Honours Maths... Is it worth it?

Jay P

Kareir wrote: »

Haha, yeah, scrubs kinda made we want to be a Doctor, but it's really.. romantised, i guess. Supposedly it was voted the most accurate medical drama by doctors, though, so i dont know :P

_Kar

That couldn't possibly be true! :pac: Unless the program is call A&E live then it couldn't be real! Greys Anatomy, House, Scrubs, all the same basic idea with silly characters!

jumpguy

Scrubs would be a poor thing to base your want of medicine to be. Scrubs is a comedy (a hilarious one at that) and I'd imagine being a doctor wouldn't be all comedy to be honest. If you wanna watch TV about being a doctor, watch real-life programme's in hospitals like Trauma Team. Long hours, horrific injuries, serious choices, telling families that they've lost a loved one. But it isn't all bad, clearly, to like medicine, you must be optimistic. They don't focus on the bad, they like helping people and like their job for that, not everyone dies and there are more happy endings than sad ones, and they're part of the reason for that (the doctors and surgeons).

It is a thing you must be cut out to do.

Delta Kilo

RandomUserName! wrote: »

What an incredibly stupid thing to say...

Our local priest actually said it in a special mass he held for exam students before the exams. He said:

"Don't worry about the LC and forget about the pressure, it is not the end of your life. For people who are going for medicine, just remember, if you don't get it, what harm, you could end up at the bottom of the sea anyways!". This was said about 2 days after the crash.

The point of my statement was: 7 years is a long time, it could be 10% of your life, a long time for pursuing something you may not like and who knows when your number is up. I know you can't live like this either but I believe it is more important that you enjoy your time rather than trying to be accepted into an "elite" part of society.

Just make sure it is what you really want!

ALincoln

jumpguy wrote: »

Scrubs would be a poor thing to base your want of medicine to be. Scrubs is a comedy (a hilarious one at that) and I'd imagine being a doctor wouldn't be all comedy to be honest. If you wanna watch TV about being a doctor, watch real-life programme's in hospitals like Trauma Team. Long hours, horrific injuries, serious choices, telling families that they've lost a loved one. But it isn't all bad, clearly, to like medicine, you must be optimistic. They don't focus on the bad, they like helping people and like their job for that, not everyone dies and there are more happy endings than sad ones, and they're part of the reason for that (the doctors and surgeons).

It is a thing you must be cut out to do.

Being a doctor isn't funny at all TBH, it's 5 long years of study in college (including summers), after which a long, hard internship follows.

You have to want it and be prepared to stick at it. I wouldn't necessarily say you need to be optimistic, but you do need to have a balanced approach to dealing with sickness, injuries etc.

nicola09

On the subject of whether to continue with Honours maths or not, I'm highly tempted to advise you just to do pass maths however I don't want to put you off completely! I got an A in my Junior Cert so I assumed I wouldn't have any major problems, but for me personally the higher level course was a lot of trouble! I started grinds in October of 5th year, got fairly terrible results in nearly every test with the exception of chapters that were deemed "nice", got 43% in my mocks, and am currently awaiting results from the "other" test! Personally if I had done pass I would be a whole lot more comfortable right now! I know a girl who failed every single honours test except her LC so plenty of people do take the gamble, but with 6 other honours subjects I kind of wish I'd "played the points game"! Of course, it isn't all negative, it's quite rewarding as a subject when you get a good result and is marked very fairly i.e they want people to do well and you will pick up marks fairly easily with relevant work! In conclusion if you feel you have the time and energy to devote to HL maths keep it on for now, but only if you want to, because it's a hellish subject if you aren't willing!

xOxSinéadxOx

well I've only ever passed one or two tests in 5th and 6th year and I'm fairly confident of getting a C in it. only started doing stuff for it just before the leaving

Crotchety

You'd be better off taking OL because HL takes up about 1.5 hours a night (an hour studying and an hour written). Of course you wouldn't have to study each night but if you want to get anywhere with it you'd need to be. I was talking to a fella once and said how much do you study history each night. "Half an hour every second night". I said why is that? "Because I have to spend and hour and a half on maths".

