RTÉ Learn.
You can speak to an expert guidance counsellor by phoning the National Parents and Students Leaving Certificate Helpline which is supported by the ISSU.
To connect with a guidance counsellor, you can call 1800 265 165 or text 086 1800 685.
