Repeating the LC while in college, to get medicine

HoboJesus

First off, yeah, I'm talking about doing something pretty difficult. I'm a second year Science student in TCD taking maths chem and physics. I'm getting interested in doing med after I'm done with this course. I've got piles and piles of factual information on my choices and the like but I could use a bit of opinion, especially from anyone who's resat the leaving, and especially especially anyone who's done so while in college.

Basically, is this an insane idea? I'm aiming for 550+ with the new system. With that and a very good HPAT score I'm hoping I'll be okay.

Resitting with phys, chem, maths, and applied maths would mean I'd be able to secure good scores in those without having to approach a new subject. I'd like my other two to be sciencey as well, probably bio and another one. So my second question is what are good, quick to learn, point-grabbing LC subjects?

It seems I have to do English and a language too (verification of this would be handy too), but getting an OD3 in each of those is the least of my worries.

Oh, and I got 485 last time, with a bit of effort, but after studying a lot harder in college, I can safely say I didn't know what proper studying was then

Thanks for any replies!

Overheal

Well ideally you sound like the type to enjoy science-type curriculum subjects, so right off the bat im going to suggest Economics; it acts just like any science but without the experiments, just more detailed write ups, really.

Go for the honors English as well; what have you to lose? I'm sure in your early 20's you've matured a little more and are better at writing essays anyway. I'd go O for the language though only because I hated them

~nop~

Pretty certain that there's no subject you have to take while repeating, so as long as you passed english and another language on your first round, you don't have to take them at all.
Could be wrong so i'd get it checked up anyway, but as far as i know that's the case.#
Good luck!

PurpleFistMixer

You're mad. MAD!

Nah, considering you'd already have 4 subjects in the bag, it seems very possible. If you took biology as the fifth and really worked at it, you could take some average subject for the sixth.. maybe whatever subject you got your highest mark in in the LC, that hasn't already been counted.

Probably one of the trickier things would be dumbing down your college maths/physics/chem back to LC level.

blue-army

Geography is a nice, handy subject for the points. If you remember the Junior Cert Course you're half way there.
A lot of the ecomonic geography is common sense and general knowledge too. It's quite an interesting subject tbh...
There is also a easy enough project which counts for 20%. Mine was on Changes of land use in an urban area....Very do-able!

Sangre

maths, applied maths, chem, physics, bio, economics. easy 600.

Nothingcompares

If you're really set on Medicine I'd advise you to jump ship and get out of science. Take the year out, do the study, get your ~600 and save yourself a few bob on course fees. If you're in 2nd year science, all things being equal, you'll have to pay for the first 2 years of medicine yourself but the rest will be "free tuition".

HoboJesus

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

Probably one of the trickier things would be dumbing down your college maths/physics/chem back to LC level.

I was somewhat worried about that, but I had a look at previous Phys and Chem papers today and I could probably already get A1s or A2s in both. It was a very happy moment for me . As for maths, it's still somehow tricky to me >.<

If you're really set on Medicine I'd advise you to jump ship and get out of science. Take the year out, do the study, get your ~600 and save yourself a few bob on course fees. If you're in 2nd year science, all things being equal, you'll have to pay for the first 2 years of medicine yourself but the rest will be "free tuition".

Thing is I'm not yet set on medicine, still need to make a final decision and don't want to rush it. Plus I got schols (which handles the course fees for five years), and I'm not sure if TCD take it away if I drop out to do another course, I'll have to look into that.

Parsley

Ag Science! You know what they say, "ag" is to "science" what "special" is to "olympics". :pac:

HoboJesus

Parsley wrote: »

Ag Science! You know what they say, "ag" is to "science" what "special" is to "olympics". :pac:

Yeah I've heard this was good for points. It does count for points with biology though right? I thought there was some overlap.

Oh yeah, I'm fairly sure you can't, but just to be certain, I couldn't do physics, chemistry and "physics and chemistry" could I? free points

PurpleFistMixer

As far as I know, ag science + biology = not allowed (but I am too lazy to find citation), and yeah, you can't do physics and physchem etc. The department of education isn't quite that dense. : p

tolosenc

You'd have to talk to your tutor about whether or not schols carries on if you change course. I know it counts if you do postgrad, but other than that, I dunno.

Maybe try economics, slightly sciency, VERY predicatble. Well, it was last year...

Kwekubo

You can indeed sit both biology and ag science for the purposes of points, you just can't count them as separate science subjects for the purposes of matriculation. A friend of mine did just this, he took up ag science in addition to biology when he repeated for dentistry.

What subjects did you do first time around?

HoboJesus

obl wrote: »

You'd have to talk to your tutor about whether or not schols carries on if you change course. I know it counts if you do postgrad, but other than that, I dunno.

I'm certain it carries on from one undergrad to another (unless the FAQ is lying), I'm just not sure about dropping out.

What subjects did you do first time around?

Maths, Physics, Applied Maths being the ones I'll repeat. The rest were Irish and French, which I only tried to scrape by as I'm awful with languages, and my other point subjects were Art, History and English. Actually Art and History were my two highest scores, but they're too unreliable for me to try get A1s in I think.

House of Wolves

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

As far as I know, ag science + biology = not allowed (but I am too lazy to find citation), and yeah, you can't do physics and physchem etc. The department of education isn't quite that dense. : p

I done biology and ag science and they are both allow. you just cant use them both as science subjects if you need two science subjects for your course but there points still apply. i picked up ag science just after halloween and i got an a2 in it. i just done it after school with a small class with my biology teacher once a week. it was her first time ever doing, she just done it cus one student was repeating for med and he wanted help doing it. Its a very easy course....altho if you no someone doing it its a great help cus you need a hardback to get experiments from. if you done geography as well ur sorted, it was my easiest subject and required the least amoung of work.....i hear they are making it harder tho and also my biology teacher was amazing!

rainbowtrout

I would advise Ag Science. It can be counted along with biology for points and is accepted in some of the colleges as a second science subject with biology, however this part wouldn't be a problem if you are also taking physics and chemistry. There is a project involved worth 25% but f you do a good project is it possible to score high in it.

I'm an Ag Science, Biology and Chemistry teacher. If you are repeating on your own you will have to get a teacher to supervise/sign off on your project. I would also advise not to go to a grind school for this.

JC 2K3

If you passed English and a language the last time you did the LC, you don't need to do them again.

wolf 49

i've completed my first year in trinity, and after a lot of thought i've decided to go repeat the leaving cert next year in a grind school, with view to doing medicine in 2009. its pretty scary, and after experiencing college life, it will be really hard, but i've decided its what i want, and im gonna put everything into getting the points next year. i think it'll be hard enough to repeat while in college but you might find it ok seeing as you have a high knowledge base in science subjects.

also there are no compulsory subjects when repeating , provided that you passed them the first time round ,so theres no need to take english etc.

at the moment, i am trying to decde which subjects to take, and i hear that ag,science, and business are good options.

im really interested in this new system thats coming in next year, however i havnt been able to source much info on it, and how its going to operate ..etc... it seems it will take off some of the stress.. if anyone has any info on it, would they mind leaving a link or something?

Kwekubo

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=55997518&postcount=49

HoboJesus

Got a reply to my email asking about repeating languages and the like:

"Under the new admission system for Medicine, if you were to repeat your Leaving Certificate you would have to repeat the matriculation subjects too. So you would have to have the required grades for Maths, English and another language as well the the subject requirements for medicine."

So irritating. Can't think of a reason for the exception.