Taking Up A Subject - Need Urgent Help

Wizoom

Basically, I am at the end of 5th year (effectively), and I'm starting to panic in a big way. I moved over from England at the start of fifth, and therefore don't have any knowledge of Irish, giving me only six subjects. Its only recently I realised what a disadvantage having 6 subjects is, and I need urgent help picking a subject that I can do outside of school, in one year.

I do (in school) English, Maths, History, French, Biology and Chemistry, all honours level. I really need some help here as I'm getting pretty stressed about this. Thanks for your time.

*Tripper*

Business, its really handy, you could easily cover the course in one year.
Also what about Ag. Science?

Rockerette

i vote Geog.




or if you're interested in music, go for that.
but obviously the appeal of that is limited to most people...


stay away from physics is all i can say

arbeitsscheuer

*Tripper* wrote:

Business, its really handy, you could easily cover the course in one year.

Yeah that's what I did - I dropped Home Ec. (or whatever the technical term for it) and picked up Business. Now, I'm not sayin' I did well or anything, it was still my worst subject, but at least I passed, no problem.

JBoyle4eva

Well, maybe you could try Business as it's all theory. It only needs to be learnt off and there's not that much work involved in remembering it. Just get good practice at the last few exam papers and prepare well for the ABQ and you should easily do well.

Larianne

I dropped Chemistry in 6th year and took up Art instead - what I should have done from the start! Only do it though if you've an interest/talent in Art. There is Art History and Appreciation aswell to learn but I found that easy enough myself.

But like others have suggested, Business seemed like the easy subject in my school for the leaving.

fade2black

Geography was always one of those subjects that you could learn on your own at home in a couple of weeks with the normal books.

And don't stress out about anything to do with the leaving cert in any way.

dr.barbie

economics perhaps? i took it up in Sept on the recommendation of others....its handy, short and a fair paper....personally, I prefer it to business.

d4gurl

You look like a Science inclined person perhaps Ag science - I have heard it is easy enough - a lot of my friends took it up only this year! good luck with your choice!dont stress you have a long way to go!!

Funkstard

I took up Techical Drawing at the start of this year (I'm in 6th year). It's now probably my best subject, and I got a B1 in a mock I did over Easter, thinking I'd gotten around 70%. Now, unless you've done TD since Junior Cert I wouldn't recommend it, but I'm just showing that it certainly is possbile to pick up a subject and do well in it in one year.

The vast majority of my year have forgotten about Irish and are focusing on 6 subjects by the way...it seems to be what a lot of people do. Do you think that the extra work needed to learn a new subject could interfere with your other 6 subjects? If not then go for it, but if you think it might I'd think seriously about it. There's no point in doing ok in 7 subjects when you could do well in 6.

DonaldDuck

Funkstard wrote:

The vast majority of my year have forgotten about Irish and are focusing on 6 subjects by the way...it seems to be what a lot of people do. Do you think that the extra work needed to learn a new subject could interfere with your other 6 subjects? If not then go for it, but if you think it might I'd think seriously about it. There's no point in doing ok in 7 subjects when you could do well in 6.

Most people in my school ignore irish as well,its one of those "night before" exams for people.

You might be better off taking the 7th subject at pass standard,most pass level courses can be done a lot quicker.And just use it as a fall-back subject,if you have a bad day in another exam

Lord Oz

Applied Maths definately, very short course. If you're good at maths do applied maths.

cianclarke

Geography would be the easiest, I figure if you didn't even read the book you'd still pass the test - it's a bit silly really.

Thirdfox

Lord Oz wrote:

Applied Maths definately, very short course. If you're good at maths do applied maths.

Worse... advice... ever... (in my opinion ) Applied Maths is not an one year course, good maths skills does not guarantee automatic good marks here (then again what do people define as good?). Passing should be fine but if you are doing an extra subject you should really be looking at getting high marks.

Even though I got an A1 in it I had to drag it out kicking and screaming (I did Honours Maths and Physics too).

Physics is very easy in my opinion (even though I only got an A2 in that, ironic huh?) You seem to like sciences from you subject list... my advice is Physics (unless you can't bear the subject). Bad maths doesn't matter either (the maths questions in it are really simple). Common sense can answer a lot of questions...

