Trinity offers places to 25 students short on points

A system of accepting students on the basis of personal statements and performance within their own school, as well as their Leaving Certificate results, is to be extended at Trinity College Dublin.

It has offered places to 25 students this week who got as much as 80 points fewer than others getting entry to the same courses.

The initiative was piloted this year and last to take into account considerations other than points derived for the (CAO) from exam grades.

Due to its successful implementation, with 22 admitted by the same route last year, Patrick Geoghegan, who oversees TCD’s admissions feasibility study, said it will be repeated in 2016.

“We will continue our work to find a way to go beyond a crude points total in identifying and admitting students who will thrive at third-level,” said Prof Geoghan.

As well as CAO points, TCD counted scores for a personal statement submitted by applicants, and a relative performance rank comparing how their grades compared to others in the same school. This is intended to recognise the likelihood of students at disadvantaged or other schools achieving lower results than those at schools with a higher socio-demographic profile.

It was only used to select entrants for some of the places on TCD’s degrees in law, history, and ancient and medieval history and culture, with successful applicants admitted with between five and 185 fewer CAO points than those offered entry on exam results alone.

By yesterday afternoon, the number of Monday’s CAO offers accepted by students passed 29,000, but applicants have until next Monday evening to accept an offer.

Over 200 courses opened applications through the CAO website yesterday for places not already filled, and more than 120 people expressed interest by 4pm.

History at TCD only offered places to applicants with 485 out of a maximum 625 points on Monday, but one student with 350 points was among those offered entry under the scheme. Another has been given the chance to study law, after getting 455 points, compared to the 540 cut-off on which most others were admitted.

TCD’s admissions pilot was not set up specifically to improve access for non-traditional student groups, but the parents of half those admitted through it last year had not been to university.

Some other colleges have shown particular interest in adopting the relative performance scores. Others believe the use of personal statements could help select students who are most passionate about a subject and less likely to drop out.

The seven universities will announce plans next month for a uniform approach from 2017 to having fewer specialised courses at entry point, a step long in place at University College Dublin. The aim is to reduce numbers of courses which, because they have very few places, only admit students with very high CAO points and so drive focus on rote learning to maximise exam grades.