However, this will hinge on trends for applicants’ course choices. Last year, nursing, teaching and engineering recorded some of the significant drops in CAO points. The reduction in CAO applications this year has surprised some observers given the number of Leaving Cert students is on the rise for demographic reasons. The latest CAO figures do not represent the total number of applicants as a late application facility opens on March 5th and closes on May 1st at 5.15pm. A “change of course choices” facility will become available on the CAO website on Monday February 5th for all registered applicants.

Source: The Irish Times February 01, 2018 20:48 UTC