Guides /

The 10 Biggest CAO Points Drops of 2025

The ten largest Round 1 falls from 2024 to 2025 among exam-scored courses offered in both years. A drop signals demand easing; whether it holds depends on next year's applicants.

  1. MT933 Popular Music - Keyboards (entrance assessment,audition), Munster Technological University: 552 → 312 (-240)
  2. MT939 Theatre and Drama Studies (entrance assessment,audition), Munster Technological University: 465 → 280 (-185)
  3. SC801 Strength and Conditioning, Setanta College: 382 → 222 (-160)
  4. SC601 Strength and Conditioning, Setanta College: 370 → 222 (-148)
  5. MT934 Popular Music - Drums (entrance assessment,audition), Munster Technological University: 567 → 422 (-145)
  6. US610 Accounting and Finance, Technological University of the Shannon: 348 → 229 (-119)
  7. GC418 Law - Criminal Justice, Griffith College: 378 → 260 (-118)
  8. US812 Design Engineering, Technological University of the Shannon: 432 → 319 (-113)
  9. US824 Computer Engineering with Network Infrastructure, Technological University of the Shannon: 423 → 315 (-108)
  10. DK792 Music and Performance Technologies, Dundalk Institute of Technology: 272 → 166 (-106)

Method

Built from the official CAO points charts (2025 Round 1, exam-scored courses unless noted). Regenerated whenever the dataset updates. Explore the numbers yourself in the course search or insights.