{"id":16173,"date":"2025-08-22T13:01:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T13:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/16173\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T13:01:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T13:01:08","slug":"education-experts-answer-your-questions-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/16173\/","title":{"rendered":"Education experts answer your questions \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to The Irish Times CAO<\/a> Helpdesk for 2025. Using the form below, you can submit any questions you have about this year\u2019s process, from points and Leaving Cert<\/a> results, to appeals, deferrals and more. <\/p>\n

Our education<\/a> experts Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard will be on hand from 12pm on Friday to give you quick and clear feedback as you navigate college offers, choices and deciding your next steps over the coming days.<\/p>\n

You can follow our live coverage of today\u2019s Leaving Cert results here:<\/b> Grades deflate as number of H1 grades awarded falls<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Q: How does DARE work re point reduction for a course? How many points are usually deducted? – Susan <\/b><\/p>\n

A: Unfortunately, this is an impossible question to answer in this format and the answer can vary from college to college. I would direct you to www.accesscollege.ie DARE to get a lot of information. Essentially, if there are 5 places set aside for DARE on a course, then all DARE eligible applicants compete for these 5 places. All these applicants are ranked in order of their points and the people at the top of the list get the first places. Some disability groups get bumped up to the top of the lists also, so this can have an effect also. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: I did my leaving cert before Covid. I have 578 points. Is there any chance of UCD vet med coming down to that? – Sadie<\/b><\/p>\n

A: I think to be honest 589* down to 578 might be a long shot but it is impossible to know. If the new Vet courses were up and running this year there might have been a better shot but without them this year it might not drop by too much. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Is there any indication whether CAO course points will decrease this year? – Orlette<\/b><\/p>\n

A: More than any year this year it is impossible to pinpoint what is going to happen with the points for individual courses this year. There are so many variables: extra LC applicants from this year, extra applicants from previous years, extra applicants from abroad, lower post marking adjustment, etc. to allow any definitive projections to be made. We will all just have to wait until next Wednesday for sure – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Just wondering how my results can differ so much from my mock exams. I have never gotten lower than a H2 in English and I received a H4 in the Leaving Cert. I\u2019ve been a H1 student in biology and got a H4. – Erin <\/b><\/p>\n

A: Unfortunately this can happen for a variety of reasons. I would recommend applying to view these subjects to see what went wrong and caused this drop in grades. If you can get your teachers to view the scripts also, that would be very informative. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: With moderated LC points and HPAT, my daughter has 733 points. Last year that would get her into 3 out of 5 medical schools. Is there any indication that CAO points could go up this year due to re-applicants using last year\u2019s LC? – Robert <\/b><\/p>\n

A: It is just a guessing game at this stage. Nobody will know until CAO release offers and then release CAO cut off points 2025. This will be done from 2pm on Wednesday, August 27th. – Deirdre <\/p>\n

Q: How long to get a re-mark? – Rona<\/b><\/p>\n

A: The appeals results issue date is provisionally set for 11 am September 16th. This date is subject to change. The number of appeals will affect this date being met. – Deirdre <\/p>\n

Q: Will I have enough time to appeal my subject and start the college year? – Mairead<\/b><\/p>\n

A: The results of the appeal process should be known on the 26th September. You may have already started on another course by this time and may have to make a decision as to whether to move to a new course or stay with the course you have already started. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Do the DARE points for UCD courses change dramatically year to year or are they likely to be close to previous year\u2019s points requirement? – Mark <\/b><\/p>\n

A: Anything can happen as the variables vary. It will depend on the points received by other DARE applicants who have expressed interest in this course. – Deirdre <\/p>\n

Q: What does FM mean on LCVP subject? -R. Brady<\/b><\/p>\n

A: This is Merit grade – 65 to 80%. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Do deflated marks affect a lot H1 students? – Gabriel <\/b><\/p>\n

A: I cannot imagine so as they are somewhere in the bracket of 90-100% pre and post marking adjustment. – Deirdre<\/p>\n

