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Would we be Better Off Specialising as Graduates?
“For every Irish student, the CAO represents a confusing and mildly terrifying set of choices, determining the rest of your life. ‘What’s your first choice?’ was the refrain of sixth year as we all...
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Colleges criticised for using small-intake courses to drive up CAO points
“Many colleges are still manipulating the CAO system by offering courses with very few student places in order to drive up the points requirements for them, a university president has warned. Colleges...
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Fewer courses a boon for Maynooth
“Maynooth University claims that having fewer entry courses for Leaving Certificate students is the reason for its increase in popularity this year. A limited number of courses, rather than very...
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More subjects may get bonus CAO points
“Leaving Cert students could receive bonus points for subjects relevant to the courses they are applying for under new proposals being drawn up.The introduction of 25 bonus points for higher level...
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Time for colleges to slow down points race
“There are far too many college courses on offer through the Central Applications Office. And it can often be hard to distinguish between them. How many of us could tell the difference between computer...
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Colleges are fuelling the points race, warns university president
“Third-level colleges have not done enough to take the heat out of the CAO points race, according to a university president. Professor Philip Nolan says school-leavers still face too confusing a choice...
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Just because everyone else seems to be going is not a reason to attend college
“A new study has found that one in three Leaving Cert students targeting 550 CAO points when they returned to school last September didn’t know what college course they wanted to study …” (more)...
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Colleges creating ‘elite courses with small numbers’ says Limerick principal
“Increased demand for courses is ‘reflective of the ongoing recovery of the economy’, according to local third level institutions, in light of the CAO figures this week. A significant increase in...
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University course flexibility ‘working’
“A university which has reduced the number of specialised entry courses says the positive response shows it has been a good move for students. Maynooth University (MU) offers arts students a wider...
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Third-level courses should be radically overhauled, says university president
“Traditional third-level courses should be radically overhauled to allow students choose whether to specialise early or pursue a much broader range of study, according a university president. Philip...
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Education journalism and entry to college
“It won’t make me popular to say this but we have a problem with education journalism in this country. This morning there have been two articles, one in the Irish Times and one in the Examiner in which...
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Are parents to blame for the lack of women in Stem?
“Blame the parents. They may want the best for their children, but many end up directing them away from certain areas of study based on outdated notions of ‘acceptable’ careers. A major...
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Students reject science in final college choices
“Science, engineering, and technology degrees are proving less popular with this year’s college applicants, but law and some health courses are among the most appealing. The data showing the final...
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Are school-leavers rejecting science?
“They are according to this article in the Examiner. However, let’s look at the data. The table below gives the number of first preferences for each ‘discipline’ after the February and July deadline....
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Bruton urges colleges to help take pressure out of exam points system
“Education Minister Richard Bruton has urged more colleges to take pressure out of the points system by reducing the number of courses from which to choose for students. One element of the college...
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Irish parents blamed for high rate of overqualified workers
“Parents’ ‘obsession’ with ensuring their children progress to third-level is a key reason why Irish workers are among the most overqualified in Europe for the jobs in which they are working, it has...
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Subject quotas for third level courses proposed by Bruton
“The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton announced plans for the creation of subject quotas in certain courses being offered by third level institutions, in an effort to double the number...
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CAO course choices: Health sees largest cohort of first-choice applicants
“Figures released by the Central Applications office (CAO) that reflect applicants’ final course choices as of 1st July indicate an increase in applications from 77,813 in 2020 to 84,526 (up 8.6%) this...
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