Whether or not you know what you want to do after the Leaving Cert next year, this podcast is for you!



Andy and Nessa chat to guidance counsellor and CAO expert Donnchadh O'Mahony from Leaving Cert Guidance about everything you could possibly need to know about the CAO. From tips on how to research college courses, to information about PLCs and Tertiary degrees, we cover it all!



Check out timecodes and links mentioned below, and don't forget to follow Donnchadh on socials for all the latest updates on the CAO, new courses and general career guidance.



TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leavingcertguidance

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leavingcertguidance/



⏰ TIMECODES:

02:05 - Key dates and basic steps for applying for the CAO

03:38 - How you should list your courses on the CAO form (Genuine Order of Preference)

07:04 - Explaining how the points system works

09:31 - Interesting new courses in CAO people might not know about

12:40 - Advice for anyone applying to universities outside of Ireland (UCAS etc)

15:45 - Information about restricted courses

16:41 - Tips for researching courses

20:38 - Tips for people who have no idea what they want to do after school

21:34 - How to choose the right course for you (www.findmycollegecourse.ie)

25:02 - Andy’s experience applying for a restricted course

26:10 - Choosing where to go to college

27:34 - Information about applying for the SUSI grant

28:07 - Information about HEAR/DARE

29:29 - Information about PLCs and tertiary degrees

33:05 - Why you should attend open days

35:32 - Donnchadh’s final advice on the CAO 

37:28 - Registering for the Candidate Self Service portal



🔗 LINKS MENTIONED

Official CAO Website:

www.cao.ie



Donnchadh’s website for finding the right college course for you:

www.findmycollegecourse.ie



Information about Tertiary Degrees

www.nto.ie 



Applying for the SUSI grant

https://www.susi.ie/



State Examinations Commission

examinations.ie 



Information about HEAR/DARE

https://accesscollege.ie/hear/