With the CAO Change of Mind deadline of 5:15 pm on July 1 fast approaching, CAO would like to advise all applicants to think carefully about introducing new courses or changing order of preference at this stage in the application process.
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> CAO communications officer, Eileen Keleghan, asks applicants not to make changes to an application based on assumptions about their Leaving Certificate examination performance.
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> “Every year we experience a surge in last minute amendments to CAO applications. This is due to a number of factors, for example more time spent researching courses and the introduction of new areas of interest.
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> “In 2015, fifty-six per cent of applicants availed of the Change of Mind facility at least once.
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> “What we would like to advise applicants to avoid doing is making changes to their order of preference or course choices based on how they feel they have performed in their examinations.
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> “If applicants simply follow the golden rule of placing all of their courses in their genuine order of preference they will be offered the course highest up on their preference list that they are deemed eligible for, if any” she added.
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> Other advice for applicants from CAO is as follows:
> 1. Make sure to carefully check your application well in advance of the Change of Mind closing date to ensure that all of the course codes are correct and listed in order of preference.
> 2. When entering new courses or editing existing course choices, applicants must list all courses on the new choices list.
> 3. After making changes online, applicants will receive an email. Applicants are advised to check this email carefully to ensure that all of their information has been recorded completely and correctly.
> 4. Carefully read any correspondence from CAO, including the ‘Statement of Course Choices’ which is sent by post to all applicants who make changes to courses using the Change of Mind facility. Applicants will also receive an email showing these changes.
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> A video guide explaining the CAO Change of Mind process can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/86519317
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CAO Change of Mind Facility from CAO on Vimeo.
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> The provisional date for Round 1 CAO Offers is August 22. Applicants will be notified by post and email if they have received an offer and will have until 5:15 pm on August 29 to register an acceptance. Applicants who do not receive an offer in Round 1 will receive a Statement of Application Record which they must carefully check and notify CAO of any errors or omissions. Round 2 offers will be available online from 6 am on September 1.