Posted 17 August 2009
Points up in Round 1 CAO offers for UCD degrees
26% of students have 500+ points
Given UCD’s strong growth in first preferences last January, it is not surprising that points generally rose in the Round 1 CAO offers this year. In 46 out of 79 DN entry routes for Leaving Certificate students the points are up on 2008 levels. The most notable increase is Omnibus Science (DN008) where points rose by 85 to 385.
“We are very pleased with the increase” Professor Mark Rogers, Dean of Science said. “Although interest in science is up nationally, the UCD performance is a direct result of the work done to communicate the underlying quality of our courses.
We have placed a great deal of emphasis on the career opportunities open to our graduates and the word is filtering through. Many students take only one lab subject in their Leaving Cert but a degree in science opens up a world of opportunities ranging from forensics to wildlife conservation, from disease therapies to food safety.
Students have been undoubtedly encouraged by the Government’s commitment to the Smart Economy and are responding to the investment in science at the university.”
The University’s largest programme, Omnibus Arts (DN012) continues to perform well and points in Round 1 have risen from 350 (2008) to 360 this year reflecting the continued steady interest in Arts. This degree is the largest Arts programme in the country with over 1,200 first-year students.
As expected, points in built environment-related courses fell. However, although points in Omnibus Engineering (DN077) fell to 445 this year, the vast bulk (55%) of students offered places on this course in Round 1 have 500+ Leaving Certificate points.
15 UCD entry routes require 500+ points for entry but 66 courses have students with 500+ points. Overall, 26.5% of students offered Round 1 places have 500+ points demonstrating the high calibre of students at UCD.
In Round 1, just over 48% of students were offered their first preference course based on their CAO points. In Medicine (DN002) this rises to over 75% reflecting the very strong interest in medicine at UCD.
The introduction of the HPAT has had an impact on the offers to students wishing to study medicine. The UCD score of 720 points is a combination of Leaving Certificate and HPAT points and consequently the new selection process has widened access to Medicine. Traditionally a high percentage of students applying for medicine repeated their Leaving Certificate. This year, 83% of Round 1 offers have gone to students who are sitting the Leaving for the first time. Last year only 59% of students were on their first sitting. Although it is too early to see a pattern, the introduction of the HPAT would also seem to have resulted in a more even gender balance with 48% male and 52% female students receiving Round 1 offers compared with 40:60 male:female in 2008.
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