22.10.2010
The four NUI universities will award bonus points for Leaving Certificate Higher Level Mathematics (LC HL Maths), for four years from 2012 on a pilot basis. The scheme for the introduction of bonus points has been introduced by the universities as a supporting measure to accompany the full rollout of Project Maths and the necessary investment in maths teaching in second level schools. The pilot scheme has been specifically designed with the objective of maximizing the numbers of LC students who study for and sit the HL Math exams, and in particular of reducing the numbers of students who might drop down from HL to OL during the LC senior cycle. A mid-term review will be undertaken to examine the emerging potential effects of this pilot scheme, including on issues such as university access.
Following the anouncement of the decision of the seven Irish universities on 10 October 2010 to introduce the bonus points scheme, NUI has commended the scheme to its recognised colleges for consideration through their internal governance processes. Shannon College has advised that it will implement the scheme from 2012. The scheme is under consideration in RCSI. An update on the position will be posted here as soon as available. The scheme is not relevant in the other NUI Recognised Colleges, NCAD, IPA and Milltown Institute.
Bonus points scheme
The NUI universities will award a single standard 25 bonus points for all HL Maths grades D and above, irrespective of the grade achieved. There will be no bonus points awarded for grade E or below. The bonus points will apply for admission to all courses across the seven universities.
Following the addition of bonus points to the “existing points” available for HL Maths grades to achieve a cumulative points score, the usual CAO system will apply: i.e. the bonus points are awarded and added to the existing points for HL Maths, and then the best six subject scores are counted. If HL Maths (cumulative points score) is not among these six subjects, the bonus points will not be included in the total points score.
For the period 2012 – 2015 inclusive, the following points will apply:
% Range |
LC Grade; |
Points for HL Maths including 25 bonus points |
Points for all OL subjects |
90 – 100 |
A1 |
128 |
60 |
85 – 89.99 |
A2 |
115 |
50 |
80 – 84.99 |
B1 |
110 |
45 |
75 – 79.99 |
B2 |
105 |
40 |
70 – 74.99 |
B2 |
100 |
35 |
65 – 69.99 |
C1 |
98 |
30 |
60 – 64.99 |
C2 |
90 |
25 |
55 – 59.99 |
C3 |
85 |
20 |
50 – 54.99 |
D1 |
80 |
15 |
45 – 49.99 |
D2 |
75 |
10 |
40 – 44.99 |
D3 |
70 |
5 |
25 – 39.99 |
E |
0 |
0 |
10 – 24.99 |
F |
0 |
0 |
0 – 9.99 |
NG |
0 |
0 |
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