Thoughts turn to CAO offers as third-level entry debate continues

THE minds of most of this year’s school leavers will already be turning to the confirmation of college courses, a process which begins in earnest next Monday.

Just under 45,500 of this year’s record 77,628 people who have submitted course choices to the Central Applications Office (CAO) sat the Leaving Certificate in June. The CAO will work with admissions officers from third-level colleges over the coming days as debate continues over the merits of reliance solely on exam results for entry to higher education.

National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) director Clive Byrne urged students to bask in their achievements, however, rather than be influenced by the pressures of recessionary talk, graduate unemployment and third-level points.