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The closing date of July 1st for CAO applicants to register a change of course choices is fast approaching. Guidance Counsellor Billy Ryle has some advice…
The state exams conclude next Tuesday, 27th June and the thoughts of exhausted candidates are no doubt turning to holidays, travel or summer jobs. But there is still one important task to be done.
The 83,697 applicants, who applied to Central Applications Office (CAO) by the late application deadline of 1st May, must now turn their attention to the CAO course change of mind facility.
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This provides each applicant a last chance, if s/he wishes, to register a change of course choices online by 5pm on Saturday, 1st July.
Not all applicants to CAO avail of the change of mind facility. Many applicants are happy with the course choices they submitted by 1st February.
On the other hand, others will have changed their minds about the courses they would like to study. Whatever your reason for submitting a change of mind form, make sure you know exactly what you are applying for.
Don’t list any courses which you haven’t researched. Don’t apply for any course which you know that you won’t accept if it’s offered to you.
Most important of all, never apply for a course in which you haven’t the slightest interest just because your friends are applying for it.
If you decide to submit a change of mind form, work calmly on your choices before going online. Start from scratch and write out your new list of courses.
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Don’t tinker with your original list while online as it’s very easy to make a mistake. Check the minimum and special requirements for each course you are including on the change of mind form.
When you are happy with your revised choices, open up your CAO account via the “My Application” facility.
To make changes to your existing course choices click on the ‘Change Level 8 Course Choices’ tab and/or the ‘Change Level 7/6 Course Choices’ tab.
If you haven’t entered any courses on your application up to this point this tab will be called ‘Add Level 8 Course Choices’ and/or ‘Add Level 7/6 Course Choices.’
Your current course choices are listed to the left and you are given a blank preference list, headed ‘New Choices,’ to the right.’
Enter all the courses that you wish to apply for in your order of preference on this list. Your existing choices are cancelled out.
The same process applies for the Level 7/6 list. Every choice is important so fill up all ten choices in each category.
Then click on ‘Continue with Course Changes’ to save the information. You will then be brought back to the screen containing the updated details CAO has on file for you.
Check that your course choices are listed in correct order and that the codes are correct.
The two course categories – Level 8 and Level 7/6 – are totally separate from each other for the purpose of submitting a change of mind form.
You may change one category and leave the second category unchanged or you may change both.
On the other hand, you may decide to stick with the choices you submitted by 1st February last.
If you change courses online, CAO will send an acknowledgement to your email address. Check that your courses have been updated by using the “My Application” facility by 5pm on 1st July.
You may change your course choices free of charge as often as you wish up to the closing date.
The final change of mind form that you submit is the one that will count for your CAO offers. So, be sure to check online before 1st July to make sure that all is in order.
After the 1st July you can make no further changes to your CAO application form. So, the remaining days provide you with a valuable window of opportunity.
Use the time to put some serious thought into your choice of college courses. With the state exams done and dusted, you can give your undivided attention to submitting a ‘change of mind’ form that truly contains your course interests.
It will be time well spent if you achieve your course of choice when the college offers are issued on the 30th August.
Checklist
• You have until 5pm on 1st July to avail of the CAO “Change of Mind” facility
• Not all applicants to CAO avail of the change of mind facility
• Don’t list any courses which you haven’t researched.
• Don’t apply for any course which you know that you won’t accept
• Never apply for a course in which you haven’t the slightest interest
• Work on your new list of course choices before going online
• Check the requirements for the courses you are including on the change of mind form
• The two course categories are separate from each other on a change of mind form
• The remaining days provide you with a valuable window of opportunity
• After the 1st July you can make no further changes to your CAO application form
• The Leaving Cert (LC) exam concludes on Tuesday, 27th June
• CAO ‘Change of Mind’ Form closes at 5pm on Saturday, 1st July
• Leaving Cert results will be published on Friday, 25th August
• CAO Round One offers will be available at 2pm on Wed., 30th August
Billy Ryle is a Career Guidance Counsellor and Educational Commentator
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