Q: Where can i get the breakdown of my LCPE result? – \u00c9abha <\/b><\/p>\n

A: This will be available on your CSSP at 12 noon Tuesday, August 26th. Candidates will see their marks including for each component as well as teh post marking adjustment. – Deirdre<\/p>\n

Q: What does the full breakdown of results mean for Tuesday? Do you get the breakdown of oral and written for a language? – Mary <\/b><\/p>\n

A: Yes, you get the marks for all components of the subject. On Tuesday 26 August you will be provided with additional information about your examination results. You will be able to view your component marks, details of any Post-Marking Adjustment marks applied and the final graded mark for each subject. Section 2 above provides some preliminary information about the approach to the Post Marking Adjustment this year. The SEC will provide more details on Results Day. You may also see supplementary information which indicates that there is some aspect of the result that was not typical in the processing of results by the SEC. The indicators presented are as follows with an explanation provided of what these mean:<\/p>\n

Candidate confirmed absent – Candidate has been marked absent for one or more mandatory components in a multi-component subject. <\/p>\n

Assessor\u2019s mark used for this component \u2013 The examination session was incomplete and the SEC provided a result in this component based on a range of information. <\/p>\n

Invalid Practical coursework \u2013 The coursework has been deemed invalid as could not be authenticated by the school authority. <\/p>\n

Extrapolated mark – In cases where a candidate has an exemption for a subject under the RACE scheme then the marks in the subject will have been extrapolated from the other components. <\/p>\n

This is detailed in Candidate Information Guide 3 which will be available on Monday 25 August. – Brian <\/p>\n

Q: How accommodating are UCD and Trinity when in regards to places after appeals have been marked? – John<\/b><\/p>\n

A: Generally, if they can offer a place after the appeal results they will. If not it will be a deferred place the following year. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Can a student view their paper online or do they have to go into their school to do it? Do they have to have the teacher with them? – Joanne<\/b><\/p>\n

A: Any scripts that were corrected online this year will be viewed at home online. Access will be given to view these scripts over the 24-hour period; 9 AM Saturday 30 August and 9 AM Sunday 31 August. All other scripts\/subjects will be viewed in school. Manually Marked Scripts Candidates will be assigned to one of two three-hour sessions on Saturday 30 August; Session 1. 9.30 AM \u2013 12.30PM, Session 2. 2PM \u2013 5 PM. You do no need a teacher present to view scripts. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: My points are lower then I thought they would be. Is there a chance my course point could drop too? – Jennifer <\/b><\/p>\n

A: Points will drop if the demand for that course has fallen. Points are determined by the points achieved by the last candidate that receives a place on this course. Hence, students results affect cut off points for courses. There are many other options that you could look at. Points can also fall in future rounds. Please get back on if you need more information. – Deirdre <\/p>\n

Q: Do you have to view your scripts if you want to appeal? – Michelle<\/b><\/p>\n

A: No. It is advisable however to view scripts before appealing as remember grades can go up as well as down – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Any idea when we will know what funding SUSI will provide for my son? – Sarah <\/b><\/p>\n

A: You should be able to see this at this link: https:\/\/www.susi.ie\/eligibility-criteria\/income\/full-time-undergraduate-income-thresholds-and-grant-award-rates\/ The level of maintenance and fee support depends on your income and the number of dependents in your household. – Deirdre<\/p>\n

Q: My son only got sufficient points for his 5th and 6th choices on CAO. Will he be offered one of those, or how does that work? – Mags<\/b><\/p>\n

A: CAO will work out your son\u2019s entitlement to all his choices and then he will be offered his highest choice that he is entitled to. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: What are the odds that OT (occupational therapy) in Galway will come down 21pts I\u2019ve put it first but now I really want my second choice and don\u2019t want OT in Galway? – John<\/b><\/p>\n

A: As per the previous question it is very hard to know. Places look to be remaining static in OT and possible extra demand from extra CAO applicants from this and last year make this hard to predict what is going to happen. It is unlikely that there will be a 21 points reduction. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: My daughter is short 18 points for Speech Therapy in Galway. Last years points requirement was 544. What is the likelihood of these courses dropping in points? – Orla<\/b><\/p>\n

