Applying to Irish universities with A levels

Original post by luker1994

Thanks for all that. I got an A in AS, do maths at A level, and I'm likely to get between an ABC and A*A*B at A level so 460 points should be alright to reach.
The problems that I never did French or anything at GCSE so I can't apply this year, I was just wondering if I got the GCSE in French before next summer whether I'd be accepted?

I can't say for certain, but I think so. Please email them to make sure. It exists because of our compulsory languages- but I just remembered my own cousin had this dilemma. I've no idea why her school stupidly allowed her to drop French to pick up another subject- but they did and it meant she couldn't matriculate to pharmacy with her 570 points! She did French seperately outside of the school and qualified. So if that's any reassurance!

Here's the email page http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=email

Reply 102

thetobbit

11

Original post by StarsAreFixed

Hectic for them? Ha yes but they get a lovely rest outside of results, offers, appeals and the mental days at the end of January when the website crashes...so that's a good part of the year! Irish results will be out the day before, it's a mental 4/5 days for the before offers.

AAA is 450. Don't panic, you get to stick an AS result on top of that. The link to the conversion (AS grades are worth a lot less)is in my longer post just above.

Proportionality, haven't a clue. It is extremely vague.

Wait hold on, last time I checked an A2 A grade was worth 135 points?

Ie. AAA = (135x3) = 405?

Reply 103

Original post by thetobbit

Wait hold on, last time I checked an A2 A grade was worth 135 points?

Ie. AAA = (135x3) = 405?

Yes, I mixed it up with A* in my head there, sorry for confusion!

Reply 104

thetobbit

11

Original post by StarsAreFixed

Yes, I mixed it up with A* in my head there, sorry for confusion!

Haha don't get my hopes up like that :o:

rolleyes:

Reply 105

Original post by StarsAreFixed

They get them straight from the exam board. Other exam systems (ie. not Irish or British) you do need to do this, but you're fine.

aw phew! also just thinking about my cousin who is doing/just done her junior cert, if you only get points from the leaving cert what is the point of the junior cert in relation to getting into college/uni? Do you need a certain number of passes or something?

Reply 106

The Junior Cert is seen as a test for the Leaving Cert, get students used to it. It tests the first three years of knowledge, the Junior cycle as it's known. You don't need a certain number of passes but it can determine the level you do your senior cycle subjects at (and therefore Leaving Cert). If you dropped from Higher to Ordinary in a subject before the JC, you almost certainly won't be allowed study it at higher for the Leaving. Also for schools big enough to have several higher and ordinary classes in the same subject, you might need higher than a C to be in the 'top' class of higher etc. ie. the one that goes at the fastest pace and has the best teacher. You have to do as many subjects at Higher as possible to ge the most points, so it's somewhat important not to drop levels if you can avoid it and do well.

It also helps determine subject choices for leaving cert and helps show what you're best at. It's incredibly broad, to determine strengths. All students MUST study Irish, English, Maths, a third language, Science, History, Civics and Geography. In religious schools, it's an exam subject too. The you have your two 'options', none of which are 'soft'- Music, Art, Business Studies, Home Ec etc. So 10 subjects for all, 11 for a good proportion. It's tough but sets people up well for the difficulty of the Leaving Cert. It has no bearing on uni at all, because all of the compulsory subjects for uni are studied at leaving cert level.

Reply 107

I've applied to UCD and trinity in Ireland (I'm English but with Irish parents) and not that I don't want to go or anything, but my dad just brought up the point that if I get the grades and end up going that there might be some people who don't like me because of my accent :/
I do know about the Irish not exactly liking the English (my Irish family like to 'tease' me and my siblings in a jokey way about being english) but just completely forgot about it for a while.
And now I'm really worried about next year and people not liking me for something that I can't change/ it's not my fault :/

Reply 108

Trinity is full of English people, and English accents. UCD too. Only scumbags would slag you for being English or having the accent, and universities don't have any- especially not Trinity or UCD. Seriously, it's a non-issue. Now if you were to go around waving the union jack in rough areas or in rough pubs, that'd be a different story. There's huge support here for British athletes etc, it's just the few token idiots who will bleat 800 years etc. but not actually be able to name ANYTHING that happened in that time.

Reply 109

Original post by StarsAreFixed

Trinity is full of English people, and English accents. UCD too. Only scumbags would slag you for being English or having the accent, and universities don't have any- especially not Trinity or UCD. Seriously, it's a non-issue. Now if you were to go around waving the union jack in rough areas or in rough pubs, that'd be a different story. There's huge support here for British athletes etc, it's just the few token idiots who will bleat 800 years etc. but not actually be able to name ANYTHING that happened in that time.

