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Leaving Cert: should you drop to Ordinary Level?

How CAO points compare across Higher and Ordinary Level, why an H7 can equal an O3, the Higher Level Maths bonus, and how to decide whether to drop a level.

By the GetGrinds.ie team · Updated

Stay at Higher Level if you can realistically reach a H7 or better, because a H7 earns the same CAO points as an O3. Drop to Ordinary Level when Higher is putting a pass at risk, or when the hours it eats are costing you points in other subjects. The right call depends on the subject, the student and the course they are aiming for, so it is worth working through the numbers before deciding.

How CAO points work

CAO points are calculated from your best six Leaving Certificate subjects in a single sitting. Each grade carries a set number of points, and Higher Level grades are worth more than the same grade at Ordinary Level. The full scale is published on the CAO website, and it is worth checking there each year in case anything changes.

Higher Level grades earn:

  • H1: 100 points
  • H2: 88 points
  • H3: 77 points
  • H4: 66 points
  • H5: 56 points
  • H6: 46 points
  • H7: 37 points
  • H8: 0 points

Ordinary Level grades earn:

  • O1: 56 points
  • O2: 46 points
  • O3: 37 points
  • O4: 28 points
  • O5: 20 points
  • O6: 12 points
  • O7 and O8: 0 points

Where Higher and Ordinary overlap

The two scales meet in the middle. A H5 is worth the same as an O1, a H6 the same as an O2, and a H7 the same as an O3. In other words, a modest Higher Level result gets you the same points as a strong Ordinary Level result.

That cuts both ways. A student comfortably heading for an O1 might only manage a H6 or H7 at Higher, so there is no points gain from switching up. But a student who is scraping a H6 would need a top Ordinary grade to match it, and an O1 is not guaranteed either.

The real risk at Higher Level is the H8, which earns nothing. If a student is hovering near the bottom of the Higher scale, the question is whether they are more likely to land a H7 or slip to a H8.

The Higher Level Maths bonus

Higher Level Maths carries 25 bonus points for a H6 or above. A H6 in Higher Maths is therefore worth 71 points, which is more than an O1. This bonus only applies if Maths is one of your best six subjects, which it usually is.

This is why many teachers encourage students to hold Higher Maths for as long as they can. The jump from 46 to 71 points at H6 is significant, and many courses also have a minimum Maths requirement of their own. Check the entry requirements for the courses you are interested in, because some specify a Higher Level grade in Maths or another subject.

When to hold Higher Level

  • Your mock results or class tests put you at H6 or above, with a buffer.
  • A course you want needs a specific Higher Level grade in that subject.
  • It is Maths and you are within reach of a H6 and the bonus points.
  • Your difficulties are with particular topics rather than the whole course, and those gaps can be fixed before June.
  • You have the time to keep up without other subjects suffering.

When dropping to Ordinary makes sense

  • You are consistently scoring in H8 territory and it is not improving.
  • The subject is not in your likely best six, so the extra effort is unlikely to count.
  • Stress and time spent on one subject are dragging down grades elsewhere. Freeing up five or six hours a week can lift two or three other subjects.
  • No course on your shortlist needs Higher Level in that subject.

Dropping a level is not a failure. A solid O1 or O2 in a subject that was causing trouble, plus better results in the rest, often adds up to more points overall.

Using mocks and a tutor to decide

The mocks are usually the best evidence a student has before the real exam. They show how someone performs on a full paper under time pressure, not just on chapter tests. Read our guide to the Leaving Cert mocks for how to prepare and what to do afterwards.

A mock grade on its own can mislead, though. A low mark might come from one disastrous question, poor timing or a topic that had not been covered yet in class. A tutor can go through the paper with the student and separate fixable problems from deeper ones:

  1. Mark where the points were lost, question by question.
  2. Sort each loss into gaps in knowledge, exam technique, or running out of time.
  3. Estimate how many marks can realistically be recovered in the weeks left.
  4. Make the level decision with the teacher, based on that picture.

For Maths in particular, a few targeted sessions on weak topics can be the difference between holding Higher and dropping. You can browse Maths grinds or search all tutors on GetGrinds.ie to find someone who knows the course.

Timing and practical points

Most students decide their final levels some time after the mocks. The level you sit is generally chosen on the day of the exam, but schools set their own deadlines and class arrangements, so ask your school how and when they handle changes. Moving between levels mid-year can mean a change of class, which is easier earlier than later.

If you are in junior cycle and thinking ahead, our guide on Junior Cycle vs Leaving Cert grinds covers when extra help tends to be most useful. If you have decided support would help, see how to find a tutor.

Rules can change

Senior cycle is being redeveloped, with new subject specifications and assessment arrangements being phased in. The NCCA publishes updates on curriculum changes, and the State Examinations Commission sets exam arrangements. Points scales and bonus rules are set by the CAO and higher education institutions. Always confirm the current rules with your school and the official sources before making a final decision.

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