Am I Capable Of Higher Level?

DaveyDave

I'm going to do a repeat LC course but I'm not sure if I should try higher level in some subjects. It's hard to tell what I'm capable of because I suspect teachers in my school were somewhat biased with my grades, English for example, I failed every exam since 4th year and got 37% in the mocks but 70-74% in the Leaving without much effort, so it's hard to believe I can go from mid-30s to anywhere near the 70% range.

I'm not sure if I'd be able to do higher level English because the course is a lot more work but I think I'd be able for higher Geography, I got a B3 at ordinary without too much work and I like that subject so I would pay more attention compared to other subjects. Business I got a C2 at ordinary, I like the subject but never paid attention because the classroom wasn't a suitable environment for 2 straight hours of the subject and I missed a section on the exam due to time. I probably would have got a C1 otherwise.

I got a C1 in History which I was shocked at as I think I'm terrible at it but I find the higher level exam to be a bit overwhelming as it's pretty much just all long essays which means learning chapters off which I can't do.

What do you guys think? Would I be able to do some subjects at higher? It would definitely help points wise as you get almost nothing for doing ordinary level.

LadyGaga!

Give HL Business a go, there's not much extra added to the course but it's all about exam technique and the way the questions are answered. Someone posted great advice about answering Business questions a few days ago if you can find it!

rainbowtrout

DaveyDave wrote: »

I'm going to do a repeat LC course but I'm not sure if I should try higher level in some subjects. It's hard to tell what I'm capable of because I suspect teachers in my school were somewhat biased with my grades, English for example, I failed every exam since 4th year and got 37% in the mocks but 70-74% in the Leaving without much effort, so it's hard to believe I can go from mid-30s to anywhere near the 70% range.

I'm not sure if I'd be able to do higher level English because the course is a lot more work but I think I'd be able for higher Geography, I got a B3 at ordinary without too much work and I like that subject so I would pay more attention compared to other subjects. Business I got a C2 at ordinary, I like the subject but never paid attention because the classroom wasn't a suitable environment for 2 straight hours of the subject and I missed a section on the exam due to time. I probably would have got a C1 otherwise.

I got a C1 in History which I was shocked at as I think I'm terrible at it but I find the higher level exam to be a bit overwhelming as it's pretty much just all long essays which means learning chapters off which I can't do.

What do you guys think? Would I be able to do some subjects at higher? It would definitely help points wise as you get almost nothing for doing ordinary level.

I don't think your teachers were biased, sounds like it's just laziness on your part. If you want to do higher level you will have to put in the work, it won't be handed to you on a plate.

Move_Ment

higher level geography is simple to pull off at least a C in, anyone can understand it. all just depends on your work load

DaveyDave

LadyGaga! wrote: »

Give HL Business a go, there's not much extra added to the course but it's all about exam technique and the way the questions are answered. Someone posted great advice about answering Business questions a few days ago if you can find it!

Well it's worth a try, I like business but the class environment really made me hate the subject. Anytime I had business I just zoned out for the class. Hopefully in a repeat course I'll have a better learning environment and it will be easier to pay attention.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I don't think your teachers were biased, sounds like it's just laziness on your part. If you want to do higher level you will have to put in the work, it won't be handed to you on a plate.

Obviously I have to work I know that, but to go from 37% to mid 70% without much effort is hard to believe, my teacher was most likely failing me because my effort in English on the Leaving was almost the same that I put in the mocks. I like Geography so paid more attention in that subject compared to others and got a B3 but still managed to get a B3 in English with only a bit more effort from the mocks.

My point is I like Geography and got a B3. I have no interest in English and got a B3 up from an E with very little effort. A B3 is a VERY high grade for someone who was consistently getting an E in the subject. There was nothing that I done different to bring me from a B or a C down to an E and if you read my post I said I didn't pay attention in Business, not English.

Move_Ment wrote: »

higher level geography is simple to pull off at least a C in, anyone can understand it. all just depends on your work load

I dropped to ordinary last minute in fear of failing and it's better to get a decent grade at ordinary than to fail at higher, but I reckon if I put in a bit more work I'd manage to pull off higher. I messed up some of the longer questions on the exam and still managed a B3, I didn't write enough and was chancing it a bit as some of the things I put down were a wild guess, but I think if I get more detail in the answer I'd do much better.

dan_d

"I can't learn off questions".

Have you tried?Learning off questions is all that geography is. So how come you can do okay in Geography, but not history?

Furthermore, why couldn't you do honours English? Your written posts suggest you can string a sentence together quite well.

As for business was it you or the class environment that was the problem? It's probably not going to be any different anywhere else you know.

To be honest OP, you sound downright lazy. And you also sound like someone who did feck all for the last year and is now realising that (ie, maturing).Harsh, but that's how you're coming across. By the sounds of things you're well able for Honours, but you couldn't be bothered putting the work in. There's no point being halfway intelligent if you're not intelligent enough to realise that you have put work into any exam.

Setting your teachers aside, there is a lot of writing in English, Geography and history. Essentially the format is the same. So it stands to reason that if you managed to do okay in Geography, there's no reason why you can't do reasonably okay in the other two. I would imagine the problem was more that you simply weren't interested, and didn't bother. You've said some of your Geography answers were a wild guess.That speaks for itself. I won't speak for business, as I didn't do it.

Bottom line - you sound like you'd be well able to do honours in at least those 3 subjects.You haven't mentioned what others you do. Whether you're mature enough to realise that you have to put the work in to get the grades, and act on that, remains to be seen. There's nothing more annoying than someone who wastes their potential coz they couldn't bother their ar*e to put the effort in. (Again harsh, but what I'm saying is I think you're well able)

MavisDavis

There's no harm in giving higher level a go, at the very least until the Christmas exams. Work at it until then and you will see if it's paying off and if you should stick at it.

Good luck with repeating, it's worth it in the end!:D

spurious

DaveyDave wrote: »

it's pretty much just all long essays which means learning chapters off which I can't do.

I know you think this is a negative, but as a serving teacher, you've no idea how happy it makes me that there is still even one History student not learning off set essays and answers.


In the old days we used to make up answers inside in the exam on the day.:eek:

fonpokno

DaveyDave wrote: »

I got a C1 in History which I was shocked at as I think I'm terrible at it but I find the higher level exam to be a bit overwhelming as it's pretty much just all long essays which means learning chapters off which I can't do.

Just with regard to history, I did honours, got a B1 and I never even tried to learn off an essay. I mean learning off essays is really really difficult, it's much easier to actually understand the topics you've covered and then just make up the answer in the exam to the question you've been given. An essay that answers the question will always do better than trying to use than trying to force a learned essay to fit a question that wasn't asked. Square peg, round hole.

It helps if you're interested in the topics too, I was super interested in WWII so Dictatorship and Democracy suited me down to the ground.

rantyface

I did everything at higher level. You just need to go to school Monday-Friday, pay attention, have a good attitude and study for 2-3 hours afterwards. I did chemistry, biology, maths, music, spanish, irish and english. There was a lot of rote learning in Irish and English compared to other subjects, but I'm glad I learnt some poems off, I still remember and enjoy them five years later.

What have you been doing with your time if you barely study when you're a full time student? Are you really dedicated to your hobbies or do you just watch a lot of television? I don't know how you'll handle college if you ever get in, finals are much harder than sitting seven higher level subjects at leaving cert level. It also requires a LOT more self discipline. Maybe education isn't your thing, it isn't for everyone. Most people had failed and dropped out before we got to our finals.