I think iv really f****d up my application.....

qwertytlk

Hey,
When completing the various sections of the CAO online i decided to do the ones i could and then log out and go back and do the ones like the personal statement etc when i had a little more prepatory work done on it..All fine..you would thikn?!
Well no, not fine apparantley! I did this last thrursday night (14th) and it just transpired that i didnt log on again, either to my CAO app, or my emails untill sat evening, where upon logging into my emails i was met with one from the CAO thanking me for 'updating my qualifications /assessment detials' and that i should 'forward all necessary suupporting documents to the CAO by post within 7 days'!!!!!!!!
I actually coudnt believe it... i mean my application isnt even finished, i have still got some sections to fill out and others i would like to edit etc, but becuase of clicking the update qualificatons /assesment details' button, instead of save, this has actually submitted my CAO..
WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO?!!!:(:(:(:(
I have emailed them explaining the mistake iv made and that the rest of the form isnt completed and that i also just found out the other day that i DO need to supply a certified copy of my Junior cert results, which i have ordered but will not have untill at least the end of this week... so even if i went back to my application and filled out all blank sections, i still wouldnt have the relevant supporting doc's to send off to them within '7days' (relevent doc's being my JC):eek:

So i dont know what to do and am now offically freaking out! I mean i know it was a silly mistake on my part but then again clicking a button called 'update' when you have almost finished a section, doesnt, to me anyway, sound as if you are submitting your application does it? it jjust sounds like you are updating that section with the extra info you have typed in!
Any idea's on what i can do, as iv not heard back from CAO yet...i emailed them on sat night when i saw what had happened, but i didnt think id get a reply untill today anyway...but havent got anything yet... :eek:


This is so upsetting, i genuinly never knew i would be submitting that info by clicking the update button! and what about the other sections of the CAO that havent been completed at all,like for example the 'course choice' section? Can one part of my application be submitted whislt another section still is empty??

Blueprint

I think you can correct your entry free of charge until the 31st...

qwertytlk

Really? Thank GOD! Do you have any idea how? Like i say im ready to send it all off, and have all my supporting documents in order, apart from my Junior cert results which im waiting for in the post!

I just also want to say that i think the CAO website and the way the applications etc are laid out is very un-managable and completley non-user-friendly... I may be alone in thinking this but it just seems to me that what has happened to me can happen so bloody easialy... THE BUTTON SAYS UPDATE-NOT SUBMIT!

I still havent revieved an email from them so if i dont get one in the next hour im going to call...

Im thinking now that maybe they might agree to let me send the documents i do have - which is all my other certs/letters, and forward on the JC results soon as i recieve them as i do have proof that i only found out about having to send them with app. last week...plus i have proof iv orederd them from the state examinations commission and a reference no? i dont know if this will be allowed but im sure going to ask!

Blueprint

Page 18 of the hand book has a section entitled "reasons to amend your application" and it says that you have to amend any mistakes no later than March 1st, but it doesn't tell you how to do it...

However, I think in the worst case scenario they only fine you a tenner for any mistakes you made. March 1st is a long time to sort stuff out so I wouldn't panic - I'm sure that loads of people mess it up all the time!

Wait, it says on Page 16 that there's an online change course facility on the website, so look for a button... It seems to imply that you can only change stuff after Feb 5th and it costs 10 Euro.

qwertytlk

Thanks blueprint but i forgot to say in the OP that im applying as a mature student so my deadline is `1st Feb... that bloddy site is so crap and hard to figure out!Its seriously driving me up the wall!:mad:

qwertytlk

OK crisis averted..as i previously mentioned, i emaied CAO about the 'mistake' i thought id made (as outlined in OP) and i just got a reply saying this ;

You may update your application until Feb 1st.

Data is not taken until after this date.

Documents maybe sent when available to you if you cannot post them within 7 days.

I then replied thanking him and asking this :Im just wondering then if every time i press the 'update' buttons for the various sections , this does not actually mean im submitting my application? If this is correct how do you actually submit the whole application? Im sorry to ask this but im finding the website quite difficult to figure out...

To which he replied :
Applications are only assessed after the closing date and can be updated until then. So in a sense there is no submit button ; you can complete various section of the application, log out and save it by either clicking save or update. You may then come back to it any time until the closing date which in your case, as a mature student, is 1st Feb. Where by which time all relevant documentation should be forwarded on to the CAO.
Best of luck with your application.

-So thats it, im happy enough now as he has basically said i can wait to recieve my Junior cert in post and then send everything off or i can send all other documents now and send that when i recieve it!:D Thank god for that- i thought id really messed up!

*Hank Scorpio*

Do we need to send junior cert results? Did mine ions ago.

