Alright 6th years, you've avoided it for long enough but now you have to fill in your CAO Application!
20th of January: the final date for the discounted fee of €25.
1st of February: the final
date for submitting your first CAO application.
Right, I know this is a pretty daunting thing to do
because I was in your shoes this time last year. I know how stressful it is
when you're given a deadline to basically 'decide your future', but don't worry! It's okay, you can change it all again at a later date, I did!
So, I have a few points to help you out as you
begin the CAO process...
1. Make sure you
have a plan on which courses you're going to put where before you even sign into the
CAO.
2. Take a time
when you know you have an hour or so to spare so you'll be relaxed.
3. Make sure your
course choices are just that, YOURS.
Nobody else's.
For those of you who haven’t gotten this far yet, here’s my guide on which choices to put where…
I know it seems harsh, but for a lot of people this is how it will be. If you’re one of the lucky people whose dream course is a reality- then you go Glen Coco!
The CAO is a crazy system and year after year people are shocked and upset when points drop right down or go up when nobody expected it, so put down ANY course for your dream course, don't worry about points for now!
For Reality, this is where your points are important. Put down the courses that you feel you can achieve the points for and that you’d still like to do and work down the list like that.
*Remember* The CAO
will offer you the course highest on your list that you have the
points for. Do not work down the list by points, do it by what you would like
to do in college most.
Finally, your Back Up courses, these are the courses for if
things don’t work out how you had planned. Hopefully you won’t have to
use these but if things don’t work out, they’re another option!
You can use the same process to fill in your level 6/7
courses. If you don’t think you want to do a level 6/7 then that’s okay but I’d
put two or three options in anyway, again just incase.
Last but not least, here's the change of mind dates for 2014:
1. Change of Mind - 5th February to 1st March (€10)
2. Change of Mind - 5th May to 1st July (No Charge)
So that's
that on applying to the CAO, that's one more weight off of your shoulders!
I'm sure that's only one of many but don't sweat it, relax and you'll be fine!
I know how stressful 6th year can be but it's also the best year you'll ever
have in school so don't forget to enjoy it too!
I don't
know about you, but my friends in 6th year have their mocks coming up at the
end of January so to all of you, I wish you the very best of luck!
And
remember.. the mocks are only a trial run, so take your
results with a pinch of salt and just use them as a guide to what needs to be done
next.
Have a
great year and best of luck with everything!
Your
blogger, Lisa :)
PS. This is something I saw in the paper after I had gotten my college offers and I wish I'd seen it before...
This is one of the most important things to remember, you're not measured by a letter from the CAO!
