The time has come for perhaps the most dreaded moment in the calendar of many 17-19 year olds around the country - the night before Leaving Certificate results.
Two years of long lessons, intense studying and project preparation have led to this moment, but it’s important not to get lost in it all and stay focused ahead of a busy week ahead. Our Classroom to College newsletter is the perfect guide to keep you on track.
From tomorrow, you will likely be inundated with unwanted comments from relatives and celebrities telling you they barely passed their Leaving Cert and they’re doing fine.
Every year on A Levels results day, television presenter Jeremy Clarkson likes to remind students on X that despite getting a C and two U’s (two fails) in his A Levels, he’s doing pretty well for himself. This year he said: “If your A level results are disappointing, don’t worry. I got a C and two Us and here I am today, installing lights for a helicopter landing pad in my garden.”
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For most students, a helicopter landing pad is probably the last thing on their mind ahead of the big day, with thoughts most likely occupied by points calculations, CAO offers and the all-important plans for results night celebrations.
It’s important to try to silence the background noise, remain as calm as you can, and stay focused on your own path - not on your relative who failed and is doing “just fine”.
The anxiety students are feeling across the country is probably not helped by the fact that results are set to be lower this year, as the State Examinations Commission begins a gradual shift back to pre-Covid marking levels.
This might not necessarily be a bad thing, however. In July, we crunched the numbers and found that there are fewer reasons to believe it may not be so unfair for many students. Lower grades are likely to mean that CAO points could drop across many courses.
If you’re feeling disappointed with your results, you can request to view your script to understand where you may have made mistakes in the exam. If you feel your grade might be wrong, the result can be appealed to the State Examinations Commission (SEC). There are also plenty of other options to consider post-results, which have been laid out by Peter McGuire in tomorrow’s Results 2025 supplement in The Irish Times.
If you’re wondering how much time you have to view your script, submit an appeal, and other important dates, Brian Mooney has listed the key dates for the class of 2025 in Friday’s supplement.
We also have advice from experts for those considering repeating the exams, along with some words of wisdom from recent graduates for incoming college students.
Over the next few days, The Irish Times will be providing expert advice on CAO offers, a live help desk to deal with readers’ queries, and detailed guidance on the smart options in further education and training.
Best of luck to everyone getting results tomorrow!
