CAO 2025 Helpdesk: Expert Guidance for College Applicants

The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk for 2025 is now open for questions about this year's college application process. Education experts Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard will be available to answer questions on points, Leaving Cert results, appeals, deferrals, and more. Follow the link to submit your questions and receive quick feedback.

The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk for 2025 is now open, offering education experts Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard to answer questions about the college application process. This service is particularly timely given the recent release of Leaving Cert results, which have seen an average enhancement of 5.9 percent compared to the pre-Covid class of 2019.

The class of 2025, having experienced a unique second-level journey marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now reflecting on their results. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has applied enhancement formulae to their results, which have, on average, awarded them one grade higher than originally marked. This enhancement process has varied from 12 percent at the lower levels to less than 5 percent at the top end, with an overall percentage of grades enhanced at 70 percent in 2023 and 68 percent in 2024 [1].

Minister for Education Helen McEntee has mandated that the enhancement average will drop from 7 percent to 5.9 percent for this year's results, indicating a glide path back to pre-Covid patterns over the next three to four years [1]. Students who received their results are encouraged to review the guidelines provided by the SEC for any discrepancies or errors in their grades.

For students seeking a CAO college place, the CAO points required for various courses will only be known after the data is processed through the CAO computer system over the coming days. The overall number of applicants has increased by 5,299 to 89,308, with a rise in Level 8 programs from 1,110 to 1,115 [1]. Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless has approved funding increases, adding 274 places to medical and paramedical courses throughout the State [1].

The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk will be invaluable for students seeking guidance on points, Leaving Cert results, appeals, deferrals, and more. It is an opportunity to get quick feedback and expert advice on navigating the college application process. Students are encouraged to follow the link to submit their questions and receive assistance from the experienced education experts.

References:

[1] https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2025/08/22/leaving-cert-results-day-a-unique-second-level-journey-reaches-its-end/