CAO offers show points increase in every discipline in Trinity

There are now 8 courses over 600 points in Trinity

Central Applications Office (CAO) offers released this afternoon show points increase in every discipline in Trinity. 

There are now eight courses over 600 points in College and nine including medicine.

Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences saw huge increases. Points for History of Art and Architecture rose by 105 to 498 and Ancient Medieval History and Culture rose by 156 points to 498. Points for Music and Philosophy also increased significantly to 508, up 73, and 510, up 68, respectively.

Management Science and Information Systems Studies, and Dental Science are both sitting at 625* now, the maximum amount of points a student can receive. Philosophy, Political Science, Economics and Sociology (PPES), Global Business and Pharmacy are all 613* points. While Law and French, Psychology and Human Health and Disease are also over the 600* point mark. 

Medicine now sits at 743 points, including points from the Health Professionals Admission Test (HPAT).

First preference applications to the Joint Honours programme in College rose by 144%, from 1,452 to 3,548. This year, several programmes have moved into the Joint Honours system and two subjects were added. 

As a result six new subjects were available to applicants this year, Business, Computer Science, Law, Linguistics, Political Science and Social Policy. 18 new combinations were also possible with the implementation of these new changes.

Trinity has also added 195 new places this year to meet increased demand. The number of students who chose Trinity as their first preference on their CAO application hit a record high at 10,711. 

In a press release this afternoon, Vice-Provost Orla Sheils said Trinity “look forward to welcoming all students – new and existing – back in the coming weeks for a more in-person campus experience than last year allowed”.

“This year’s Leaving Certificate students have had a difficult year and we are conscious of the pressure that there has been on them and their families” she continued.

She highlighted the 195 new places that have been added but noted that “the rise in points for many courses was inevitable and reflects increased demand for undergraduate places”. 

Last week Trinity News reported that students had received a record number of H1’s in their Leaving Certificate results.

A H1 carries a minimum of 100 points and is the highest grade a student can receive in a Leaving Cert subject. Overall, the jump in grades shows an average 2.6% grade inflation on last year.

The increase in top grades in higher-level subjects is significant. For example, the proportion of students securing a H1 in higher level maths jumped from 8.6% last year to 15.1% this year, a 75% increase.

H1s in English grew from 4.4% to 7.6%, and from 11% to 18.2% in History. The 2020 figures, over which this year’s numbers have increased, were themselves historically high.

Round one CAO offers went live at 2pm today. Students will have until September 13 at 3pm to accept or decline their offer. 

* Random selection applies to all courses over 600 points 

Kate Henshaw

Kate Henshaw is current Editor-in-Chief of Trinity News, and a graduate of Sociology and Social Policy. She previously served as Deputy Editor, News Editor and Assistant News Editor.