I need some advice on starting my leaving cert again.

BetterThanThou · 07-05-2014 7:34pm #1

Last year I left school, it wasn't a good idea, and I've decided to go back and give myself a second chance at the leaving cert. I'd like to do computer science at UCD, which requires a decent amount of points, 480 minimum, and I could see it increasing. So I'd be aiming for 500 points minimum.
Anyway, I have a few options to do my leaving cert, I don't think traditional school is still an option. But there's a "second chance" school in my area, I like the idea, I went there to check it out and put my name down, and the principal was very impressed by my attitude, so I can nearly guarantee a spot there. One problem is, due to the fact they're a small school and have only about 30 students at a time, they can't offer a large amount of subjects. My subjects would likely look like:
English
Irish
Maths
French
Biology
Art
Business Studies

I've never done Art or French, so I'd be quite worried about those subjects. I also did ordinary level Maths and Irish. In order to get the points I want, I'd need to bump pretty much everything up to higher level, bar one, maybe two subjects. My main concerns are, as I said, Irish, Art, French and Maths. Should I be able to bump those up to higher level As in 2 years with enough hard work? Or is it something that's not doable? I plan on giving it my all, I plan on a minimum of 2 hours a night study on weeknights in fifth year, possibly more if needed, and in 6th year I plan on spending practically all my free time studying, other than weekends, and I'll even study on weekends if needed.

robman60 · 07-05-2014 8:00pm

French is pretty tough to take up from scratch but it's doable, especially when you have two years. Are you good at languages? I feel you can't exactly "force" yourself to be good at languages in the same way you could with biology or business. A natural aptitude is essential if you're looking for an A in my opinion. I can barely draw a stick man so I'll refrain from giving you advice on art. It's notoriously difficult to get an A1, however, with an A1 rate of about 1%. It doesn't seem easy at all and I'd discourage it.

I don't mean to discourage you but it's easy to start out with these grand plans but harder to implement them. Points tend to be higher in Dublin due to the reputation of the likes of UCD and Trinity. Even if you don't hit your desired total there are options in computer science elsewhere.

BetterThanThou · 07-05-2014 9:07pm

I'm prepared to go to a college other than UCD, I have found some other options with much more achievable points, but I feel like I should aim for UCD, as it's the college I've wanted to go to for years, and the higher I aim the harder I'm going to try. Leaving Dublin isn't really an option, but I am willing to go to smaller colleges if I have to.

_Redzer_ · 07-05-2014 11:46pm

If you're not good at art I'd advice against it. Also, the paper, marking scheme and all round general consensus is that the theoretical side of it is a cúnt, which I fully agree on. It's grade A bollox.

I didn't do a tap for it, but watched many people study their ass off on that side to compensate for their fairly average drawing abilities.

None of the things I liked came up on the paper so I winged it, got a B1 purely off of my practical exams, and they got Cs, regardless of their efforts.

Not trying to be cocky or showy, just trying to illustrate that it's a no go unless you're at a fairly decent level when it comes to art, so you're not constantly fighting an uphill battle you'll never quite master.

Seaneh · 07-05-2014 11:49pm

Could you do an access course through UCD or another university or just do a level 5 or 6 course which would get you access to UCD?

Hotale.com · 08-05-2014 12:04am

Do geography, work hard at it and you'll get an A1, do what I did and if you're lucky you'll get a B :P

Also economics is well known for being relatively easy for points.

hfallada · 08-05-2014 12:06am

Dont touch Art. Its amount of As is one of the lowest of all subjects. And you cant expect to do well in French in one year

I did Geography in one year and got an A1. I just learnt the book of essays you can buy for a tenner

