Leaving Cert students face choices that’ll affect them for the rest of their lives

Ahead of the looming Leaving Certificate start, a principal and CAO expert urges students to keep in mind that they can make very final decisions after their exams.

About half of Central Applications Office (CAO) each year use the change of mind facility.

Patricia McGrath, principal of Hewitt College in Cork city, advises students to check their options in the week or more between final exams and the July 1 deadline to use the CAO facility. Regardless of how many times students alter their course choices, it is those listed at 5.15pm on that date which will be used to determine how places are allocated.