Q&A: Your CAO questions answered

The first round of CAO offers have been released for tens of thousands of students, eliciting a variety of reactions. Guidance counsellors advise remaining calm, as offers are distributed in stages and multiple pathways exist within higher education. RTÉ journalist Saibh Downes interviewed Valerie Fitzpatrick, President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, to address students' concerns.

The CAO sent out around 95,000 offers today, which may include both Level 6/7 and Level 8 offers in a single email. Those without an offer will receive a statement-of-application email and should verify their details and course preferences. If your third preference is accepted, higher preferences remain viable. You can still upgrade to a higher preference in later rounds, which continue through September and into early October.

Deferring an offer for the same year is not compatible with accepting it. To defer, inform the college directly via email, providing your CAO number, name, course code, and reasons for deferral. Some institutions require specific forms. Deferrals are binding commitments, and the deferred place is considered your acceptance. Failure to respond to an offer by the deadline of 1 September at 3pm results in its loss.

DARE (Disability Access Route to Education) and HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) applicants experience no changes in later rounds but can still receive offers as usual. If you did not secure an offer in Round 1, Round 2 offers are still possible.

For fifth-year students, DARE and HEAR applications typically occur while still in school, guided by fifth-year classes and individual meetings. Websites like accesscollege.ie and dedicated HEAR and DARE pages offer resources. While financial constraints like lack of SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) do not disqualify you from further study, exploring part-time work, loans, hardship funds, bursaries, and guidance from school counsellors can uncover alternative options.

If you did not receive any offers, a statement-of-application email from CAO will still arrive, allowing you to review personal information and course preferences. You can still apply through the Available Places system or pursue PLC courses and National Tertiary Programmes for alternative pathways into higher education. Remember, many peers face similar nerves about starting college and making new friends; college orientation programs and extracurricular activities can help foster connections.