Jess Casey: Decline in 'cruel' random selection in CAO process to be welcomed

With more than two thirds of grades bumped up, Jess Casey asks why have course points dropped this year?

Aimee Long and Zoe Dunlea of St Patrick’s Girls College, Gardiners Hill, Cork, getting their Leaving Certificate results last week. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Despite another year of bumper Leaving Cert grades, points are down at almost half of all college courses this year. How come?

Almost 60% of students received their first preference degree course, despite another year of record-high points, data from the CAO shows. This year, more than two-thirds of all grades were bumped up to ensure the Leaving Cert class of 2023 fared as well as last year's students.