Easiest: Chemistry vs Biology?

stainluss

I am trying to choose which one of these to do in 1 year (w/ hard work of course) at HL..

I know different people are good at different things, but which one of these would be easiest for the average sap who has no real aptitude/interest in science to pull a B/C out at HL in the Leavingif it had to be done? (from the exam papers it looks like Biology is easier due to that incomprehensible Ch0-H2o1+IoH sh*t in Chemistry),
but anybody who has been there and done one of these for the leaving have any advice?
Cheers:)

tootyflutty

Biology all the way!! I loved it! Lovely subject thats about 95% learning.
Chemistry is a lot of maths and work, but chemistry would benefit you in biology.
It's a personal choice, do you prefer to work hard at a subject or learn off a two year course?

eoins2345

last year five percent more got an a in in chemistry and 3 percent more got a b.

bythewoods

I did both.
Biology is miles and miles easier. And I LIKE Maths and stuff.
But Chemistry's definitely a lot tougher.

Biology's no stroll in the park either, mind you, but 'tis a lot easier to do well in IMO.

IrishKnight

Biology is easier, but you have more to learn.

Chemistry is harder, but you have less to learn.

PhysiologyRocks

I thought they were about equal in terms of ease, but L.C. bio's less sciencey if you're not into it.

straight_As

PhysiologyRocks wrote: »

I thought they were about equal in terms of ease, but L.C. bio's less sciencey if you're not into it.

What it said.^^

Delta Kilo

stainluss wrote: »

the average sap who has no real aptitude/interest in science

Why on earth are you doing a science subject then? Are you into business? Do some of those instead. If there is a course you want to do that requires a science subject for matriculation purposes then I'd say you are better off doing biology. Most of my friends found Chemistry very tough.

caroline1111

I do both. I prefer chemistry because im into science/maths, Biology is better if you dont lyk science.

rainbowtrout

Delta Kilo wrote: »

Why on earth are you doing a science subject then? Are you into business? Do some of those instead. If there is a course you want to do that requires a science subject for matriculation purposes then I'd say you are better off doing biology. Most of my friends found Chemistry very tough.

Totally agree. Unless you need it for a course requirement don't bother taking either. Don't put yourself through the misery of studying a subject you don't like for two years if you are not going to do a science course at third level, especially if you have been told to take it 'to keep your options open'. Take something you like and you are interested in and only take one of these subjects if absolutely necessary. And I'm a science teacher

Personally I'd recommend Ag Science over either of them, if your school offers it and it would fulfil a course requirement if necessary

Homicidal_jesus

did both this year but if u dont have a liking to either id say bio all the way its way more straight forward then chemistry!

stainluss

Delta Kilo wrote: »

Why on earth are you doing a science subject then? Are you into business? Do some of those instead. If there is a course you want to do that requires a science subject for matriculation purposes then I'd say you are better off doing biology. Most of my friends found Chemistry very tough.

No, its just that i have to take up and extra subject to do at honours to get into the course i want... im already doing business & economics, i heard accounting is hard so maybe im better off with biology?

KnifeWRENCH

stainluss wrote: »

i heard accounting is hard so maybe im better off with biology?

You've already implied that you have no real interest in science whereas you clearly like business subjects, so in that sense Accounting might be more suitable for you. You'll only be better off doing Biology over Accounting if you prefer the subject of Biology to the subject of Accounting.

To answer your original question, I'd go with Biology over Chemistry. The course is very long, but it can be cut down considerably if you use the right approach to it.
I tried (and hopefully succeeded!) to explain that a while ago here (it probably won't make much sense now but it will if you familiarise yourself with the Biology curriculum, the structure of the course and the exam paper layout.)

Didn't do Chemistry for the Leaving Cert but looked at the course before going to college and it would be quite tough if you had no interest in it. It would very be doable and interesting if you did an interest in the subject, but I wouldn't recommend taking it up as a "filler" subject.

On another note, I recommend that everybody should do Physics for their Leaving Cert!

straight_As

KnifeWRENCH wrote: »

On another note, I recommend that everybody should do Physics for their Leaving Cert!

It's called applied maths...




...if we're talking about real physics.

stainluss

KnifeWRENCH wrote: »

I recommend that everybody should do Physics for their Leaving Cert!

I am, it was the initial science subject i chose... sometimes i cry myself to sleep because of that:(:p

thanks for the info also:D

Piste

If you don#t like science then dont do Chemistry, it's very sciency. Biology is just a load of learning off. Not much understanding required for most of the course.

Xtina!!

Personally, if I were you, I would do chemistry over biology.

When I was going into fifth year I thought I wanted to do accounting as a career, so I wasnt too bothered about which science subjects to do. I was like you in that I didnt know whether to choose chemistry or biology. I choose biology. I soarly regretted that that. I soon realised business wasnt for me and realised that medicine and the sciences were for me. Because I didnt do chemistry I am now limited to the number of courses I can do and I dont have the option for veterinary medicine either.

A lot of courses do require two science subjects, but for a few of them chemistry is a must have. If you're willing to put in the time and effort and to keep your options open, i'd say do chemistry.

You give the impression that you want to go down the business route, but you never know, down the line you might change your mind.

