As the heated CAO points race slows down throughout the country, Trinity’s courses have experienced significant decreases across the board, with the biggest drops hitting arts courses.
Points for STEM subjects varied, with computer science and a language facing the biggest drop, of 93 points. Points for theoretical physics lowered by 35 points, while mathematics decreased by 32. Computer science also fell to 444 points – a 23-point decrease from 2017. Meanwhile, points for engineering went up by 18 points to 488, consistent with the nationwide popularity for career-oriented courses.
Many arts subjects are on a downward spiral, with philosophy down 49 points, ancient and medieval history and culture falling by 95 points, and classics down 31 points. Music has fallen by a massive 45 points, following similarly steep drops in the two preceding years. Early and modern Irish also fell by 43 points, making it one of the lowest-point courses in Trinity at 344.
There were few surprises for the first year of Trinity’s brand-new entry routes to science subjects. Previously students either applied for general science and specialised down the line or they applied for one of the direct-entry routes that are no longer available. Instead, students this year chose from four entry routes to science subjects: biological and biomedical sciences, chemical sciences, physical sciences, or geography and geoscience. Last year’s points for science sat at 499 while, this year, three of the four new streams have opened with higher points – but only within a 10-point range. Geography and geoscience was the only stream with significantly lower points than general science, beginning at 413.
Typically high-point courses like European studies and philosophy, political science, economics, and sociology have climbed even higher.
The latest CAO figures, released at 6am this morning, suggest that the national points race has slowed down further after last year’s changes to the system. This is only the second year of the overhauled leaving certificate points structure, which left students uncertain about how points would shape up once the dust had settled. This year’s steady figures suggest that the new system has successfully taken some heat out of the highly competitive race.
The tumble in points for Trinity courses is in line with decreased demand for spots in Trinity overall, with this year having seen a drop of over eight per cent in students giving the College their first preference. While application numbers to colleges in Ireland significantly decreased, Trinity saw the steepest decline of all universities. Previously, there had been an increase in students choosing Trinity as their first choice, but the recent figures distinctly buck the trend. Uncertainty over Brexit has been put forward by College as one possible reason for Trinity’s overall decline in points, with a drop in applications from UK students.
Within Trinity as across the country, no striking trends can be discerned among the STEM subjects, with some subjects fluctuating more than others.
The new science entry routes sought to alleviate pressures on students applying to courses such as nanoscience and human genetics, which were traditionally popular but limited by tight quotas. The lack of dramatic influx in points signals a positive opening year for the new course.
Business, an area in which Trinity has made significant improvements in recent years, was also a mixed bag. Trinity’s global business course – formerly known as business – is up 11 points, but many of its combinations fell, including business studies and Russian, with a drop of 49 points and BESS, with a drop of nine. Trinity’s state-of-the-art Business School is currently under construction and the 2018 intake of students will spend most of their course in the new building.
Medicine and dental science remain steady and competitive as always, wavering by only one point each. Nursing and midwifery dropped by two points and one point respectively.
Keeping with national trends, many arts courses at Trinity have suffered big hits. On the other hand, several multidisciplinary arts choices have fared well and seen inclines. Philosophy, political science, economics, and sociology has risen eight points to 563 while European studies has risen significantly by 21, bringing it to 541. This renewed interest in European studies may be linked with Trinity’s new dual BA programme with Columbia University, which allows students to study in New York in their third and fourth years and to obtain a joint degree from both universities.
Most law courses have seen a decline, with law dropping nine points and law and German experiencing a steep decline, from 541 to 509.
In a press statement, Vice-Provost Chris Morash gave future students his best wishes: “Well done to all students who have received CAO offers today. It is an impressive achievement and a real testament to all of your hard work. For those coming to Trinity, you are about to begin an enriching personal and intellectual journey which can lead you to any number of destinations.”
“We are in the midst of a major revisioning of our undergraduate education, one that aims to make a Trinity education one that will enable our students to reach their full potential both inside and outside the classroom”, he said.
