Report shows CAO points likely to hit record high of last year again with random selection expected for high demand courses

Leaving cert grades are forecast to remain at last year’s record high.

That’s according to documents released by the Department of Education today.

The report found that four out of ten college courses which required 550 points or more, used random selection last year.

Random selection means that a student who has the necessary points might not get their first choice despite meeting the grade criteria.

Secretary of the Irish Second Level Students Union and current Leaving cert student, Eoin Connolly says it’s time for an overhaul:

“Random selection isn’t about the adjustments they’ve made to the CAO. It’s about the CAO itself and that is definitely a thing a lot of people feel sour about. We do need to look into reforming the CAO”