Can I just turn up for an exam??

umph

So I've been teaching myself Leaving Cert Biology for the last couple of months and I think I'm pretty handy at it... But I never put it on the form thing back in like January or February because I hadn't started it then. So the department don't have me down for it. Am I able to just turn up for biology tomorrow or have I wasted my time?
And I'm an external candidate. Does that change anything?

microbio

I am not 100% positive, but I would imagine you have to be registered. You could ring the SEC and find out for sure.

challengemaster

Nope, you can't, you'd have to be registered for the exam - Sorry

MissAlex

I did the same thing back in the late 90's when I was sitting my leaving. I just turned up on the day of the 'extra' exam and was given a paper and the results were included with my other subjects on my cert. Nobody passed any remark on it at the time.

Bob the Builder

MissAlex wrote: »

I did the same thing back in the late 90's when I was sitting my leaving. I just turned up on the day of the 'extra' exam and was given a paper and the results were included with my other subjects on my cert. Nobody passed any remark on it at the time.

They have rollsheets now and sheets of paper confirming how many students are taking such and such an exam.

However, I was going to sit Ag. Science and my super told me I couldn't... But I dunno... Can they stop you?

was.deevey

I just didn't turn up for Biology and took Home Economics on the day .. just had to tell them at the office to make sure they had extra papers handy.

There are certain subjects that you can't just turn up for e.g. Art / Engineering /music even french as there is Additional modules

But biology you should not have an issue with .. I dunno if you have to substitute for something else though .. are points based on only a certain number of subjects or highest of ones taken ?

umph

Ok so I was on to the SEC and they said I can't do it because I "haven't done the lab work"
But the lab work is just like for questions on the paper so if I tell the supervisor person that I have just decided to do the exam, can I do it? I'm sure they'll have extra papers.

challengemaster

umph wrote: »

Ok so I was on to the SEC and they said I can't do it because I "haven't done the lab work"
But the lab work is just like for questions on the paper so if I tell the supervisor person that I have just decided to do the exam, can I do it? I'm sure they'll have extra papers.

No, you actually have to have done the experiments - and have them all recorded in an experiments hardback. If it's not available for inspection if requested, you wouldn't get to sit the exam anyway. Same for any biology student. You NEED to have done them, it's not just because of EP questions.

christina_x

if you didnt register, you dont have an exam number.. and they cant give you back your results unless you have an exam number

zam

christina_x wrote: »

if you didnt register, you dont have an exam number.. and they cant give you back your results unless you have an exam number

I'm pretty sure the OP is actually doing the LC, just hasn't registered for Bio!

OP - why not go to the exam and see what happens. You've nothing to lose :P

dyl10

christina_x wrote: »

if you didnt register, you dont have an exam number.. and they cant give you back your results unless you have an exam number

Exam number is the same for all exams in that year.

DC09

challengemaster wrote: »

No, you actually have to have done the experiments - and have them all recorded in an experiments hardback. If it's not available for inspection if requested, you wouldn't get to sit the exam anyway. Same for any biology student. You NEED to have done them, it's not just because of EP questions.

WHAT?! I registered for Biology a few months ago (put it on that form) I have rang the SEC and they have me down for it.

I never did any experiments because I did it outside school, I just learned off the procedure, Would I be ok? Im registered for the exam like?

Did people write their exam numbers on the hardbacks?

was.deevey

If its project based stuff you should have asked to do the experiments on the days they were being performed as i'm pretty sure examiners would be present at them.

I would have thought there was marks for the experiments ? .. you might be able to do it but sacrifice that side of things ?

Didn't realize there was any project work in biology though (seeing as its the one I ditched) , think you're outta luck taking it now sorry

.. try Home Ec :P its p1$$ easy way to get an Honour hehe.

Sounds like you put effort into it do you have an interest in going into a related field e.g. medical / veterinary / pharma ?

Mwah

there is no bio project work. you just need to know them 22 exp on the day to answer section b. we only did some in class and then just wrote the rest up to help us study

Lawliet

DC09 wrote: »

WHAT?! I registered for Biology a few months ago (put it on that form) I have rang the SEC and they have me down for it.

I never did any experiments because I did it outside school, I just learned off the procedure, Would I be ok? Im registered for the exam like?

Did people write their exam numbers on the hardbacks?

it's not like junior cert, you don't hand up the lab copy, inspectors can show up and check the lab copies to make sure the work is done, and if you don't have it they can bar you from sitting the exam. But the inspections are over by now, so you've gotten away with not doing the lab work.

DC09

Lawliet wrote: »

it's not like junior cert, you don't hand up the lab copy, inspectors can show up and check the lab copies to make sure the work is done, and if you don't have it they can bar you from sitting the exam. But the inspections are over by now, so you've gotten away with not doing the lab work.

But wouldnt they know that I dont have a lab copy by the fact that Im not doing it in school, if this is the case, how is Biology possible to be done by external candidates?
How would I know if I was barred?

JamesJB

DC09 wrote: »

But wouldnt they know that I dont have a lab copy by the fact that Im not doing it in school, if this is the case, how is Biology possible to be done by external candidates?
How would I know if I was barred?

They might just assume you did the lab work outside school somehow.

OR it might depend on if your school is inspected. as in, if they get away without being inspected, so do you. You would probably know if you were barred by now because somebody would specifically have to find out you have no lab work, then report back or w/e to get you barred. You're fine I'm sure.

Lawliet

DC09 wrote: »

But wouldnt they know that I dont have a lab copy by the fact that Im not doing it in school, if this is the case, how is Biology possible to be done by external candidates?
How would I know if I was barred?

Some colleges, such as NUI Maynooth run the leaving cert experiments for schools who don't have the proper lab equipment for the experiments. For all the department knows you could have gone to one of those days.

ldxo15wus6fpgm

As far as I'm aware there was never any inspection for biology experiment copies i.e. we never had to hand anything up. My teacher has never mentioned anything like that and it would be very unlike her to pass over something like that even if it doesn't contribute to the exam.

If I were you I'd head in and sit the paper. The worst that can happen is they don't give you a grade, which is what will definitely happen if you don't bother going in... As the saying goes, 'you have to be in it to win it!'

sheep-go-baa

You are meant to do all the experiments and write them up. The reality is, a lot of people don't, and once the SEC never find out they are fine. The only way the SEC can find out is if an inspection is carried out on the biology department in the school you are going to. When they do inspect they'll look for lab copies. In our school though they only looked at a few anyway on a voluntary handing it up basis. All the inspections are carried out during the school year so you're fine at this stage. Just don't be telling the supervisor before they hand you the paper in case they are a stickler for rules. Good luck

Bill_Le_Viking

A friend of mine decided to take the OL business paper, told the sup that he didnt do business and wanted to chance his arm and they let him. He reckons he passed too