Occasionally I assist in sifting applications for certain scholarships. The applicants are required to complete the application form in their own handwriting and to use no more than the specified number of words for a couple of short essays.
It is surprising to note the generally poor standards we receive. Moreover, some applicants do not even provide the appropriate answers to the questions posed. For example, where exam grades are required to be stated, some applicants don't bother to do so.
Interestingly, it is often those for whom English is not their first language who produce the best-written applications. Perhaps that's indicative of the general standard of basic education in our schools these days? But what hope is there when even some teachers refer to the 3 Rs using the grocer's apostrophe.....