I wouldn't go near it. Even if I got an A in every maths test since I was 5. Sure the teachers will tell you but they don't know. They go home and eat their dinner and walk the dog. It will be you who will be studying. Don't depress yourself more than you already will be.

mardybumbum

Delta Kilo wrote: »

For people who are going for medicine, just remember, if you don't get it, what harm, you could end up at the bottom of the sea anyways!". This was said about 2 days after the crash.

Your priest is a prick.

pathway33

♫ wrote: »

You'd be better off taking OL because HL takes up about 1.5 hours a night (an hour studying and an hour written).

did pass did ya?

Crotchety

I did. I would'nt change it for the world. Too many people were moaning about HL. My reply "I told ya so". I knew they were incapable.

OP, do honours if you want to. Don't listen to people giving horror stories of how bad it is; it's honestly not that bad. It's these stupid horror stories that are giving honours maths the pseudo-reputation that it has: that's it's impossible; the numbers doing honours maths is falling drastically and horror stories don't help.

If you have a bit of an aptitude and can devote a small amount of time to it consistently over the two years or whatever, then do it.

Crotchety

I suppose it depends. Do you want the extra or not. IMO it won't mean much in a few years unless you need it for a course. As long as you pass ordinary you should be OK for colleges.

AMixedBag

Pass.. what a beautiful word.:)

clicks

How important is maths to you really? If your maths isnt that strong is it worth battling with honours really, course you will need som maths ability for medicine but if you dont need honours to get it then there is a reason for that. Keep working at your maths but dont jepordise your other subjects for honours maths.

Crotchety

That's it. If you don't need then why the hell take the plunge.

Delta Kilo

Do it OP, you'll save ~€30 by sticking with honours... you won't have to buy a new book! Haha, only messing.

As Jammydodger said, if you can spend a bit of time at it you will do fine. I did not spend long at it each night, in fact some nights I was too lazy to go out to the car and bring in my schoolbag so I wouldn't do anything at all!

I was borderline at maths right through 5th and most of 6th year... and I often considered dropping, but I needed a C3 for my course. I was pretty laid back about it though. Just after the mocks, it all began to click, almost like an overnight thing. I never got grinds (don't really believe in them, but works for lots of people). Now I'm confident that I got a B of some sort in it.

Dont panic, ride it out a little longer, stay in the honours class for as long as possibe, even if you drop down a week before the exam you should be able to do VERY well in the ordinary exam. Give it a chance to bed-in before jumping into decisions you may regret later on. You may not get an A1 in it but it is possible to get over 100 points with a B when you factor in the bonus points offered by some colleges for doing it. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages imo. You will leave every "door" open for you by sticking with if...for now.

So basically go in with the attitude: I'm gonna give this my best shot...stick with it, not stress out about it. Hell even if I drop the day of the exam I will be able to get a high score...Give it a chance. Stay in the class anyway, but don't kill yourself over failing class tests. No teacher, only you, can make you go down to ordinary.

Delta Kilo

♫ wrote: »

That's it. If you don't need then why the hell take the plunge.

Because you may decide on the 1st of February 2010, hmmm I'd quite like to do engineering... oh wait, crap, i should have stayed in honours!

Crotchety

Nah. They're medicine on the brain!

Seanh111

Wel my advice is if your doing 7 HL subjects, then drop down on your weakest! I was in your position last year, so i droped down in irish and stuck wit the HL maths. Ya i spent over an hour on it most nights, but i actually enjoyed doing the subject. It just depends on you...in my case i couldnt stand irish while i loved maths, if you cant stand maths drop down..

Crotchety

It's amazing how this thread continues.

I reply "Don't do it", someone might agree but then someone else says "Oh, don't listen to them". It's a pointless exercise. I think the OP should have an idea now of which side they're on.

Whad'ya think people?

Jay P

Seanh111 wrote: »

Wel my advice is if your doing 7 HL subjects, then drop down on your weakest! I was in your position last year, so i droped down in irish and stuck wit the HL maths. Ya i spent over an hour on it most nights, but i actually enjoyed doing the subject. It just depends on you...in my case i couldnt stand irish while i loved maths, if you cant stand maths drop down..

