BUSINESS
Little change in CAO points for IT
21-08-2006
by Emmet Ryan
Leaving Cert students scoured the CAO website on Monday even though there was a general drop in points requirements across most disciplines.
Engineering, technology, computing and information systems courses were reportedly among the 40 ordinary degree -- formerly certificate and diploma level -- courses least in demand, as places on them have been offered to all applicants meeting basic entry requirements.
Over 70 percent of students who applied to the CAO (Central Applications Office) were offered courses on Monday morning. In all, 44,751 of the 63,170 applicants received offers.
Almost 30 percent of level 8, or degree level, applicants were offered their first choice course, while nearly 60 percent of ordinary degree applicants were offered their first preference.
Science and engineering degree level courses have had mixed performances compared to last year; science in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is down 25 points to 415. The same course in University College Dublin (UCD) has dropped to 325 points, five points less than the final offers made last year.
Biosystems engineering in UCD leapt 120 points to 480, while the university's Electronic and Electrical Engineering course is 65 points higher than its final entry requirement last year.
Several engineering courses have shown a rise in points required, however others have been unable to offer a full complement of places due to an insufficient number of students meeting entry requirements.
Points for degree level computer and IT courses are in line with 2005. The 300 points required for computer applications in Dublin City University matches its final total from last year.
Meanwhile, points are down for most business courses. Commerce and German in NUI Galway (NUIG) took the biggest hit, dropping 140 points to 235. Commerce in the same university is down 15 points to 400. The same course in UCD also dropped, falling five points to 455. The new Commerce with Chinese course in UCD requires 455 points. Business Economic and Social Studies (BESS) in Trinity was an exception to the trend as it rose five points to 475.
Arts and social science courses have seen points fall across the board; for example, Arts in UCD dropped 20 points to 350.
The 590 points required for medicine in Trinity is the highest in the country. Eight of the top 10 courses in the country are in the health science sector. The only significant drop in points in the sector came in the Royal College of Surgeons, where points fell from 580 in 2005 to 570 this year.
Students have until 29 August to accept first round offers.
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