ALMOST 64,000 people have applied for third-level college places this autumn, according to the Central Applications Office (CAO).
However, there has been a one-third drop in students seeking entry to courses related to the construction industry, in a possible reaction to the downturn in the building sector.
Up to the February 1 deadline, the CAO received course lists from 63,868 college hopefuls, a 3% increase on the 62,000 applications at the same stage last year.
However, with thousands more students applying early this year, it is expected that the increase might be balanced out by fewer late applications than in 2007.
The arts and social science sector remains the most popular for level 8 (honours bachelor degree) courses, being the first preference of more than one-in-four of the 56,315 applicants. At level 7 and 6 (ordinary bachelor degrees and higher certificates), administration and business courses are the most popular again this year, although overall application numbers are down more than 4% on 2007.
While Leaving Certificate, mature students and all other applicants can change their course choices free of charge between May 1 and July 1, the statistics give an indication of which areas of study are most attractive this year.
An increase in demand for particular courses is likely to result in points requirements rising, although the actual exam results of applicants is also a factor.
The number of applicants listing courses under the built environment category at level 8 is down from 3,385 a year ago to 2,257, while just 502 chose one of these as their first preference compared to 732 last year. These would include courses with building, surveying, valuation in their titles, although separate from engineering, in which demand was up slightly, in line with overall averages.
With government plans to introduce an aptitude test for entry to medicine degrees — to be considered in combination with Leaving Certificate results — delayed until next year, the demand continues to rise. Although the 2,741 people applying for medical school entry includes more than 500 seeking entry to graduate medicine programmes — somewhat similar to last year — the total is up 8% on last year, suggesting no drop in the near-perfect Leaving Certificate points needed for school-leavers hoping to become doctors.
Other subject areas and careers with above-average increases include dentistry (first preferences up 11%), agriculture (up 10%), veterinary medicine (up 8%), pharmacy and primary teaching (both up 7%) and science (up 5%).
There were drops in demand for level 8 courses in physiotherapy, architecture, nursing and law, and at level 7/6 for built environment courses, and those in art, dental assistant and law.
Demand grows
Dentistry — up 11%.
Agriculture — up 10%.
Veterinary medicine — up 8%.
Pharmacy — up 7%.
Primary teaching — up 7%.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, March 11, 2008
