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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Amy Donohoe

Leaving Cert 2022: What you can do if you don't get CAO offer you want

The CAO offers will come out this afternoon for those who sat the Leaving Cert this year. There’s definitely a lot of happy young people who got what they wanted, but for those who didn’t, there’s absolutely no need to worry.

It can be disappointing if you didn’t get into the course you wanted even though you worked so hard to get into it. If this is you, you’ll definitely hear the phrase, “it’s not the end of the world”, a few dozen times today.

And it’s not the end - it could easily be a blessing in disguise. There are many other options available and if you’re desperate to get your number one CAO choice, it’s still possible. Just remain cool, calm and collected and explore all of the different routes available.

Read more: Delighted students celebrate Leaving Cert results at Dublin school

Appeal your results

There’s still time to view your papers and appeal your Leaving Cert results. This is a good idea if you feel that one of your exams was marked incorrectly or unfairly. You can get your exams reviewed and if your marks go up, you could potentially get your first choice.

Accept the next offer

If you put more than one course on the CAO and you have been offered a lower down preference, you could accept it if it’s what you want to do.

Wait for Round Two offers

The CAO may offer you a place on your preferred course during Round Two, even if you have already accepted an earlier offer. You will only get a second offer if a place has opened up on a course that was higher in your list of preferences. But if you have already accepted an offer and decide you want to stick with it, you can ignore the second offer.

Look at Available Places

The CAO posts a list of courses that still have places available and you can apply online if you’re interested and you meet the minimum requirements. Visit the CAO website to see the available places and keep checking back to see if there are any new spots added.

Do a Post Leaving Certificate course

There’s a lot of PLC courses that offer a route to a level eight degree in your subject area. A PLC also gives you a chance to actually find out if you like your course. You’re able to experience a different learning environment with both traditional learning and hands-on experience - and it gives you an extra year to mature.

Repeat the Leaving Cert

If you feel that you didn’t do your best, you can repeat your Leaving Certificate. There are plenty of schools and further education colleges nationwide that offer repeat programmes or you could go back to the school you did the Leaving Cert in.

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