The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk is up and running again today. Our education experts, Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard, are online now to answer your questions before the CAO issues the first round of offers to candidates at 2pm. Please submit your queries throughout the day to the form at the top of this page.
My son has been offered his first choice, as he had more points than he needed. He also had DARE. As he had more points than the minimum entry requirement, did he go through the mainstream route or through the DARE scheme? How can we tell? If he was offered his first choice through the mainstream route, will he have access to the same disability supports as if he was accepted through the DARE scheme? - Mary
Whether he got a place on points merit or a DARE place doesn’t matter. Once he has indicated he has a disability, he will be entitled to any supports he can benefit from in the college. - Brian
If I was not offered a medicine course in round one, should I accept the course I’ve been offered. Also, is there a chance I will get medicine in round two? - Agata
If you were offered a course other than medicine, lower down your preferences, then yes you should accept it if you have any sense you might enjoy this course. If you had Medicine courses above this choice and you become entitled to a place on one of them, then you will be offered it even though you have already accepted a lower preference course. - Brian
I got an offer for my third choice but I’m thinking of letting it lapse. If I don’t accept this offer does that mean that anything below my third choice is cancelled or will it still be available in the subsequent round offers? - Niamh.
Yes, once you are offered your 3rd choice all lower choices will essentially disappear from your application and you will never be offered them. You can only hope to move up your preference list but never go down. - Brian
If I get offered and accept my second place option. Can I still get offered my first place if spaces open up, or an appeal improves my overall points? - Bob
Yes, absolutely. When offered and you accept your second choice you will still remain in the running for a higher choice, which in this case is your first choice. - Brian
