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Pictured is Dr Derek O'Byrne

Dr O’Byrne encourages applicants to consider the longer term when making decisions on their number one course, college and location and consider the choices as if there was no pandemic

Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) Registrar and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr Derek O’Byrne has advised CAO applicants to think beyond first year when making their choices.

He noted that the challenge future freshers face is getting their CAO order of preference right by 5.15pm on 1 July 2020.

The challenge is magnified given the uncertainty of how work, life and study will be organised next September as the country unwinds from the coronavirus lockdown.

Longer term view

Dr O’Byrne encourages applicants to consider the longer term when making decisions on their number one course, college and location and consider the choices as if there was no pandemic. “Your college experience will not be just your first semester but will be throughout the 4 years of your college life and it is critical to ensure the sustainability of choices you make over the full duration of your course. That includes commitments to accommodation, your support networks and the mix of academic and social activities that fits your interests and will shape you as a person for your future career,” he says.

“At WIT we are keen to ensure the freshers of 2020/2021 get to experience all aspects of college life from getting to know classmates to experiencing the campus environment. This autumn WIT will offer a mix of online lectures and on campus classes for students (within Government guidelines).”

Avoid disappointment

Prospective students can avoid disappointment once CAO offers are made by acting before 1 July in logging on to the CAO and checking through their choices.

“The most important step a CAO applicant can take is to make sure that the courses they add to their CAO list are ones they would genuinely like to study, pandemic aside.”

WIT has many resources available right up to 1 July at [url=http://www.wit.ie/cao]http://www.wit.ie/cao[/url] to help prospective students – and indeed parents – get the order of course choice right for the individual.

South east students

Dr O’Byrne added: “Given the economic impact of the pandemic, a key advantage for prospective students living in the south east is having the choice to commute, to avail of student accommodation, or to do a mix of both. Many students may decide accommodation within walking or cycling distance of campus is preferable to commuting in enclosed spaces, and convenient for a timetable that will feature a mix of online lectures and on-campus activity.”

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