Was gona just send my university and L.c results.

qwertytlk

Hank Scorpio- As far as i know any pre-1985 state exams (leaving / junior cert) need to be sent to the CAO, however i am almost sure that post 1985 leaving certs do not need to be sent...unless there only being sat this coming summer-in that case you forward them when you get them..
And i have been told that you do need to send a copy of you JUNIOIR CERT, i sat mine in 2001 and have had that fact clarified by CAO. However i am not sure if i only have to send my because i didint sit the leaving cert... you will have to have that clarified yourself!

I have another thread about state exam results if you want to check it out you might find some more info there.

I would say just send them all to be on the safe side. And remember to send copies only!
Best of luck.

Blueprint

Thanks for posting the reply from the CAO guy, it helped me not be nervous about filling the stupid thing out.

I'm in the happy place that I don't have to post in any certificates as I never did an exam in my life! I did have a struggle to get the personal statement (which I'd already written) to fit into the 1000 character limit, but I had no intention of sending it on extra so it was going to fit no matter what hatchet job I had to do!

I can afford to be fairly blase about it all, as long as I get the application in on time, as I'm currently doing the Foundation Cert in GMIT, which guarantees me a place in GMIT as long as I pass my exams. I'd be a bit more worried about the personal statement bit otherwise...

Larianne

qwertytlk,

Ya poor thing!!! Sorry I wasn't online earlier, I was in college.

I had a mini crisis like this the first time I applied. I was applying from Australia and submitted my application then realised I wouldn't have my documents in order and over to Ireland within the 7 days. They emailed me saying it was okay.

Hank, you only really need to send your J.C. results if you haven't done the L.C. And then again, you don't have to... it just will give college an idea of what standard you're at (had been etc.)

You're nearly there guys!!! Hang in there!

qwertytlk

Blueprint ; I did pretty much the same as you; i tried and tried - very hard, to fit in everything on the CAO personal statement section-and i did it. Its condensed..alot but it was clean and concise so i was happy enough...Then tonight someone PM'd me saying that its strongly advised to send another personal statement into the CAO seperatly with your supporting documents, and to get all the information you want to be in it, in. Patcicurally if your applying to Social care/social work/psychology/counselling (and many more in that general area-i think!) As with those type of courses what you would need / want to say doesnt exactly give you a lot of room in 1000 spaces! Anyway that was a bit of a bombshell to me but im over it now and actually kinda happy that i can write all i really wanted to and not to be cutting bits out for fear of space!!

Just had a thought there about the personal statements actually ; if its advised you send a proper one with all other supporting doc's then do you leave the statement on the CAO blank or do you just leave what you have already written (which inst alot-really just a few sentences!) and in the 2nd proper one just elaborate on the first or what?! Anyone who has any clue on this id appreciate a lil' help!!:D

qwertytlk

Larianne wrote: »

qwertytlk,

Ya poor thing!!! Sorry I wasn't online earlier, I was in college.

I had a mini crisis like this the first time I applied. I was applying from Australia and submitted my application then realised I wouldn't have my documents in order and over to Ireland within the 7 days. They emailed me saying it was okay.
You're nearly there guys!!! Hang in there!

Thanks hun, but this crisis started on sat night so it was playing on my mind all weekend untill today (monday) when i got the reply-thank god!

One question that myself an a girl i been PM'n are worried about now is the 7day rule .. So if the application isnt actually taken by CAO, or submitted if you like, untill closing date, which as we all know by now is 1st of February, does that now mean that supporting documents dont have to be sent untill 7 days after that-which excluding weekends would be 9th of February, or including weekends would be 7th/8th Feb?
Or do they actually have to be into the CAO BEFORE 1st February??? If this is the case now im totoally confused AGAIN!! Cos they say once you submit your application you must send all supporting doc's within 7 days.... but as it said in the emaill i got from CAO there is no fecking submit button-there all just taken by CAO and submitted on the closing date?Agggghhhh!!!!!!! :eek:
This application will be the death of me, i swear hahahahahaha:D

Larianne

Well going by what the email said it appears to be 7 days after your application has been completed, so 1st February.

But I'd suggest you get your documents sent in as soon as possible.

There is gonna be a high increase of See Postal Documents this year on the forms.

brainslush

I also have some questions concerning the closing date. I made my application 3 weeks ago and sent in the "supporting documents". Yesterday a irish friend told me that it may be that I also have to send the language certificate to the CAO. I was going like - what the **** this wasn't mentioned anywhere.
I already made some researches by calling the CAO-Office and international offices of the universities but it wasn't really fruitful. I just discovered that I've still time to send it in.

My first question is: Is there anything else I have to hand in (Birth certificate....)? It's really annoying that this isn't described very well in the handbook. I don't want that my application get ****ed just by some foolish, not mentioned and hidden explanatory notes.
I already sent in my leaving certificate and an English transcript of it.

The second question is... Till when must this stuff arrive at the CAO? The thing is that the next IELTS test will be at the beginning of march. It's also possible to take this test in another town but in that case I need to know the date as soon as possible because I've to apply for the test again.
Thanks a lot