A: This is a very hard one to predict. As far as I am aware there are no extra places in SLT in Galway this year. There is high demand for SLT this year and there may be applicants from last year seeking some of the places available this year with their higher post marking adjustment. With all of this going on, it is so hard to predict what is going to happen. I would say that an 18 point reduction is probably unlikely. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Will primary teaching points drop or rise this year? – Jordan<\/b><\/p>\n

A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: I got 477 points but I want to study primary teaching in DCU. Do you think I have any hope of getting into DCU? – Jordan <\/b><\/p>\n

A: This course finished at 478 last year so you are in with a chance but really there is no way of knowing until next Wednesday. Best of luck. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: When can I see the 2025 points for courses? – Brenda<\/b><\/p>\n

A: The 2025 points will be published on Wednesday at the same time as round one offers. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: When can you appeal a subject grade? – Fiona<\/b><\/p>\n

A: You can access your marks and post mark adjustments at 12 noon on Tuesday. Application for viewing of scripts opens at 5pm on Tuesday, August 26th. Application for appeal and payment opens at 10 am August 31st and closes at 5 pm Monday Sept 1st. – Deirdre <\/p>\n

Q: I required a scribe for my Leaving Cert how is this reflected in my results? – Jason <\/b><\/p>\n

A: The same marking scheme would have been applied to your script. You may or may not be DARE eligible. No extra grade inflation would have been assigned to you for having a scribe. Please get back on if you have anymore questions. – Deirdre<\/p>\n

Q: How do we calculate the extra boost? Or has it already been added onto our grades? – Shayla<\/b><\/p>\n

A: It has already been added to your final grade that you received today. You will be able to view a full breakdown of results at 12 noon Tuesday, August 25th. – Deirdre <\/p>\n

Q: How long does it take to have a result rechecked? – Conor<\/b><\/p>\n

A: The appeals results issue date is provisionally set for 11 am September 16th. This date is subject to change. The number of appeals will affect this date being met. – Deirdre <\/p>\n

Q: Is there a way we can see the percentage marks? – Caitriona <\/b><\/p>\n

A: On Tuesday 26th August from 12 noon, you will have access to your marks including for each part of the exam. – Brian <\/p>\n

Q: How do we appeal a subject grade? – Isabelle<\/b><\/p>\n

A: All the details regarding appealing subject grades can be found in the Candidate Information Guide. Applications for appeals are completed online in the Candidate Self Service Portal. Applications open 10 AM Sunday 31 August at 10am and close Monday 1 September at 5pm. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: We are getting one subject checked. If the grade increases my daughter would most likely have the points for her first choice on CAO. Should we accept her second choice next week and hope that she gets first choice in second round offer? – Alli<\/b><\/p>\n

A: Absolutely. Make decisions next week as if your daughter is not going to get any further offers in the future. Then if she does get a higher offer it is a bonus, but at least she already has something. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Is there a back door route for the Science Education Course in UCC? – Orla<\/b><\/p>\n

A: There are a quota of places for QQI PLC graduates for this course. Details are at this link: https:\/\/www.cao.ie\/index.php?page=fetac_search – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: If my son\u2019s mark in a subject increases after an appeal and gets him to the points required for a course he applied for, will a place on that course be made available for him? – Dave<\/b><\/p>\n

A: This very much depends on the college in question. In most instances the college will try to facilitate the upgraded student with a place after the final round of upgrades but in the event that they can\u2019t a deferred place for the following year will be made. – Brian<\/p>\n

Q: Will there be more primary places in DCU? – Jordan. <\/b><\/p>\n

A: The only way to know this definitively is to email admissions in DCU and get an answer from them. – Brian<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk for 2025. Using the form below, you can submit any questions…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16174,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[79,14565,14566,18,19,17,14567,14564],"class_list":{"0":"post-16173","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-cao-offers","10":"tag-cao-points","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-ie","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-leaving-cert-appeals","15":"tag-leaving-cert-results-2025"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16173\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}