Over 55,000 Leaving Certificate students will receive their exam results today.
The number of candidates sitting the tests this year fell to its lowest level since 2007, at 55,572, but the uptake for Higher Level Maths increased to a record level.
One student received nine A1s, while 161 others got six A1s or more.
Results are available for collection in schools from 9am, and by phone or on the examinations.ie website from midday.
Over 13,000 sat Higher Level Maths – almost a quarter of all candidates – the highest figure ever.
However, the new ‘Project Maths’ syllabus does not appear to have improved results – with the number of Honours grades down by over 10%.
The Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has welcomed the increase in those sitting the paper.
“They have been rewarded as a result with an extra 25 points if they’ve applied for a college course.
“So that system is working, it’s an improvement on last year, and we’re happy about that.”
The numbers taking Higher Level Irish is also up, following an increase in the marks allocated for the oral component.
The State Examinations Commission is again apologising for an error in the maths paper – which it says was taken into account in the marking process.
The first round of college offers will be available on the CAO website from 6am next Monday morning.
Meanwhile the GardaÃ, Alcohol Action Ireland and Drink Aware are appealing to students to celebrate the results sensibly.
The Chief Executive of DrinkAware.ie, Fionnuala Sheehan, advised students not to drink on an empty stomach, to avoid rounds and have a plan to get home safely.