As for accounting, it's not a hard subject unless you do a lot of practise. However, I think in this subject it's the teacher that makes the difference. I had a brilliant accounting teacher so I had barely any problems. She made the subject interesting to learn. I know people from other schools who had very bad accounting teachers and so stuggled to understand the topics.

Good Luck!!!:D

A Neurotic

I'd imagine that Chemistry would be harder to do in a year. Experiments in Chemistry are annoyingly finicky exam questions (for me anyway, lots of the experiments were confusingly similar and hard to recall accurately), and not having done a lot of them won't help you at all. The Biology experiments are a piece of piss in comparison.

wayhey

A lot of my friends (myself included) do Biology and Chemistry. There's 2 classes of Biology in our year and a hell of a lot of people find it tricky, mainly cos they thought it would be a lot like the JC course and it just isn't. I like Biology, always preferred it over Chemistry. On the flip side, a lot of my friends love Chemistry this year. There isn't as much material or detail in every chapter and it isn't the test of memory that Biology is with reams and reams of details because it involves some equations (which really aren't bad.I know that struck the fear of God into me when I heard it but the "Maths" really is ok).

Sounds like you don't like Science too much though so why not steer clear if ya can? The best advice I could give you is get your hands on the textbooks and see which one you prefer. In my opinion, the really mathsy-logical people love Chemistry. The artsy-english-language students like Biology (and both groups are good at it).

EDIT: I missed if you're doing the whole course in a year? If you are and are prepared to really knuckle down, I'd go for Chemistry in your situation. Yes, the experiments are annoyingly precise but you learn them and that's that with a bit of theory and practical equations. Doing the whole Biology course in a year (and learning it) would be pretty tricky unless you like it/have a pretty damn good memory.

chakotha

Biology is probably easier but there is a lot of learning things off such as loads of diagrams. If you do honours there is some biochemistry to contend with photosynthesis and respiration etc.

fonpokno

I did both chemistry and biology for the leaving 2 years ago and I hated biology. It was mind numbingly boring and the course is very long. There's an awful lot to learn in it.

I found chemistry really interesting and the experiments are way more fun like the flame tests. I did pass maths and am not exactly brilliant at science and found chemistry way more interesting. I seem to be in the minority though! Although my chemistry teacher was much more enthusiastic than my biology teacher.

herisson

i did both and tbh i thought biology was more straightforward and the marking was more fair than chemistry because with chemistry it was either right or wrong no attempt marks except with the maths but with biology you could easily pick up marks with a half-arsed answer

leesmom

i loved biology(as ive said on here millions of times:D)
its easy to relate to as its to do with every day stuff ,some of it is boing(plants mainly,very very boring)
however of the people in my year who did both chem and bio,nearly every one preffered biology,even a girl i know who wants to do medicine,repeated this year,dropped chemistry this year as she felt biology was the easier one

Lyra Fangs

I did both chem and bio and tbh i found biology much simpler. It's very straightforward and the question are quite easy in comparison to chem. Chem is still a good subject but if i had to pick between the two it'd be bio.

imported_guy

biology is the easiest subject in LC on honours level hands down. its the easiest one to get a B1 atleast, it might be easier to get an A1 in chemistry than in biology though

straight_As

leesmom wrote: »

even a girl i know who wants to do medicine,repeated this year,dropped chemistry this year as she felt biology was the easier one

She's in for a shock if she gets med.

Chem is essential and can't be dodged.

Delta Kilo

straight_As wrote: »

She's in for a shock if she gets med.

Chem is essential and can't be dodged.

No, she has done it the first time she did the leaving certificate. Provided she got the minimum requirement for it she's grand. She can use the points from this sitting and some of the subjects from her first sitting. Many people are getting into medicine this way.

Secoundrow

Id say Bio
but just because everyone here says its easy dont think its a walk in the park

ie. The course is basicaly learning off pages of notes
theres not much to understand in 95% of it

But be careful in your choice the biology course is seriously huge in 2 years we didnt finish the course:( had 4 chapters left to do

Oh and I did agricultural sceince in this year in one year at HL expecting an A1 , And no you dont need to be a farmer to understand it:rolleyes:
Id reccommend this over either of the others if you can do it., My school didnt do it as a subject though got grinds for €25 a week

Riordan123

Jus did Chem, Physics and Biology for the Junior Cert, Hated Chemistry and Physics, all that complicated sh!t! Biology is much easier and more straight forward, bits of it are common sense as well!

Biology all the way, and i dont like science, but need to keep a science subject.:rolleyes:

rainbowtrout

Delta Kilo wrote: »

No, she has done it the first time she did the leaving certificate. Provided she got the minimum requirement for it she's grand. She can use the points from this sitting and some of the subjects from her first sitting. Many people are getting into medicine this way.

Not any more. From LC 2009 students applying for medicine must have points and subject requirements in one sitting. So no more dropping English and Irish on the repeat year and taking up Geography and Business.

straight_As

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Not any more. From LC 2009 students applying for medicine must have points and subject requirements in one sitting. So no more dropping English and Irish on the repeat year and taking up Geography and Business.

That was a very important move by the CAO and the universities.

That loophole, coupled with opportunistic repeats, admittedly in a flawed system, meant that 'easy' (relatively speaking) subjects were being used to jack up and prop points for med entry.