The wait is almost over for more than 58,000 students who sat the Leaving Cert in June as they count down the hours to tomorrow morning when they can collect their results from their schools and online.
Students can collect their results from their schools from 9am or from the State Examinations Commission website www.examinations.ie from midday.
The number of Leaving Cert students taking on higher-level subjects rose to a record high this year as pupils availed of changes to the new marking system.
The revised grading system reduces the number of grades from 14 in the old system to 8 under the new arrangements. The reforms were introduced to help ease some of the exam pressure and mean that from 2017 any student who fails an exam with an E grade at higher level will secure CAO points for the first time.
Official figures provided by the State Examinations Commission show a total of just over 58,000 sat the Leaving Cert, a figure similar to last year.
That number includes 2,758 students who sat the Leaving Cert applied programme.
Over the coming days, the Irish Times will provide coverage online, in mobile and in print, covering the results and the upcoming CAO first and second round offers.
Coverage will feature news, analysis and expert opinion, plus advice and updates from students, teachers and experts.
The Irish Times helpdesk will operate at irishtimes.com/results2017 from 9am until 6pm on Wednesday and Thursday. The service will also be available from 9am-1pm on Friday.
Guidance counsellors Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett will be on hand to answer questions about the results and any questions students or their parents might have about the college applications .
Next Monday, prospective students who applied for third-level courses will discover whether they have secured their first choice when offers through the Central Applications Office (CAO) are made.
The CAO’s Round One offer constitutes the main body of offers that takes place after the results of the Leaving Cert have been made available.
From 6am onwards, applicants can check online to see if they have received an offer by visiting cao.ie and logging in to their account using the ’My Application’ facility.
The CAO will also issue offers by post, e-mail and SMS text and applicants who have not received an offer will receive a Statement of Application Record.
The Irish Times will continue its coverage online and in print with a special supplement featuring news, advice, and analysis published at irishtimes.com/results2017. The helpdesk will reopen on Monday morning at 9am and will operate daily until Wednesday at 1pm.
Ahead of the Leaving Certificate results being released tomorrow, the alcohol industry-funded group Drinkaware has called on parents to talk to their children about alcohol ahead of exam results celebrations.
Dr Liam Twomey, chief medical Officer of Drinkaware said: "The post-results celebrations do not have to be synonymous with the now expected reports about drunken teenagers spilling out of nightclubs across the country.
“We are appealing to parents to discuss with their children their plans for results night, find out who they will be with, if alcohol will be present and how they plan to get home.”
“The Leaving Cert results can be a highly stressful and emotional time for students. No matter how prepared students are, this can be a confusing time and talking to a trusted adult like a parent or guardian can help.
“It is important that students marking this achievement, especially those who are concerned with their results, do not use alcohol as a way to blow off steam; drinking to excess can have a serious impact on a young person’s physical and mental health.
“We would encourage parents to get involved in their children’s plans for celebrating this week, especially where alcohol is concerned,” Dr Twomey concluded.