Having said that (rant coming on...) "Name a use for a radioactive isotope" - "Providing power" - wrong??? What the hell does a nuclear power plant do then? Partially cost me the A1.

Skyuser

Geography.

Raphael

Ag science has a lot of overlap with biology, might be a good one.

Rockerette

Thirdfox wrote:

Physics is very easy in my opinion (even though I only got an A2 in that, ironic huh?)

eeh stay away from physics is my advice. i like it, and am aiming for a B1.. but i wouldnt curse anyone with doing the course in 1 year...



GEOGRAPHY!

THAT is common sense.

Matthewthebig

Lord Oz wrote:

Applied Maths definately, very short course. If you're good at maths do applied maths.

seconded

*Tripper*

Remember 20% of geog is the fieldwork!

Aoibheann

Thirdfox wrote:

Having said that (rant coming on...) "Name a use for a radioactive isotope" - "Providing power" - wrong??? What the hell does a nuclear power plant do then? Partially cost me the A1.

You've to name the isotope afaik?

Thirdfox

Sample answer says otherwise e.g. smoke alarm is a correct answer (I know radioactive isotope is Americum 231) etc. etc. but hey I'm not bitter, probably just cost me a place in medicine

But I've got my law buddies now! (Sue those doctors )

Enright

with respects to all other posts, i believe that they have it wrong. all suggestion will require considerable work on your behalf, have you investigated the possibility of taking uo LCVP, the workload is small, can be done over 1 year and have the possibility of delivering 70 pts is a distintion is obtained. certainly look into it, assuming its an option in the school

Juicebox

I vote for music i am basically teaching myslef the course as the teacher doesnt bother to come in...didnt do it for jc either

HoboJesus

Applied Maths. 'Tis often taken in a year and it has but six questions on the paper. I personally always saw it as a way to get points as well as a nice subject in itself. Take a look at it before you decide, a lot of it is getting your head around simple situations, and you can tell if you'll be able by giving it a decent look over.

4Xcut

physics. its a very short course. there's maybe 1 or two slightly(and i emphise slightly) hard concepts. Its a breeze if you're anyway good at science and easy to just mindlessly learn off if you're not as there's not a lot in it

Serina

I took up 3 new subjects and did them in a yr when repeating my leaving cert- business biology and home ec and did well in them business or geog is a gud subject to take up.

Aoibheann

Thirdfox wrote:

Sample answer says otherwise e.g. smoke alarm is a correct answer (I know radioactive isotope is Americum 231) etc. etc. but hey I'm not bitter, probably just cost me a place in medicine

But I've got my law buddies now! (Sue those doctors )

I dunno tbh.. just remember my teacher refused to give me the marks for not naming Cobalt-60 in relation to treatment of cancer. And I knew the answer, just forgot to say it. ;_; Cost me my shiny A1 in that test, but as long as it doesn't in the Leaving I don't mind...

Hoping for medicine myself, could end up in Law & German though!

Thirdfox

In Trinity?

Aoibheann

Where else?

(First choice is med there, so yup. My only Law choice down is there too, 6th choice).

Thirdfox

Same happened for myself... except law was 7th choice (since I had a med offer in England too - King's College).

Screw up with the Maths results probably led to myself not getting the place in England

Matthewthebig

4Xcut wrote:

physics. its a very short course. there's maybe 1 or two slightly(and i emphise slightly) hard concepts. Its a breeze if you're anyway good at science and easy to just mindlessly learn off if you're not as there's not a lot in it

Go Pat Doyle :d

Aoibheann

Thirdfox wrote:

Same happened for myself... except law was 7th choice (since I had a med offer in England too - King's College).

Screw up with the Maths results probably led to myself not getting the place in England

Ouchies - have a couple offers from the UK, but I'd love to stay here, so fingers crossed.

Hope law's good? Seems really interesting, though I know with Torts I'd just keep thinking about cake..

Thirdfox

And get you just deserts I hope! lol (yes deserts is spelt correctly...)

Law is good, I find torts to be too bitchy, constitution and defending fundamental human rights... that's where the real interest is!

of course torts is good for money though

Aoibheann

desserts > deserts :O

And as we know, all lawyers are only interested in money.

Imagine a world without lawyers..

