Sir, - Mary Donohue suggests (March 7th) that we should rethink the format of the CAO form because 17 per cent of applicants had not completed the form correctly.
In fact, we already do review the form every year, in consultation with guidance counsellors who are familiar with any problems experienced by students. However, may I point out that not one of the 16,449 errors would have been avoided by any revision in the layout of the form.
For example, some young adults who aspire to study at third level are unable to write just a five-digit number correctly. In addition, many students cannot spell their names and some seem to have difficulty in knowing where they live.
As to their inability to say when they were born, or to guess correctly whether they are male or female, my mind boggled many years ago. - Yours, etc.,
John McAvoy, General manager, Central Applications Office, Galway.