Could my daughter lose out on a college place by not checking her CAO emails?

My eldest daughter is sitting the Leaving Cert this year. I recently received an email from her guidance counsellor warning us that she could lose a college place if her CAO details are incorrect. How can I double-check this information?

It is true. In fact, several hundred of last year’s applicants were shocked when they failed to receive an offer in round one of the CAO due to errors or omissions in their applications.

In many cases when the errors were corrected the applicant went on to receive the highest course their CAO points would have entitled them to, but not in all cases.

In recent years the CAO has decided to cut back on paper-based communications, including letters, which are traditionally issued in early May which set out the details of the data the CAO holds on each applicant.

My son has listed just four CAO courses in UCD and Trinity. Is this risky?

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My daughter is worried about high CAO points for nursing. Are there other options?

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Should I organise work experience for my daughter in transition year?

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I work in a private school. Is my job secure?

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While there may be sound environmental reasons for this, it cuts parents out of the information loop who have no access to the communication between the CAO and their children. In the past when the letter from the CAO dropped through the letter box in early May, parents often ensured it was dealt with.

Your daughter will shortly receive an email to her CAO account notifying her to check and confirm that all of her account information is complete and correct. This includes her Leaving Cert exam number which will have been provided to the CAO by the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

If an applicant previously sat the Leaving Cert, they also need to check their previous exam number is recorded in the space provided, as well as any other relevant qualifications.

The main cause for errors in 2021 occurred where the CAO was not able to match an applicant’s record – generated by the applicant when they originally made their online application – with a matching name on the SEC records.

In such cases, the applicant’s Leaving Cert exam number listed in their CAO account may appear as “0000”. In such a case, the applicant must supply the CAO with the correct exam number.

Similarly, if an exemption in Irish or a language is not recorded, the applicant must correct their record to ensure they do not lose out on a college place.

On receipt of the forthcoming email from the CAO, your daughter must log into her online account to check all her personal details are recorded correctly. If not, she must rectify any errors or omissions found by the end of May. The CAO will update her account with any changes in early June.

Crucially, she must proceed to the bottom of her account homepage and click on “confirm” to indicate she has checked that her account information is accurate.