Can I Repeat as an External Candidate?

Gary4279

Hi all,
I want to repeat the leaving next year but i do not want to go to a school or college. can this be done easily? if you have any info about doing this and about how to submit projects please let me know, i have to get it all sorted quickly.

thanks in advance.

pathway33

it's dead easy for

irish
english
maths
languages
business
economics
accounting
applied maths
classical studies

less easy for

physics
chemistry
biology
physics and chemistry

because you are supposed to do experiments and keep a record of them that may be inspected by the department. the punishment for not doing them is possible exclusion from that exam. some people don't do them and get away with it so.....

even less easy for

history
geography
ag science
religion
home economics
other subjects i cant think of music, art

because these projects have to be done as they count as 20% or 25%

the forms are usually on www.examinations.ie and the closing date is january 2010 i think. I think there are certain centres that willingly take externals for the exam.

Gary4279

i would really like to do history as i am great at it, how would i submit the project?

by the way thanks for posting, i know this thread isnt interesting to most but im really stressing and i need to decide which subjects im doing over the next few days and sort out how to apply so i can start working asap as i really want to do well this time round. anyone with any info please let me know, im stressing out here. thank you.

yurmothrintites

I'd say you would need a teacher to sign off on the project work you submit. www.examinations.ie has information on that somewhere and it's no loss in contacting or ringing the department helpline also.

For all enquiries regarding entry as an External Candidate, please contact:
Entries Section,
State Examinations Commission,
Cornamaddy,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath.
Telephone: 090-6442702 , 6442703, 6442706
E-mail:entries@examinations.ie


The project in History is a handy one but the exam, not so much. Very theoretical, but if you're interested in History, it'll be grand.

spurious

You don't need to apply for a while yet.
The SEC are in their busiest time of the year - it will be all hands on deck now to get the JC results out in time, so answering emails about entries will not be a priority.
Once the results are out, there will be a number of staff due holidays, so it's time enough contact them about entries in October.

Drop into your old school from the 31st and see is there a teacher you know who would be prepared to sign off on your practical work.

For what it's worth, I think you should reconsider attending some sort of classes. It's a difficult exam to do isolated on your own at home, though of course not impossible.

Good luck anyway, whatever you decide.

Gary4279

i think i will do - Higher Irish, Higher English, Ordinary Maths, Ordinary Spanish, Higher Business and higher history or another subject.

i plan to get a few grinds, and im sure i will be allowed to sit the exams in my old school.

one more thing, as regards the project, when i handed it up it was put into a plastic bag and sealed which on the day of the exam was handed back for me to put my script in. if i do a project how will i have them together in the exam?

business will be a new subject to me but i think that with a few grinds and alot of effort i will be able to do well, do you suggest dropping history for economics/ accounting which will also be new as there is no projects required?

Like A Fox

I'm guessing the reason you don't wanna repeat in a school is cos you're a mature student? Just to let ya know, I repeated in a school where there was students in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties doing the Leaving.

They weren't totally ostracised either! So if ya do have to be around secondary schools to do projects etc then don't be worried about it!

spurious

Gary4279 wrote: »

i plan to get a few grinds, and im sure i will be allowed to sit the exams in my old school.

one more thing, as regards the project, when i handed it up it was put into a plastic bag and sealed which on the day of the exam was handed back for me to put my script in. if i do a project how will i have them together in the exam?

business will be a new subject to me but i think that with a few grinds and alot of effort i will be able to do well, do you suggest dropping history for economics/ accounting which will also be new as there is no projects required?

It should not be an issue for any school letting you sit the exam there.

You will be given the submission date for the project and told which centre to bring it to. You will need to sign a form when you submit it. They will keep it securely until you do the exam in that centre.

Projects tend to raise the average mark in a subject.

Gary4279

no im not a mature student, i just did the leaving cert and didnt get what i wanted. sadly i need to work to pay rent and to pay to do the LC again. i know it will be tough but i cannot leave my job to go back to school, i just cannot afford it.

So will i not need a teacher to sign the project off? because when i done it last year i needed to sign a long form which my teacher also signed, if i dont have a teacher who will sign it?

spurious

You will need a teacher to sign off on it, so you will need to be in touch with a teacher who can monitor how you're working and then sign a document saying it's your own work. It's a legally-binding document, so most people will be unhappy about signing it if they have not actually witnessed you working and followed your progress.

Like A Fox

Could you possibly enroll back in your old school (presuming it's not fee paying) and just not turn up for 90% of your classes? Understanding teachers might let you know when practical classes and stuff are going on so you can turn up for those ones.

Although if you're under 18 I think social workers get involved if you miss a certain number of days...

celtic723

Would in no way, shape or form recommend someone pursuing the LC curriculum outside school. No bloody way! If you can go to a school do it. Teachers are there for a reason and there's not a chance you'd teach yourself Chemistry Physics or parts of Biology without the help of a qualified teacher. Then again you could be a total genius with the brain retention and iq of Stephen Hawking.

pathway33

Gary4279 wrote: »

i would really like to do history as i am great at it, how would i submit the project?

would you consider classical studies? There's no project and it's historical, like 2,500 years ago I think sort of history. There may be plays as well which you may not like though. The syllabus is on www.education.ie

Gary4279

it seems like alot to take on, even though it seems interesting.

i want to go to ucd after i repeat, but i dont want to study irish or spanish this year. i passed both when i done the LC. if i dont do them will i still get in as i passed them in a previous year?

discostick12

Just looking throu the posts here and was wondering if it be possible to repeat maths and business out side of school? I wanna carry on doing my PLC course?

spurious

You can apply to the SEC to repeat any subjects you want. They don't care if you're in a school or not.

Maths and Business AFAIK do not have any project and practical work so you would not need contact with a school, though I think it might be advisable to do some sort of evening class or revision course and not be working totally on your own.

Gary4279

yeah i plan to do some grinds in most subjects. do you know if i could get into UCD even though i wont be doing irish and spanish this year, but i passed them both last year. would the matriculation requirements carry over?

-BTW cheers guys you have all been a great help. is there anyone there who has actually done the L.C as an external candidate?

spurious

I took Art in a repeat Leaving (after 20 odd years) as an external. There's no real difference except your results get sent to your home and they whack you for a repeat fee. I'm planning to take Music 2011.

pathway33

Gary4279 wrote: »

yeah i plan to do some grinds in most subjects. do you know if i could get into UCD even though i wont be doing irish and spanish this year, but i passed them both last year. would the matriculation requirements carry over?

matriculation requirements carry over except for medicine. So if you're not planning to do medicine then you don't have to repeat irish or spanish.

However you can't use irish or spanish for points purposes, as in you can't add points from irish and spanish in 2009 to results in other subjects in 2010

Gary4279

yeah i know, is anyone else repeating as an external?