THE number of college applications received by the Central Applications Office has dropped to 59,635, the lowest level since 1993.
This is good news for Leaving Certificate students competing for third level places. However, the final number may rise by a further 2,000 or so by the time the late application deadline of May 1st is reached.
Last year was said to be a good year for applicants as the introduction of Transition Year in many schools reduced the number of students sitting the Leaving Cert.
In 1996, 59,176 candidates sat the Leaving Cert but the Department of Education's projected figures this year are in the region of 65,916, so it was expected that CAO applications would rise well above the 60ft level.
The unexpected drop may be due to an over estimation by the Department of the numbers sitting the Leaving Cert or a higher proportion of students may have decided not to, opt for third level.
It is also possible that many more students than usual will avail of the late application facility.
The total number of applications for degree courses is 48,476 this year, compared to 44,969 last year. The certificate/diploma list attracted 53,616 applications, compared to 48,897 last year. Sixty applicants did not apply for either list. News of the cancellation of the "pending" facility, which previously allowed students to return blank lists and specify courses later, had obviously not reached them.
The number of first preference applicants for the various faculties gives some indication of the competition for places. Points levels are a function of the number of applications, the calibre of these applications and the total number of places available.
The numbers of places available have not yet been finalised but are unlikely to change significantly from last year, particularly in the sought after areas of law, medicine, pharmacy and dentistry.
The number of first preference applications are up for law, pharmacy and medicine, but down for dentistry, when last March's figures are compared to this year's figures.
There were 1,901 first preference applications for law an increase of 203 on last year. First preferences for dentistry are slightly down from 327 to 274. Medicine attracted 1,908 first preference applications this year, an increase of 273 on last year, while pharmacy has attracted 566 first preference applications compared to 532 last March.
There has been a substantial increase in the number of applicants putting administration/business degrees at the top of their list. In all, 11,257 applicants gave their first preference to administration/ business, an increase of 1,551 on last March. First preferences for engineering/technology degree courses have also risen by 1,179.
This pattern is mirrored on the certificate/diploma list with 13,444 first preferences for engineering/technology courses compared to 11,116 last year. Administration and business has also attracted increased first preferences - 19,852 compared to 18,507 last March.