Difference between CAO and LC Points?

RogueGambit

Hi!

I want to study medicine but I don't really understand how many points I need..
On the homepage it says "Students are required to achieve a minimum of 480 Leaving Certificate points and meet the subject requirements for matriculation in the same sitting of the Leaving Certificate or equivalent. Students are also required to present the required Admissions Test (HPAT-Ireland) copmlted within the 2-year period immediately preceding admission to the Medicine programme."

And then later: "Below are the Irish Leaving Certificate points that were required for the last four years.



CAO Points 2007-2011
2008 2009 2010 2011
Points 575 715 725 734"

So do you need 480 points to apply but you will most likely need over 700 points to get accepted?
Or what exactly does it mean?

Anita Blow

They're the same. This year the least points you needed to get into Medicine was 737 for NUIG. The other colleges were higher. (Went down by 1 point or 2 in 2nd round)
Your CAO points are combined with your HPAT result points.
Realistically you need about 540 CAO points minimum to have a chance at medicine unless you have an exceptional HPAT result which is rare. 480 would not get you into Medicine unless you got around 260 points in the HPAT which has never happened.

RogueGambit

Thanks, Anita.