With 2-1/2 days to the deadline for CAO forms, it is worth examining some issues still cropping up among students and their parents.
Nursing
Because of changes this year many people are still confused about nursing places. One of the most common queries is from students applying for nursing and other courses.
Remember there are two main lists: one for degree courses and one for certificate/ diploma courses. There are also three nursing lists - general, psychiatric and mental handicap.
You can put down 10 options on the five lists and theoretically can get five offers - three from the nursing list and two from the degree and certificate/diploma list.
You then have to decide which one you want. But it needs to be emphasised you can be offered a certificate/diploma or degree course, plus a nursing course. Applying for nursing does not mean you are disqualified from applying for other courses.
Deferring a place
Students who deferred a place last year need to fill out another CAO form this year. If you have not done it, you had better get moving.
Neither the college - which is holding your deferred place - nor the CAO will contact you about this. You have to fill out the form, putting the deferred course as your only preference.
This has prompted several queries. Many of you no longer want the deferred place and wonder can you apply for something else this year.
Yes, but only by going through the CAO system in the normal way and taking your chance with the points.
If you are taking the deferred place from last year the points are frozen, but with a new application you are subject to this year's points requirements.
Online applications
The CAO has informed us there have been 3,732 online applications to date. It expects this year's online applicants to far exceed last year's figures.
But be warned: if you are online you are advised to do it immediately. Do not leave it to the last moment. The CAO wants online applications (and paper ones) by this Thursday at 5.15 p.m.
If your computer system crashes on the day you could miss the deadline. There is also the possibility the CAO system could crash under the weight of so many applications and then you might not make the deadline.
Guidance counsellors
The CAO has issued a strongly worded letter which makes it clear that you - as a young adult - should be responsible for filling out the form, not your guidance counsellor.
The letter says the CAO was astonished last year when many parents and their children approached counsellors about errors they made in their forms.
The CAO says it is worth repeating its views. The general manager of CAO, Mr John McAvoy, writes: "In relation to the CAO application procedures, we would hope that guidance counsellors would indicate to their students how the system works. The use of the CAO video might be helpful in this. However, we certainly do not expect guidance counsellors to go beyond such a general outline of the system."
His letter certainly pulls no punches. "The procedures are set out very clearly in the CAO literature and any aspirant to third-level education should be quite capable of following them.
"Frankly, we find it astounding that anyone would expect a busy professional to have to verify that a simple form has been completed correctly by a young adult," it adds.
So there you have it. Correct the form yourself (although the CAO says you can get your parents to verify it) and do not blame your guidance counsellor if mistakes emerge later.
Disabled students
According to AHEAD, the association for higher education access and disability, students with disabilities should disclose this information when applying to college.
They should tick the box entitled med/phy on the CAO form. Students who tick this box will get a supplementary form in March which should be completed and sent back to CAO.
The form will be circulated to each college the student has applied to. The idea is to alert colleges to your needs. It also allows the colleges to get at least a rough idea of how many disabled students might need facilities.
Ms Caroline McGrath, executive director of AHEAD, says: "In the past many students have been reluctant to indicate that they have a disability on the CAO form, fearing that to do so may militate against them."
She adds: "The CAO assures students that colleges adopt a positive policy on disability and consequently, students who require disability related supports are encouraged to indicate that they have a medical condition/disability on the CAO application form."
LCVP
Thousands of students are doing the Leaving Cert Vocational Programme (LCVP) again this year. Colleges will allow you present LCVP link modules in place of a sixth Leaving Cert subject. See page six of the CAO handbook.
If you score between 80 and 100 per cent in the modules you get a distinction; between 65 and 79 per cent you get a merit, and if you score between 50 and 64 you get a pass. So how are these awards treated in points terms?
The universities and DIT give 50 points for a distinction, 40 for a merit and 30 for a pass. The institutes of technology give 70 for a distinction, 50 for a merit and 30 for a pass.
Going to Britain
The number of Irish students applying for a college place in Britain has fallen to just 3,500 this year, according to new figures from the universities and colleges admissions service (UCAS).
The last four years have seen a dramatic fall in the number of students from Ireland applying for courses in the UK.
In 1997, 9,298 students from the Republic applied to undertake courses in the UK and 3,878 later took up college places. This year only 3,517 had applied by the December 15th deadline.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said the fall could result in further pressure on the points system here.
Mr Julian de Spainn, president of USI, said: "In particular, there was a 28 per cent drop in the numbers applying to study in England and a 27 per cent drop in the number applying to study in Northern Ireland.
"Undoubtedly, the main cause of this decline is the introduction two years ago of tuition fees in the UK. These fees currently stand at £1,050 sterling.
"The reduction in the numbers applying to study in the UK will have an obvious effect on demand for college places here at home."