Need advice please!!!! On HPAT and repeating

Xtina!!

Well, Im sure people know my story now as I have been posting about my life story for some time now. Didnt get into medicine, the 6 yr course, had only biology, was offered physiotherapy in UL, didnt accept it. Got 580 in the LC, considered repeating to get into the 5 yr course in UCC, and take up chemistry too (need all the requirements for med in the SAME sitting as the LC).
Well, started first day back at school today, thought repeating would be a doddle.....it was one of the worst, most boring, long and unchallenging days of my life! Yes, ye were right! Bad idea.

Im defo not going to repeat now! Not worth it for UCC and the 5 yr course! But Im in a bit of a pickle now and dont know what to do for the rest of the year. Im going to prepare for the HPAT and take up chemistry for the year and get the requirement HLC3 to keep my options open. But I dont know what else to do for the year. Dont fancy any of the vacant places on the CAO (maybe mathematical sciences) and I dont really fancy getting a job for the year, it would be a bit too stressful with chemistry etc. Im weighing up more the cons here, but seriously, I dont know what to do! What are other people doing for the year who are repeating the HPAT, but not doing a course at uni?

Can anyone please help me!!! Im so confused and its now really starting to upset me.

JSK 252

Xtina!! wrote: »

Well, Im sure people know my story now as I have been posting about my life story for some time now. Didnt get into medicine, the 6 yr course, had only biology, was offered physiotherapy in UL, didnt accept it. Got 580 in the LC, considered repeating to get into the 5 yr course in UCC, and take up chemistry too (need all the requirements for med in the SAME sitting as the LC).
Well, started first day back at school today, thought repeating would be a doddle.....it was one of the worst, most boring, long and unchallenging days of my life! Yes, ye were right! Bad idea.

Im defo not going to repeat now! Not worth it for UCC and the 5 yr course! But Im in a bit of a pickle now and dont know what to do for the rest of the year. Im going to prepare for the HPAT and take up chemistry for the year and get the requirement HLC3 to keep my options open. But I dont know what else to do for the year. Dont fancy any of the vacant places on the CAO (maybe mathematical sciences) and I dont really fancy getting a job for the year, it would be a bit too stressful with chemistry etc. Im weighing up more the cons here, but seriously, I dont know what to do! What are other people doing for the year who are repeating the HPAT, but not doing a course at uni?

Can anyone please help me!!! Im so confused and its now really starting to upset me.

Go on the dole!:pac:

No seriously you should try get a job or something while preparing to repeat the hpat. Get some money together before you begin college. Youre obviously bright and intelligent to get 580 points ( personal arrogance towards myself because I also got 580:pac:) so you should have no problem getting a decent job be it in a shop, supermarket etc.

theowen

JSK 252 wrote: »

Go on the dole!:pac:

No seriously you should try get a job or something while preparing to repeat the hpat. Get some money together before you begin college. Youre obviously bright and intelligent to get 580 points ( personal arrogance towards myself because I also got 580:pac:) so you should have no problem getting a decent job be it in a shop, supermarket etc.

+1. Have to say I'd love to be in your situation:p

Xtina!!

Thanks for your advice! Yeah maybe I should sign up on the dole.:) The way I feel at the moment my future looks very bleak!:o
I could get a job, Ill look around, but Im going to feel sooooo miserable throughout the year! Thats also why I considered repeating, to keep myself preoccupied. What a let down that was.
My friend is taking the year out to do a secretarial course and to have a break from the LC. Shes then going to take up her deffered place on nursing. Would doing some course for the year be kinda pointless? I know this is a very broad and open question, but is there any courses out there or something that people would recommend for me to do for the year?

BTW, congrats to you JSK 252 on getting 580 points too!
And theowen, believe me, you would not enjoy being in my shoes at the moment!:( At least you know what you would do with your points for the year! I have no use for them at all the mo!

Calum196

But does this mean you cant apply to cork ? I thought thats what you wanted.

Xtina!!

Calum196 wrote: »

But does this mean you cant apply to cork ? I thought thats what you wanted.

