The open days are behind you. The taster programmes are over. The Leaving Cert is done.And yet, for thousands of students across Ireland, one significant task remains: finalising a CAO list before the change of mind deadline closes. We asked two experienced guidance counsellors how to use it well.What’s the biggest mistake students make at this stage?“The whole CAO system is based on the idea that students rank their courses in order of preference,” says Róisín O’Donohoe, guidance counsellor at Gorey Educate Together Secondary School.“This means what they want to do the most, all the way down to their 10th choice. Ranking them in order of points can mean that students don’t always end up in a course they genuinely wanted the most.” Alice O’Connor, guidance counsellor at Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School, stresses that it is late to make big changes at this stage. “These are ideally just final tweaks. Most guidance counsellors and students have done the work with their students. I’d recommend no huge last-minute changes at this point.”Alice O'Connor, guidance counsellor at Stepaside Educate Together. What might drive a big change so late in the day?“The biggest mistake is that people panic and think about points as opposed to what they are interested in. Points matter, of course, but the idea that the CAO is the only pathway feeds into a system where points equal success and that’s simply not true.”O’Connor points to the many PLC, traineeship and apprenticeship options (see FetchCourses.ie), as well as new national tertiary courses at third-level – clunkily named perhaps – but they’re not awarded on CAO points (see nto.hea.ie) O’Donohoe says students sometimes don’t research the actual content of a course. “Often, students will know the title of a course but not the specific modules, placement requirements, workload, or types of assessments involved. One engineering course in one university can be quite different from another engineering course in a different university when you actually go in and look at the modules.”Should you call the college admissions office?Yes, but go in with a specific question.“Admissions officers are really good at clarifying things such as course structure, placement requirements, subject requirements, accommodation and progression options,” says O’Donohoe. “But I’d advise students to avoid simply calling to ask, ‘do you think I’ll get in’? Colleges can’t predict what the points requirement will be until results come out.”Better questions to ask include:What do students typically go on to do after this course?How much of the learning is practical versus lecture-based?What supports are available specifically for first years?O’Connor says that many college websites now also have chat functions that connect prospective students directly with current students on specific courses. This can be a useful alternative for those who find a phone call daunting.Is it worth tracking down a current student or recent graduate?“Students get a really good and clear insight about a course from talking to somebody who’s currently doing it or who has recently graduated,” says O’Donohoe. “But it’s important to remember that one person’s experience is only one perspective. If you can talk to a couple of people, that builds a much more well-rounded picture.”Current students can be found through college chat functions, LinkedIn, or, for those colleges that run them, late change-of-mind open days in late June. The best questions to ask, O’Donohoe suggests, are the honest ones:What is the workload actually like?Did anything surprise you about the course?What do you wish you had known beforehand?What about watching pre-recorded lectures online?More useful than you might expect, says O’Donohoe.“Even watching 20 or 30 minutes of a pre-recorded lecture can really help answer questions like:Do I genuinely find this interesting?Am I engaged with this kind of material?Do I feel curious to learn more?“It can be particularly helpful for students considering courses in subjects they haven’t studied at school, such as psychology, law, engineering, and computer science.”One lecture is not a degree, she adds. “It’s only a snapshot – but it can help a student’s impression become a little bit more concrete.”How do you manage the emotional intensity of this week?This is a heightened and emotionally charged time. Exams are just finished, students are tired, and the group chats are buzzing with rumour and anxiety.“Try to step back from the group chat,” says O’Donohoe. “Try not to get caught up in what everybody else is saying about points going up or points going down. Focus on what your dream courses are and what your safety courses are, and approach this strategically rather than emotionally.”O’Connor echoes this: “Always recommend no major last-minute change – it could just be panic. Don’t change based on how you think you did in the exams.”She also urges students to think practically as well as academically: is the college location realistic? If a commute is an hour and a half each way on a cold, dark December morning, will it be sustainable?What if you genuinely can’t decide between two courses?“Sit down and write a pros and cons list for each,” says O’Donohoe. “Look at the module list for both and ask yourself honestly how many of these modules you’re genuinely excited by. Look at graduate careers and which appeal more. Which work environment might suit your personality? Try to make the decision feel less abstract and more grounded in the day-to-day reality of actually doing the course.”And if you’re still not sure, is deferring an option?It can be, but O’Donohoe says that it should be a purposeful decision rather than avoidance. “Deferring can work really well if a student wants to work and save money, needs time to build confidence, or is feeling burnt out. But a gap year works best when there’s a sense of intention behind it, and a plan for the year.”The bigger reassurance is this: the CAO decision is not as final as it feels right now. “There are very few decisions at this stage that are irreversible,” says O’Donohoe. “Lots of people change direction after college, or during college: they transfer courses, they finish one degree and discover a new direction. The decision isn’t necessarily about the rest of their lives. It’s about choosing what they’d be happy to study and immerse themselves in for the next three to four years.”O’Connor says that students should remember to enjoy this time and experience. “It’s such a pivotal moment, moving from school to the adult world. And if you make a mistake, there are so many options. Don’t be shy about contacting your guidance counsellor when offers come out.”