Science (undenominated) NUIG

daniel91

Hi, ive applied for science in Galway. I havent done chemistry or physics for the leaving cert, and remember not liking chemistry at junior cert, but done biology and absolutly love the subject! and have plans to become a biology teacher through this course. just wondering by not doing physics and chemistry will i find the coarse really hard? And anyone with experience of doing this course could give a general overview of it, would be very helpful!
Thanks!

hi_there

hey daniel
I finished undenominated science in NUIG there a year ago and I was in pretty much the same mindset-biology=yay!, physics/chemistry/maths=boo!
the great thing about the course is the way you can pick the subjects you like each year so you'll end up doing your 4th year in something you really like.
You'll probably know that there's a few groups of different subject choices for 1st year and in some you don't have to do physics etc but since a lot of second year subjects have physics/maths/chemistry as a prerequisite make sure you aren't limiting your subject choices this early on.
don't worry too much about physics-i didn't do it for the leaving either and passed ok there's tutorials and drop-in sessions if you get lost in lectures like I did
I did do chemistry for the leaving so it'd be hard for me to say how difficult it would be for you but I think the 1st year chemistry is probably not as difficult as the leaving cert course (except physical chemistry which is 1 of the sections of 1st year chemistry and is pure refined evil!-but I don't think you HAVE to do this section in the exam)
ya so overall it's a great course, you get a good general idea of a lot of different areas of science

KittyeeTrix

hi_there wrote: »

hey daniel
I did do chemistry for the leaving so it'd be hard for me to say how difficult it would be for you but I think the 1st year chemistry is probably not as difficult as the leaving cert course (except physical chemistry which is 1 of the sections of 1st year chemistry and is pure refined evil!-but I don't think you HAVE to do this section in the exam)
ya so overall it's a great course, you get a good general idea of a lot of different areas of science

Just finished Ist year undenominated Science in Nuig. Had no phys or chem to Leaving Cert standard.
You have to do 6 questions on the Chem paper so unfortunately you will have to answer a physical chem question, not too bad as more or less the same questions come up every year.
The physics was the hardest I found, am sorry I kept it on. Looking back I should have done the Ocean Science module instead..... Only did the one with Physics so that I could do Anatomy and Physiology in 2nd year but have decided that I now don't want to do anything that is heavily physics based as I hated it that much.
The physics I found tough but I have to say it is not impossible if you keep focused all year.
You will love the biology and the labs are great.

dazzday

Having finished myself (went the other way and ended up focusing on Physics) i dont think you should worry too much.

90% of first year will take the subject group of Physis, Chemistry, Biology and Maths as it gives the best range of options and prequisites for 2nd year. Alot of people do find the Physics tough going but you can pretty much pass via labs and the lab exam which arent at all difficult and full of glad-to-help 4th years. In respect to classes, the tutorials are the best bet to attend for the exam-related questions.
Biggest advice id give is just make sure you go to our labs every week and you'll come into the exam needing only 10-15%....a very approachable target!

TEMPLAR KNIGHT

hi, whats the maths like if you did ol for the leaving cert?

oisinmc14

TEMPLAR KNIGHT wrote: »

hi, whats the maths like if you did ol for the leaving cert?

its easily the hardest subject

im in first year and its the subject i struggle with the most mainly because very little (if any) of the lc ol course is on the course

i thought i was decent at maths in the lc but its totally different now

anyway dont let that but you off its a really good course and im really glad that i done it

KittyeeTrix

I found it quite hard last year but did well in the end. You need to be working at it throughout the year.
The xmas is worth 30% of the end of year mark and it is the same 3 questions every year. Know those questions like your life depended on them and you will do enough to get a 50% pass for the end of the year. Enough to get the hell out of it:D

It is easily passable if you get a good xmas mark and that is very easy to do!!!!!!

I did maths in 1st year last year and I hadn't done OL maths since 1991 and wasn't very good at it back then (D in leaving cert).
My point is-- If I could pass 1st yr maths after not doing maths for almost 20 yrs, then any of you guys can;)
There are loads of tutorials run as well which you really should go to as they are very good and you can get some indiuvidual help at these which is not possible in the 200+ lecture hall