COLLEGE 2002: Furrowed brows. Raised voices. Late-night animated discussions over coffee. This college, that course.
This is what is taking place in thousands of homes this week as the CAO offers are considered by students, parents and siblings. What about Galway?
Is Dublin too far away and more expensive? Do I really want to be a doctor, engineer or teacher? Would computer studies still prepare me for a decent career?
Should I just go and repeat and hope next year I get that damn course?
All of these questions, and others like them, are being hurled around kitchens and dining rooms this week from Donegal to Cork. Discussion and plenty of democratic debate are good things when it comes to the CAO.
But it will have to end by August 28th (at 5.15 p.m., to be precise), when the CAO calls time and asks you to make your move.
Just remember to keep your cool and make a decision based on what you want, not what anybody else wants. Or, as one college has succinctly put it this week, "be what you want to be".
Random Selection
Much of the deep disappointment with this year's CAO figures has been caused by the use of random selection. This year, more than 50 courses at degree level alone used this system to select their final candidates.
The dreary phrase "not all on this points score were offered places" will now have become achingly familiar to several thousand students.
On courses like UCD's law (DN009) or Trinity's physiotherapy (TR053), the addition of the dreaded asterix has probably excluded some very bright students. It is a gutting experience to get so close and not to get a place.
The system which has excluded you works, I am afraid, with cold efficiency.
When you applied to the CAO earlier this yea,you were given a random number generated by a computer. In most cases, the college never needs to use this number, but when a group of students are bunched together on the same points, this is the method used to separate them. This occurs when, say, 10 candidates, all with the same points, are competing for the remaining five places. The college then goes back and looks at the random numbers generated earlier in the year and simply picks the five highest numbers and awards them the places.
There is no sleight of hand involved, although it is an awfully cruel way to miss out on your course.
Of course, there is always the second round. Sometimes, though not often, the dreaded asterix which signifies random selection disappears in the second round and you may get an offer.
What happens in this case is that the college, after receiving the first-round acceptances, notices that quite a few offers have been refused. Consequently, it needs a few more students to fill the remaining places. So once more it goes back to its list and makes more offers.
If you are lucky, it will not need to use random selection this time and will simply make offers to everyone who has the minimum points score.
The chances of this happening are low, particularly on large courses such as arts or commerce, where there could be literally hundreds of students with the same level of points.
It is also unlikely to happen on medical courses, because so few offers are turned down. It does occasionally happen on other courses, particularly smaller ones, so for some of you there is a still a chance that something will turn up on September 4th.
Should you accept your first-round offer? For many of you, considering the offer is proving to be a frustrating affair. Often students are half-hearted about the offers they have received and wonder if something better will come up in the second round.
As outlined, the chances of a second-round offer are slim. That is the simple reality, although there is always a chance.
Some students have contacted our helpline and asked: "I don't really want this offer, so can I reject it and still get something better?" The answer is yes, you may get something better in the second round - but it is unlikely.
What you do about your first-round offer has no bearing on whether you get a second-round offer. In other words, if you reject that first offer, you still might be lucky to get something in the second round, but it is a remote possibility.
The better way is to seriously consider the first-round offer. If it is acceptable, then return your offer notice to the CAO by August 28th or accept online.
That place is then safe in the bank, so to speak. You will be considered for any second-round offer anyway.
But if you reject the first-round offer and get nothing in the second round, well then that is the end of the line for this year. You will have no place for the forthcoming year. For some, that is something they are prepared to face, and repeating the exam is probably what they will do.
Vacant places
The number of vacant places continues to rise as colleges search for students.
The following degree courses still have places available. The list quotes the course code first, then the course name. If you are interested, contact the CAO by post or online (www.cao.ie) for application literature.
Places are available on the following courses at the American College, Dublin: AC120 (international business); AC141 (psychology, honours); AC142 (sociology).
The Cork Institute of Technology has places on CR107 (electronic engineering).
The Institute of Technology, Carlow, has places on CW100 (international business with French) and CW101 (international business with German).
The Dublin Business School has places on DB512 (business studies); DB521 (accountancy and finance); DB531 (marketing); DB551 (anthropology at LSB); DB552 (arts, literature and drama); DB561 (arts general at LSB) and DB562 (arts/psychology at LSB).
At the Dundalk Institute of Technology there are places on DK206 (business studies in marketing and French); DK208 (computing, internet technologies with French); DK306 (business studies in marketing and German); DK308 (computing, internet technologies with German).
UCD has vacancies on DN022 (modular arts, evenings).
Griffith College in Dublin has places on GC400 (business studies, degree); GC401 (accounting and finance); GC430 (computing science).
NUI Galway is offering places on GY306 (computer studies/mathematical science) and GY350 (information technology).
The Pontifical University of Maynooth has places on MU701 (theology studies at St Patrick's College, Thurles). The Milltown Institute has places on PT012 (theological and philosophical studies); and PT013 (philosophy and theology).
The Institute of Technology, Tallaght, has places on TA109 (applied languages) and TA110 (European studies). The Tipperary Institute is offering places on TI005 (business studies/e-business at Thurles).
This column will include a list of certificate/diploma vacancies tomorrow.