CAO – Change of Mind – All You Need to Know

CAO Change of Mind Facility

All You Need to Know About the CAO Change of Mind Facility The CAO Change of Mind Facility opened on May 5th and will remain open until 5:00pm on July 1st. The Central Applications Office (CAO) has begun emailing all applicants who applied to CAO by 1 February this year. The email instructs applicants to […]

Will the Leaving Cert Points rise again next year?

This is a question we at Whitney Career Guidance are being asked a lot of late. Before I answer that question here is a brief overview of what has been happening with Leaving Cert points over the past 5 years. During the period 2017-2019 Leaving Cert points held steady, but there was the usual amount […]

What do I want to be when I Grow Up?

©2020 Mary Hickey What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you want to be when you grow up?  This question is often posed to children during primary school.  Responses to this question often include; a fireman, a camogie star, a farmer etc.  A recent family outing reminded me of this.  […]

Timeline for Leaving Certificate 2020

There are many queries coming in from parents and students regarding the timeline for CAO 2020. So to give some clarity on the situation I have put together this short blog. The most immediate and important task for Leaving Certificate Students to complete now is to confirm or opt in to receive Calculated Grades. Even […]

Considering an Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship is described as providing an individual with “The “Professional Ability to Act” by equipping the individual with the ability, knowledge and skill to work in an ever changing labour environment (2019, Apprenticeship Toolbox).    The two stage process to the apprenticeship ensures that this “Professional Ability to Act “is based on real work […]

Applying for Medicine – have a Plan B in place.

With around 470 places available to study Medicine within the CAO system I estimate that less than 1% of applicants sitting the leaving cert actually gain a place. To do so they must effectively be capable of achieving a minimum of c.570 points as well as achieving a high score of around 175 on the […]

The Importance of an Honours Degree

Graduates Whitney Career Guidance

One of the most important pieces of advice we can give to Leaving Cert students in our practice is “whatever you do, get a good solid Honours Degree. At least then, you will have a meaningful qualification from which you can launch your career”. The experience of being away at college for three to four […]