There is a Simpsons quote for everything ever.

Thirdfox

*shudders*

Aoibheann

Lessthanthree!

Thirdfox

^^ I'm confused...

Apologies to the OP, this is completely off topic (we should get a room! - failing that, take this conversation elsewhere!)

You (OP) should put up a poll so people can vote for the subject they think is best... go Physics!

Aoibheann

Pfft, useless!

OP: Physics would probably be a decent choice, I reckon you could get it finished in a year, we did anyway - we've revised the course so many times that I'd better get a decent result.

Dunno about geography, not doing it myself, but people are always saying that it's really easy.

Oh, and business would be a good choice, I took it up myself this year and it's going well, so why not try it? A lot of it is common sense, the rest you just learn off.

Good luck at any rate!

Thirdfox

Useless? Moi? I could sue you for that! (Actually I can't but hey doesn't that scare you! Can't do that as a medic!)

OP: Everyone says Geography is easy... just like everyone told me an A1 in Applied Maths was guaranteed (if you did Physics and Maths) - Not true!!! Maybe Geography is the same urban legend?

Aoibheann

Yeah, well, I can... wait, damnit. I can administer lethal drugs to your system! Or cut you up (I want to do surgery.. )!

My threats > yours.

Thirdfox

Aoibheann Brady wrote:

Yeah, well, I can... wait, damnit. I can administer lethal drugs to your system! Or cut you up (I want to do surgery.. )!

My threats > yours.

You do that and my lawyer friends will sue you, the hospital and the state for €10 million. You also go to jail for 15 years ...I win (although I will be dead at this stage).

Surgery... do you know why someone would want to shave your leg while performing an appendectomy? I woke up after the operation and found my left leg shaved!!! :eek: Makes me wonder what else they were doing to my body .

Raphael

Maybe they got bored?

Aoibheann

Thirdfox wrote:

You do that and my lawyer friends will sue you, the hospital and the state for €10 million. You also go to jail for 15 years ...I win (although I will be dead at this stage).

Surgery... do you know why someone would want to shave your leg while performing an appendectomy? I woke up after the operation and found my left leg shaved!!! :eek: Makes me wonder what else they were doing to my body .

Death means you can't win. So I win by default. Default! The two sweetest words in the English language...

To be honest, I haven't a clue. Maybe they used a catheter there? *shrugs* :S

Also, aliens got your body while your were under anaesthetic, I'm afraid. *nods solemnly* Probes were involved. Those crazy aliens, you know what they're like!

Thirdfox

Actually I was taken by aliens a long time ago so ha! your theory goes out the window. (That involved high fever, delirium and sleep-walking and hand gesturing - freaked out my parents!)

And I wonder when this thread will be locked for being completely off topic... hmm, who is the mod for the L. Cert forum anyway?

Do you know a Maria from Cavan who's studying Law & German in Trinity right now?

Thirdfox

Oh and most people say lawyers are dead already (inside probably... )

Lawyer jokes... just heard one on newsnight:

What does a lawyer have in common with sperm? (sorry if this is not kiddie friendly!)
- 1 in 50 million has a chance to become human!

Medicine and law together, could you ask for more?

Aoibheann

I could ask for lots more! Like blackjack! And hookers! Actually, screw the blackjack!


(medicine and law together would own so much. Hrmm, if I become a surgeon, then a lawyer, then, THEN I can take over the world!)

Aoibheann

Thirdfox wrote:

Do you know a Maria from Cavan who's studying Law & German in Trinity right now?

I don't know her, but I know of her. Friend of a friend. *nod*

Thirdfox

So she might know you then? I'll ask her to tell me all the gossip about you (to blackmail you, or at least use it so you don't kill me on an operating table sometime) ...that is unless you want to "do the dirt" on her? (See law has corrupted me, I used to be so innocent and naive )

Aoibheann

No, she won't know me. Like I said, I know of her. And all I know is that she does Law and German. And is a friend of one of my friends. So I assume she knows nothing of me.

So there. ;D

Thirdfox

I call dibs on the world! - I was plotting when you were still in nappies!

Thirdfox

And just to confirm... what school does she (and also you) go to then?

Lack of trust - another fine trait you pick up whilst studying law.