Thank you, I feel quite a bit more relieved now!

Reply 110

gozatron

16

Original post by glitter_star12

Thank you, I feel quite a bit more relieved now!

As far as i've experienced in Galway the only teasing you get is a little banter for having an english accent while firmly being an Irish national :p:

Reply 111

thetobbit

11

Does anyone know if you have to write an essay to Trinity when you apply for accomodation post-offer saying why you should be picked for the halls, as places are so scarce?

Reply 112

notoxa

As far as I can make out, we find out if we've got in from the 20th (A-level results are on the 16th so a certain amount of guessing can be done :P).
This means, I suppose, that on the 20th the letters are posted by CAO to us. For English applicants, this can mean a week or so delay.

I can't see anywhere if we can simply look on the CAO website on the 20th and see if we have an offer... anyone know?

Reply 113

Yes, once you have a CAO number you can just log on www.cao.ie Results are live at 6AM. Warning, the website cannot handle it and will crash. CAO is not government funded so they can't afford to have massive servers for a few days a year when they have unbelievable traffic.

Anyway, you should be able to get on it later in the day. They will send you a letter too.

Reply 114

soxygirl

Hey guys, I've just been reading up on the predicted rise in entrance points because of the 25 extra points for Higher Leaving Cert Maths - does that bonus apply for A Level people? *it doesn't help me with my points but I guess I'm trying to suss out the competition =/*
Also, what is considered in general a good Leaving Cert score? I got 555 points *Waiting on a remark though* and my course for French and English at TCD was 530 last year? Reckon that would rise significantly given it's an Arts degree?

Reply 115

Original post by soxygirl

Hey guys, I've just been reading up on the predicted rise in entrance points because of the 25 extra points for Higher Leaving Cert Maths - does that bonus apply for A Level people? *it doesn't help me with my points but I guess I'm trying to suss out the competition =/*
Also, what is considered in general a good Leaving Cert score? I got 555 points *Waiting on a remark though* and my course for French and English at TCD was 530 last year? Reckon that would rise significantly given it's an Arts degree?

Yeah i'm pretty sure it works for a level students aswell, but because most people did maths for leaving cert, there isn't a great advantage of it, as so many people have the extra 25 points!
I got 550, but i'm also getting a remark, and are you sending your results to CAO, or do they get them automatically?
And it could rise because less irish people are applying to the UK because of the fee rise :/

Reply 116

Do not panic yet. There IS a record number of those doing the Leaving Cert and doing the CAO. It won't affect most places, it will mean you shouldn't expect a drop for courses above 500. Trinity courses over 500 usually rise, but any rise over 5 points is unusual.

Everybody does maths for leaving cert, it's compulsory. But, extremely few do it at higher level. People with no aptitude for it drop to ordinary level and focus on their other subjects. People who panic drop as well. This (highly unfair) idea was brought in to reward those who kept it at igher level and drive people towards the engineering/maths/science sector. It has worked, record numbers did higher maths and passed it. IF you do higher maths at a-level then it will be applied. If there is only one level of maths, no. If you don't do the highest level of maths offered, then no. It's unknown how much it may affect points etc.

CAO already have your results. 550 is an excellent score- anything over 500 is great and 400 is considered pretty good. The average is about 365. Remember, less than 0.5 achieve the perfect score of 600. People apply to the UK mainly if they do not get the points for here. It's more points-based than financially based really.

Reply 117

Original post by StarsAreFixed

Do not panic yet. There IS a record number of those doing the Leaving Cert and doing the CAO. It won't affect most places, it will mean you shouldn't expect a drop for courses above 500. Trinity courses over 500 usually rise, but any rise over 5 points is unusual.

Everybody does maths for leaving cert, it's compulsory. But, extremely few do it at higher level. People with no aptitude for it drop to ordinary level and focus on their other subjects. People who panic drop as well. This (highly unfair) idea was brought in to reward those who kept it at igher level and drive people towards the engineering/maths/science sector. It has worked, record numbers did higher maths and passed it. IF you do higher maths at a-level then it will be applied. If there is only one level of maths, no. If you don't do the highest level of maths offered, then no. It's unknown how much it may affect points etc.

CAO already have your results. 550 is an excellent score- anything over 500 is great and 400 is considered pretty good. The average is about 365. Remember, less than 0.5 achieve the perfect score of 600. People apply to the UK mainly if they do not get the points for here. It's more points-based than financially based really.

Thank you

I didn't realise the points were only awarded to people doing higher level maths in ireland, but on the UCD website it does say for a level applicants you get it for either, mathematics, further mathematics or pure maths, so i don't think it has to be at a higher level for a-level applicants which is pretty unfair for irish applicants i guess

Reply 118