Yeah, I do really want Cork, its a lot closer to home in Kerry, and I can come home more often, but after today I realised I just cant go through with it all again. While most of my subjects are the same and there is not too much new material, but like I got 580 points, and I found it really hard to be motivated to work today. Its the motivation thats the problem when you know its not the points you need to improve. There was also that feeling of teachers 'pushing us repeats aside' to concentrate on the new sixth years. There was a feeling of neglect, and the new sixth years are nothing like my old class! Even teachers said today that they could tell the difference.
I do really want cork, but I dont know if I have that strength and motivation to do it all again. Problem now is what would I do for the rest of the year?

Calum196

Well the HPAT is your priority, so maybe give "wide and critical reading" a go. lol.

Xtina!!

Calum196 wrote: »

Well the HPAT is your priority, so maybe give "wide and critical reading" a go. lol.

Yeah the HPAT is one of my main priorities now at the moment. But of course, there is not too much preparation to do in it, like I dont want to over do it, but I defo want to increase my chances of getting in such way possible.
So should this be the plan, study chemistry during the year, get the requirement, prepare and sit hpat again, try and get a job and just look at the other options open to me? This has all been such a blow to me, Ive always had problems trying to decide on a career path for me, and now this problem has come back. I dont know whether to go dowm the medical/health sector route or go down the mathematical/actuarial route. I love maths in school and I have a way with numbers, got A1s in accounting,maths and applied maths,amoungst a few (dont mean to brag), and there is obviously a pattern.
Everything now has just thrown me all off course. But like would it be easier to get a degree in medicine and then do postgrad in maths, because its a lot more competitive doing a maths degree and then graduate medicine.
Any more advice or suggestions? I know though, at the end of the day it must be my decision.

Xtina!!

Anne-Marie!! wrote: »

Are you planning on just doing chemistry this year? For medicine, you need to get the requirements and the points in the same year, so if you want to do chemistry you'll have to do all your subjects again, and your 580 wont be taken...

I know, thats why I considered repeating in the first place, because all the requirements have to be obtained in the the same sitting of the LC. Tbh, I dont really know why I would do chemistry now, considered vet med, but loads of people have told me not to do it and my careers guidance teacher today even said so( well, I could tell he wasnt in favour of the idea). I would love to do the 5 yr course in UCC, but now Im just having so many doubhts about the whole thing, including medicine, as I previously mentioned, and Im worried I might change my mind and decide that med isnt for me. People think this is an easy decision to make, but its a decision that will possible guide me over the next year and possibly the following 4-6 yrs of my life.

bythewoods

I was conidering taking a year out this year instead of repeating. i repeated in the end and it made no difference to me, I'd have gotten Medicine anyway.

When i was weighing up my options this time last year I considered doing a one year PLC.
There's loads of places all over the country to do them, and you'll still probably be able to sign up for one at this stage.

They're not overly inspiring, but you could pick something like a basic Science one, or a sports one or w/e you're into yourself and come out with a qualification at the end of the year.
It'll keep you busy, and if you pick something like Nursing or w/e it could actually help you out for Medicine down the line.

Best of luck whatever you do

Piste

When I thought I hadn't got the points for medicine my plan was to go to college and do 1 year of my course then repeat the HPAT. The idea was to keep my options open. If I found I really liked my course I'd stick with it and be happy even if I did badly in the HPAT, but if I'd done well in the HPAT it would mean I could do medicine.

So maybe do a one year PLC that could lead into something sciency or healthcare-related and take the HPAT again. Maybe go to Eason's and see if you can find some books that text logical thinking, you should be able to improve on it.

Best of luck!

OxfordComma

Xtina!! wrote: »

Yeah the HPAT is one of my main priorities now at the moment. But of course, there is not too much preparation to do in it, like I dont want to over do it, but I defo want to increase my chances of getting in such way possible.
So should this be the plan, study chemistry during the year, get the requirement, prepare and sit hpat again, try and get a job and just look at the other options open to me? This has all been such a blow to me, Ive always had problems trying to decide on a career path for me, and now this problem has come back. I dont know whether to go dowm the medical/health sector route or go down the mathematical/actuarial route. I love maths in school and I have a way with numbers, got A1s in accounting,maths and applied maths,amoungst a few (dont mean to brag), and there is obviously a pattern.
Everything now has just thrown me all off course. But like would it be easier to get a degree in medicine and then do postgrad in maths, because its a lot more competitive doing a maths degree and then graduate medicine.
Any more advice or suggestions? I know though, at the end of the day it must be my decision.

