As I write this, most second level schools in Ireland have completed their Pre-Certificate exams. That, in itself, is not the fearful part – rather it is the process that pits our children into a competition where they scramble for precious college places.

For a long time the single deciding factor in the application process for most college places has been the CAO.

As it functions now, the CAO is an instrument that:

• Looks at the results that the courses that are available under it’s remit
• Looks at the numbers of students applying for each course
• Applies supply & demand principles to allocate a number of points to each course
• Assesses the points received by each student, and
• Makes an offer to a student.

The process is from one point of view – fair. There isn’t a bias in that all students are assessed equally. (Whether that in itself is a bias that ignores disadvantage is another matter)

However, such an application process is very one dimensional. I know of no employer who would accept an employee with such a narrow criterion. Many companies value the concept of ‘fit’. (Not the physical version, but how well a potential candidate may fit an institution’s ethos, energy and values). In this context, fit cannot be assessed in a set of exams based on a curriculum set by the NCCA.

My eldest daughter has a wish to take up a career where the points in Ireland are quite high. Being resourceful (and ever-so-slightly stubborn), she has applied via UCAS, for the same course in the UK.

The process is radically different.

• Complete an application form
• Provide a personal statement
• In some cases provide teacher references, along with predicted grades
• Complete an interview process
• An offer can be provisionally made dependant on a set academic set of results in the Leaving Cert

In this case the course directors can get a feel for a candidate, how he or she will fit with the values and work ethic that they want to see in an applicant.

A key difference is how beautifully inefficient the process is. It costs money to process the forms, read the statements and run an interview. It is nowhere near as cost effective as a centralised application system. In this, at least, I think the British System is ahead of ours.

I’d love to see us adapt a broader methodology of how we assess students for courses, and therefore careers.

Simply scoring good points does not guarantee that the applicant is suited for any given course. Conversely, not achieving the required points does not mean that a candidate is not suited for their desired course.

To quote the title of the excellent podcast by Simon Lewis, “If I were the Minister for Education”, it is a change I’d definitely be looking for.