A guidance counsellor's advice for students ahead of CAO deadlines

Róisín O’Donohoe of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors advises students ahead of CAO deadlines. She talks to Darragh Bermingham 

Holly O'Sullivan, Aimee Corcoran, Katie Walsh, Aoibhinn Drummey and Aine McGrath of St Aloysius' College, Cork, among the thousands of prospective students, parents, guardians and guidance counsellors attending the recent Munster Technological University's Cork Campus Open Day. Picture: Gerard McCarthy

With the CAO deadline approaching next month, tens of thousands of students across Ireland will be sitting down to decide their third-level options.

Ahead of the deadline, the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC) in Ireland and the founder of an education and career consultancy business have outlined some key pieces of advice for students.

The IGC highlighted the importance of discussing your third-level options with your guidance counsellor and highlighted a number of key dates for people to be aware of.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Róisín O’Donohoe, vice president of the IGC, said: “First things first, your guidance counsellor is a key asset at this time. If you have not already done so, it would be a good idea to book an appointment with your guidance counsellor to talk through all of your options.

Your guidance counsellor can offer you professional and impartial advice and guidance to help you clarify all your options.” 

Ms O’Donohoe highlighted the importance of students being aware of the normal CAO closing date on February 1.

Restricted courses

She said those applying for restricted courses, which can include early assessment procedures which may start as early as February, must have these courses listed on their application by the February 1 deadline.

“This is to allow time for any required interviews, tests, auditions etc to happen over the coming weeks and months,” she explained.

“You can change your mind and remove these courses at a later date.

If you are applying for Hear or Dare, it is time to start gathering up your application materials,” Ms O’Donohoe added.

“You will need to complete both an online section for the application by March 1 and you will be required to send off all supporting documents by the March 15 deadline.

Róisín O’Donohoe, vice-president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.

“These dates come around quickly so it’s best to start as early as possible. Your guidance counsellor will be able to help you through this process,” she said.

Ms O’Donohoe also highlighted the importance of the CAO change-of-mind facility, which usually opens in May.

“This facility allows applicants the opportunity to remove courses from their list and add in new courses, apart from restricted courses,” she said.

“They can also change the order of preference of courses on their list. At this stage, the main advice to all applicants is to take ownership of their CAO application early,” she added.

“Make sure you have your account set up, that you have logged in and that you have listed any restricted courses for which you want to apply.

“Most importantly, link in with your guidance counsellor for advice and guidance at this time.”

Importance of research

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, education and career consultant Mary Lucey, founder of Career Ahead, highlighted the importance of accuracy and research when filling out the CAO form.

Every year students miss out on places due to incomplete application forms, inaccurate details and not corresponding with the CAO office if requested.” 

“Double-check all data is correct and all instructions are followed.

“Course choices should not be based on anticipated exam results,” Ms Lucey added. 

“A student’s genuine first-course choice should be placed number one on their CAO form, irrespective of the points required for this course.”

Ms Lucey also encouraged students to look beyond course titles.

“Some titles are used to attract students so it is vital to delve into the focus and content of the course to see if it matches a student’s interests and strengths,” she said.

“It sounds remarkably simple, but if a student selects a course based on their interests and strengths, either at school, or through hobbies, this means in college, they will find the course content interesting and stimulating, and engage more with the work.

“Students should ideally decide on a discipline or area in which they would like to study/work/carve a career, then work backwards to see what the most suitable path is to get them there,” she added.

'Cover every eventuality'

Ms Lucey also encouraged students to fill out as many CAO choices as possible “to cover every eventuality”, and to ensure they consider level 6/7 options.

“Consider all colleges,” she added. 

A level 8 degree is an honours degree, irrespective of the college attended. At times, students base their decisions on the perceived status of a college rather than the suitability of a course.

“Consider all locations,” she added.

“Some students have their mind set on going to a particular location.

“There will be positives and negatives associated with every college; the suitability of the course is what is paramount.”

Ms Lucey also encouraged students to be realistic in terms of budget when making their course choices, and to check if they are eligible for any scholarships or grants.

She highlighted the importance of looking at every available option.

“The CAO website lists further education training and apprenticeships as options for Leaving Certificate students.

“Completing the CAO application form is ensuring students keep the direct route to third-level courses open, but there are so many other access routes to a course and a career, and they all should be considered.”