I wouldn't agree with this at all. Why would you just drop down? I would have been "weak" at irish too but I didn't drop down and it turned out grand. You shouldn't drop down on anything unless you're failing tests and are very unconfident about that subject.

♫ wrote: »

You'd be better off taking OL because HL takes up about 1.5 hours a night (an hour studying and an hour written). Of course you wouldn't have to study each night but if you want to get anywhere with it you'd need to be. I was talking to a fella once and said how much do you study history each night. "Half an hour every second night". I said why is that? "Because I have to spend and hour and a half on maths".

I wouldn't go near it. Even if I got an A in every maths test since I was 5. Sure the teachers will tell you but they don't know. They go home and eat their dinner and walk the dog. It will be you who will be studying. Don't depress yourself more than you already will be.

Personally, I didn't spend any extra time on maths than any other subject, but of course, it is all about what works for each indavidual person. And last year, I thought a lot of people wouldn't have been able for honours maths, and a few did drop down, but most didn't because they stuck with it.

And as for what you said about teachers, who is it that sees people go through the same process every year? They deserve much more faith than you give them credit. They correct your tests and see your abilities. They know from experience who should be able for honours maths and who isn't.

KokaNoodles

♫ wrote: »

It's amazing how this thread continues.

I reply "Don't do it", someone might agree but then someone else says "Oh, don't listen to them". It's a pointless exercise. I think the OP should have an idea now of which side they're on.

Whad'ya think people?

Don't listen to him op, I say ya do it

Crotchety

What do you mean don't listen to me. I know it's up to the OP - let them do as they wish. Probably time this thread was closed. All advice has been given.

johnjoesim

Definatly not worth it!! Take my advice, dont waste your time doing it if you're already struggling, i was in the same situation as you this time last year and I decided to keep it on, our teacher went on maternity leave and we were left with a didering old f***er who was out half the time, if you've got a bad teacher aswell leave it now and dont think twice about it. The amount of time it consumes is equal to all your other subjects put together if you're struggling, i only went to pass after the pres, a big mistake. Pity about your geography teacher, its a very handy subject when you're teachers good. Youve got tough enough subjects though, i would imagine chemistry is rock hard.. Good luck....

FoxyRossieGirl

its not all don to the teacher either, you need to put in the work too. Cutting any hons sub when yer aiming for 560 odd points is very foolish

WeeBushy

Dropping down will mean you don't have the buffer of being able to screw up/get a nasty paper... I did 8 and dropped to pass irish (essentially dropping it) but wouldn't have done that if I were only doing 7 subjects...

zoom!

I'm in the same situation aswell. I don't think I'll be dropping it however. I got an A in the LC which shows I have the potential to do well but I'm finding it seriously difficult. I mean after getting an A i got so cocky I never did my maths homework and now I'm paying the price. It's definetly worth doing if your able to manage, if worst comes to worst you could just take the OL paper in the LC... After doing HL for the year you should ace it no bother.

FoxyRossieGirl

actually yer wrong, from a teacher's point of view the hl and ol papers are very different

Delta Kilo

zoom! wrote: »

I'm in the same situation aswell. I don't think I'll be dropping it however. I got an A in the LC which shows I have the potential to do well but I'm finding it seriously difficult. I mean after getting an A i got so cocky I never did my maths homework and now I'm paying the price. It's definetly worth doing if your able to manage, if worst comes to worst you could just take the OL paper in the LC... After doing HL for the year you should ace it no bother.

Don't worry I was exactly like you at that stage but you will be surprised how things will fall into place when you go through 6th year! You will look back over the stuff you did in 5th year and think "Jeez how did I find that sh1t hard??".

Stick with it!

nicola09

FoxyRossieGirl wrote: »

actually yer wrong, from a teacher's point of view the hl and ol papers are very different

Yeah but any differences are compensated by the fact that OL is easier and the student will be familiar with a lot of it from JC honours. Plus vectors can be used as the option which is done on the honours course. That's why people can move down the day of the LC if they want to.