The written Leaving Cert exams in November are a good opportunity for any student who feels they have more to offer than their calculated grades, a guidance counsellor has said.
From 9am this morning, students can register to sit the traditional written exams.
Students have until 5pm on Friday to apply, with the exams to run from Monday 16th November to Friday 11th December.
Career guidance counsellor Betty McLaughlin told Breakfast Briefing that students will be able to combine any higher marks they get through the written exams with their calculated grades.
Ms McLaughlin said: "[These exams] apply to any student who feels that they still have more in the tank than what was produced by their [calculated] grades, and who feel maybe they didn't get the course they wanted... and decide they may have a chance to improve their grade by taking the State exam.
"If they are upgraded by sitting the exam when the results are out in February 2021... they will be offered a deferred course... so they can start in September 2021.
"The good news about that is they'll still be eligible for the free fees and the SUSI grant funding if they decided to take up that course."
While the State exams usually take place on weekdays over several weeks in June, it will be a different process this year.
Ms McLaughlin explained: "[Students] will be sitting the exam in the school they were in prior to June.
"Therefore, the best [the schools] can offer - which is understandable - is from 5:30pm to roughly 8pm on school days.
"Then on Saturday and Sunday, they will have two sittings - one in the morning, and one in the afternoon."
Any students who wish to apply to sit the exams can do so via their student portal from 9am this morning.
