[totierne2]

I was in the British system (3 subjects, interview, effectively CV/Resume for top University, but mostly school exams, I academically stuck rigidly to the syllabus plus minor extracurricular).

My 17 year old son is in the Irish system. Top 6 subjects count for points, nothing else. Plus some minor need to pass requirements on other subjects. i.e. you cannot just specialise in science and maths at the end. (His 6th best subject will be Irish, English or French, all hard to get very top marks in.)

With dumbing down/grade inflation the skill to get ahead into a good degree is be pretty good at everything. Rather than absolutely brilliant at a couple of things.

He did a tiny bit of computers and maths extra classes, but we could not keep the maths classes going when it went back to in person after COVID, as we are on the poorer side of Dublin. Small chance he goes to Britain for undergraduate, which will be weird as he would suddenly have interviews/CV/Resume, whereas no interview/CV/Resume in Ireland.