The demand for high point college courses, such as medicine, law and economics, is expected to soar this year.
Over 84,000 people have applied to the CAO this year with first round offers due to be published at 2pm today.
This year's Leaving Cert results, which were published last week, showed record-high grades which will mean minimum point requirements for courses will also rise.
Education Editor with the Irish Times, Carl O'Brien, says most students will be offered one of their top 3 course.
"The Government has added in thousands of new college places this year in a lot of these high demand courses, the high points courses, in a bid to to take some of the heat out of the points race.
"The Government is saying that at least 75% of students today can expect to get one of their top three courses.
"However not withstanding that, we can expect to see significant rises."
