DEMAND FOR CAREER-focused degrees will mean many students hoping to gain entry into business, agriculture and science courses will be disappointed by today’s increased CAO points requirements.
Science courses have become much more popular since the recession hit in 2008, leaping from 5,477 applications five years ago to 9,496 this year.
The class of 2013 will need 505 or 510 points to study Science at UCD or Trinity College in Dublin, while NUI Galway’s course has seen a 25-point rise to 405. University of Limerick’s option also increased by five points, bringing the requirement to 365. NUI Maynooth and DIT’s courses were unchanged at 415 and 405 respectively.
On the agricultural side, Ag Science in UCD saw a rise of 10 points to 455, while Food Science at UCC is up 35 points to 440.
For the second year in-a-row, Business remains a popular option with CAO applicants with six third-level institutions showing a jump in points requirements. To gain entry to Commerce in UCD, students will need 475 points, up 10 from last year. In Trinity, those wanting to study Business and French will 550 points as opposed to the 515 that was sufficient in 2012. Business and Accounting at NUI Maynooth jumped five points to 400, while Business Studies in the University of Limerick leaped 35 points to 410. Also in DIT, the requirements for Business and Law increased from 400 to 430.
As could be predicted from demand, courses with a focus in the construction industry fell, some quite notably. Quantity Surveying in IT Carlow dropped 45 points to 235, while Architecture in DIT fell 25 points to 520.
Arts offered up a mixed bag, depending on which college applicants have chosen. UCC’s option is unchanged at 335, as is NUI Galway’s at 300. There was extra demand for UL’s course and the points reflect that with a rise of 25 points, bringing the requirement to 440. However, in Maynooth and UCD the points dropped by 10 and 15 respectively (to 360 and 340).
Those looking to become tomorrow’s teachers saw the points drop slightly from 470 to 460 at St Patrick’s Drumcondra, from 470 to 465 at Mary Immaculate Limerick and from 465 to 460 at Marino Institute.
This morning, more than 76,000 people will find out if they will receive an offer for their first preference course.
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