The CAO February deadline is fast approaching, and with so many colleges and programmes to choose from, it can be a confusing time.
We have been talking to MIC’s Student Recruitment Officer, Dr Patrick Cosgrove, and he has offered the following tips to students before they fill in their CAO form: “Filling up your CAO form can be daunting for many students but the following tips will hopefully make the process a little bit easier. Firstly, do your research and take the time to explore college websites and particularly their undergraduate prospectus so you can make an informed decision. Secondly, don’t fixate on points, which can go down as well as up, and choose programmes that you have a genuine interest in regardless of what you think the points might be. Thirdly, choose your programmes in order of genuine preference when filling out your CAO. Remember that the CAO works by a system where once you are offered a programme anything below that on your list becomes redundant. Finally, don’t forget that the free CAO Change of Mind facility will open on 6 May so you will still have an opportunity to make any programme changes before the 1 July deadline.”
MIC has made a special effort to ensure that prospective students have all the information that they require on the MIC CAO Hub so that they can make informed decisions about their programme choices. The site is packed full of information to help students as they make their CAO choices and you can find lots of information about MIC’s undergraduate degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, Primary Teaching, Post-Primary Teaching and Early Childhood Education, as well as our latest additions, the BA in English Language and Literature, and the BA in Drama and English. You will also find details about our suite of undergraduate entrance scholarships and sports scholarships, which are all now open for application.
The CAO deadline is 5pm on 1 February but if you apply by 20 January you can avail of the discounted application fee of €30.
In advance of the deadline MIC’s Admissions Office Manager, Anne-Marie Hannon, has this advice for students: “I would encourage applicants to take all the practical steps to ensure that they are well-informed before filling in their CAO form, and I would strongly advise that they make the CAO website their first port of call. There is lots of information there that will assist students with their decision-making process such as the Important Dates section, which offers a comprehensive list of the key dates in the CAO application process, and the Course Finder, which lists all programmes in Irish third-level institutions and it can be searched by institution or by programme keyword.”
We have also reached out to some of our graduates and current MIC students to get their perspectives and thoughts having already gone through the whole CAO process. MIC graduate, Paul Fitzgerald (BA in Early Childhood Care & Education), had this to say to prospective students: “My advice would be not to rush it and genuinely see what you want to do in life.” Thinking back to when she filled up her CAO form, current MIC Sports Scholarship recipient and third year Bachelor of Education student, Clara Barrett, offered the following guidance: “I would say to stay focused and not to stress too much. Trust your instincts about what you want to study and don't be afraid to look for help when you need it. Looking back to when she was doing her own Leaving Certificate, Anna Purcell, second year BA in Education, Home Economics & Business Studies student, had this advice for her younger self: “I would tell my younger self to explore all options and to not close my mind to ideas so quickly. I’d also tell myself that it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t work out.”
Finally, if you are a mature student thinking about returning to education or if you intend to apply to either the HEAR or the DARE schemes, you must apply to CAO before 1 February and indicate on your application that you intend to apply.
For further information about our programmes and college life at MIC visit mic.ie/CAO.