Economics is very doable in a year too

BetterThanThou · 08-05-2014 1:57pm

Upon closer inspection, I realized I don't actually need to do French or Biology. I was under the impression that to do Computer Science at UCD, I needed a foreign language and a labratory science subject, but turns out I don't.
So, I'd have the option to replace Biology with Geography, which I will definitely do, as along with English, Geography has always been one of my best subjects. And I can replace French with History, which I haven't done in secondary school, but I've always been interested in History in general, and I've heard it's quite heavily based on essay writing, and I'm great at English, so I feel history could be a good subject for me to take up. In the school I'd like to go to, art is a mandatory subject, and I'll admit, I'm a guy who can hardly draw a straight line, would it be possible for me to even get a B in art with enough dedication?
I'd consider an access course, but I was under the impression that access courses are only for mature applicants, I'm only 17 right now.

robman60 · 08-05-2014 2:58pm

Could you not keep geography and biology? Both are good subjects for points if you apply yourself. Art seems to be terribly onerous, with lots of course work and still a difficult academic side. Could you not explain that it doesn't suit you to do it given your ambitions and do something else instead?

Or do one of geography and biology while everyone else does art? They may permit this when they see you are driven and self-motivated.

BetterThanThou · 08-05-2014 4:47pm

robman60 wrote: »

Could you not keep geography and biology? Both are good subjects for points if you apply yourself. Art seems to be terribly onerous, with lots of course work and still a difficult academic side. Could you not explain that it doesn't suit you to do it given your ambitions and do something else instead?

Or do one of geography and biology while everyone else does art? They may permit this when they see you are driven and self-motivated.

Biology and Geography are both on at the same time, and as I mentioned in my original post, due to the size of the school I'm hoping to attend, there's very little choice. However, I'll definitely ask them if I could possibly not do Art and take up Geography or Biology during that time so I can do both, as they're both two of my best subjects. Thanks for the suggestion!

_Redzer_ · 08-05-2014 7:52pm

Biology is easy points because it's piss easy to understand and for it to sink in. There is a fair bulk of info to learn, but make a good pattern based on passed exams and go from there.

If you can't draw a straight line you haven't a hope of getting a B in art. You'll scrape a low C at best, being brutally honest.

Jamezzyboyoo · 12-05-2014 10:09pm

Hey BetterThanThou,

I am doing the LC atm, in a few weeks actually! I want to do computer Science in UCD as well! But when I did a career investigation (for LCVP) on this I found that the course is mainly mathematical based!! I suggest you research this course thoroughly and any other option you have! I've gone with Computer Application in DCU because I want to get involved in Programming Software and it is 405 (last place)(as of 2013's CAO offers).

I assume your going into 5th, if your starting in august of 2014, I would advise you to pick up H.L. Maths & maybe French if your up for the extreme amount of work you will need to do. If you are going near computers, H.L. Maths is essential! Ordinary does not cover applications of theorems and equations as well. But O.L. maths will still get you your place you will defiantly need tuition for maths in college. I did O.L maths for JC & got a C or B? Can't remember but I'm doing H.L. now and I've an awesome teacher so I'm pretty much flying at H.L., so it is not impossible and the teachers will be much more prepared after they see the LC Maths papers from 2014 & 2015 as the Project Maths is a disaster currently!

I do O.L. French because the H.L. teacher and myself had a falling out (another story), but needless to say she changed one of my results to get me thrown out, I sit in O.L. daydreaming and I've literally done sweet F* all study for French and I'm getting B1's. So I would advise you to do H.L French if you decide to do French for L.C., because you will be wasting your time in O.L. if your any way intelligent.

In regards to choosing Biology over French, consider that carefully! I'm assuming you know you want to go into computers, I have experience in the IT sector already and I'm telling you now, a foreign language is pretty much as essential as maths is, so don't pick a subject over another because it is easier to get the points, you will need to consider are the subjects I'm doing suited to the career choice I want to choose? Also if you Second Chance school does LCVP (if theres 30 I doubt it), I strongly recommend doing it.

If you've any questions let me know!
Hope this helped yah!

I need some advice on starting my leaving cert again.

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