CAO FAQ - Check here before posting questions...

seamus

Dragging up an old chestnut....

There's a few questions which pop up for everyone when the CAO offers come out, most of which are happily answered in the handbook, but sure I'll try do it here....... Check to see if your question is answered here first, thanks...

The main tenant of the CAO system - Students may only have one accepted offer in the system at any time. You start without any accepted offer. You may accept or reject any offers made to you, in any round. However, if you do not accept an offer by the required date, it's gone - you can't go back and decide you want it. Any offer you accept overrides any previous accepted offer you had (ie you reject the previous offer), and then the previous offer is gone. Once an offer is gone, it's gone, and there's nothing you can do about it.

I was offered my first preference in the first round, but I've decided I want a lower preference. Can I get it?
No. You get offered the highest preference that you qualify for. All lower preferences are then gone and you will not be offered them.

I was offered a preference in the first round which wasn't my first one. If I accept it, can I be offered my first, or any higher preference?
Yes. In subsequent rounds, if you qualify for higher preferences, you will be offered them, and you can accept them.

I was offered a preference in the first round which wasn't my first one, but I've decided that I don't want any of my higher preferences. What happens if I get offered a higher preference in another round?
You don't have to accept any offer made to you. Once you've accepted an offer, that place is yours, and there is no obligation to accept any subsquent offers.

Should I reject an offer and wait to see if I get a higher preference in another round?
Probably not, unless you really don't want to do the course you've been offered. As above, you can accept the offer, and still be offered a place on a higher preference in another round. If you choose to reject the original offer, you may not get any of your higher preferences later on, and you'll be left without a college place.

I rejected an offer in one round, but have now decided that I want it. Can I get it?
No. Once an offer is rejected, it's gone. Tough.


(Off-topic: If searching for one of your own threads, using the "Sort by Thread starter" option at the bottom of the forum is really handy while the search function isn't working)

TheDoc

Tonight I just filled out my cao form. I only entered 9 out of 20 courses, and I put my courses i wanted first but after number 1 i kinda threw ones down. Do I have till July to decide in which order I want to put my courses or whats the crack?

seamus

[DM]-TheDOC- wrote:

Tonight I just filled out my cao form. I only entered 9 out of 20 courses, and I put my courses i wanted first but after number 1 i kinda threw ones down. Do I have till July to decide in which order I want to put my courses or whats the crack?

Essentially, yeah. You can continue to change your mind after you've submitted your application - that's the most important part, getting it in there. If you have any courses though that require interviews or portfolio-style matriculation, you won't be allowed select these in the change of mind form.

If you're serious about a course, and you're confident that you can/will get the points, then don't worry too much about what you put down after. Don't put down something that you wouldn't want to do "Just to fill in the form". Make sure that anything you put down is something you have a passing interest in.