LEAVING PREVIEW:ATTENTION IS set to again focus on students' performance in maths and science subjects when the Leaving Cert results are published tomorrow.
The results are expected to be broadly in line with last year.
Career experts expect no significant change in CAO points requirements, despite the increasing number of applicants this year.
Overall applications for third-level entry this year are up to 68,112, from 65,401 in 2007.
Some popular courses may require slightly higher points but the vast majority of students will secure one of their top options.
In recent years up to 5,000 Leaving Cert students have failed ordinary-level maths, making them ineligible for many third-level courses.
Under pressure from business and educationalists, the Government has responded to the so-called "maths crisis" by rolling out a revised course on a pilot basis from September. The new course will be more practical than the current programme with a greater stress on problem-solving.
Attention will also focus on overall academic standards in the Leaving Cert amid allegations that the exam is being dumbed down.
Last June the State Examinations Commission (SEC) said the increase in Leaving Cert grades could be attributed to several factors, including more exam-orientated teaching and the introduction of more modern courses.
The SEC was responding to recent reports, including one which tracked Leaving Cert grades across 24 subjects over almost two decades.
This found that the number of students gaining A and B grades in many higher-level subjects had almost doubled since 1991. But the study found little evidence to support higher academic standards.
There has also been a significant increase in the number of CAO points secured by students since 1995. For example, the number securing the perfect Leaving Cert (600 CAO points) was up by 500 per cent.