A REPORT DRAWN up by the heads of Ireland’s seven universities which proposes major changes to the college entry system will today be delivered to Education Minister Ruairí Quinn.

The report is expected to contain a number of proposals to move away from the current CAO system. It comes one day after Trinity College Dublin said it plans to bring in a radical new scheme for entry to its law course, in which students will also need personal statements and references from teachers – as well as points – in order to gain a place on the course.

A small number of courses – including medicine, architecture, and art – already require students to complete some additional work, such as a portfolio or an admissions test.

Proponents of a system involving additional work say it encourages more well-rounded students and looks at the student’s work as a whole, rather than just basing it on one set of examination results. Opponents say that the points system creates a level playing field and that references from teachers or personal statements could be open to manipulation.

What do you think? Should more than points alone be considered for entry to all college courses?

Read: Over 21,000 CAO offers accepted online today >

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