Doing Chemistry this year won't be particularly beneficial to you unless you decide to do pharmacy/veterinary or something.

You could easily get a primary degree in Medicine and then move into a different field altogether, like, as you mentioned, maths. The thing is, you've still always got options, no matter what course you've decided to do - if you get Med and then decide it's just not for you, then you're free to do something else instead. You're never trapped:) And really, you're only deciding what you're going to be doing for the next 4-6 years of your life - nothing more. That's probably a good way to look at it:)

On the other hand, beware of the idea of applying for Graduate Medicine. A great deal of people who don't get into the Undergrad Med programme say they'll do Graduate Med, but what they don't realise is that it's even harder to get into than the Undergraduate programme. It involves sitting the GAMSAT, which is far more difficult than the HPAT!

Xtina!!

1fahy4 wrote: »

Doing Chemistry this year won't be particularly beneficial to you unless you decide to do pharmacy/veterinary or something.

You could easily get a primary degree in Medicine and then move into a different field altogether, like, as you mentioned, maths. The thing is, you've still always got options, no matter what course you've decided to do - if you get Med and then decide it's just not for you, then you're free to do something else instead. You're never trapped:) And really, you're only deciding what you're going to be doing for the next 4-6 years of your life - nothing more. That's probably a good way to look at it:)

On the other hand, beware of the idea of applying for Graduate Medicine. A great deal of people who don't get into the Undergrad Med programme say they'll do Graduate Med, but what they don't realise is that it's even harder to get into than the Undergraduate programme. It involves sitting the GAMSAT, which is far more difficult than the HPAT!

Thanks for the advice! Thats why I wouldnt want apply for graduate medicine! There is so much competition for it, and there is no guarantee people would get into it at the end of a the basic degree, whatever it might be. This actually happened to a friend of mine, she didnt get the high points required for med a few years ago, she then went off doing a science degree, sat the GAMSAT last year, and failed to get into medicine again. Too risky.

And of course,if I decide it isnt for me,I could always drop out. But you know how it feels at this stage, you have to make a decision now and then thats it, your stuck with it. But of course thats not true.
Im going to do an interview tomorrow actually for a PLC course, a business/secretarial course, its so NOT up my street, Ill find it quite boring Id say, but that is the only one left in my town. Everywhere else is booked up.
Just a quesion for anyone on this forum who has actually done financial maths and actuarial science, could you just tell me a bit about your course, or anything similar? I will be checking up more with the unis about it, but anyone?
And I was thinking about the chemistry thing, obviously, the initial plan was to repeat everything and aim for the 5 yr course, but dont really know what to do about it now. I was thinking of veterinary, but have been continuously advised not to do it.

Xtina!!

bythewoods wrote: »

I was conidering taking a year out this year instead of repeating. i repeated in the end and it made no difference to me, I'd have gotten Medicine anyway.

When i was weighing up my options this time last year I considered doing a one year PLC.
There's loads of places all over the country to do them, and you'll still probably be able to sign up for one at this stage.

They're not overly inspiring, but you could pick something like a basic Science one, or a sports one or w/e you're into yourself and come out with a qualification at the end of the year.
It'll keep you busy, and if you pick something like Nursing or w/e it could actually help you out for Medicine down the line.

Best of luck whatever you do

Thanks!
Can I ask, why did you repeat knowing that you would have gotten medicine anyway?

RandomIrl

She didnt...
this years LC+HAPT is only 2 points more than last years score combined with the HPAT (which wasnt in operation as you know)..leaving-cert.net tells you the story.. :P:P:P im a creep...i know!! :P

bythewoods

Xtina!! wrote: »

Thanks!
Can I ask, why did you repeat knowing that you would have gotten medicine anyway?

I didn't know tbh.

Because this was the first year of the HPAT I wasn't sure at all.

Although, I take back the bit about it making no difference, got a call from the Trinity admissions office this morning offering me a place in Medicine there..
Wouldn't have got that with last year's points. Still would have gotten UCD though (Where I currently am..)

Piste

oooh are ya gonna take TCD?

RandomIrl

Piste wrote: »

oooh are ya gonna take TCD?

well, are you? :P

bythewoods

Haven't decided yet tbh!
I'll let ye know tomorrow.. :P

If I do I'm gonna lose loadsa money from like, accomodation and stuff...