Leaving Cert 5th year subject advice

zik2011

Hi every one,
I am new to the forum, seeking your advice about subject selection for 5th year beginning shortly.
I am interested in medicine. Mathematics is my relative weak point.
I am exempt from Irish.
My tentative selection is as follow:
1. English ( Higher)
2. French (Higher)
3. Biology (Higher)
4. Chemistry (Higher)
5. Physics ( Higher)
6. Agri science or Geography (Higher)
7. The question is if I take Maths ordinary level, how can I compensate
so that I can recover the loss due to ordinary maths.
Any advice regarding subject selection will be highly appreciated.
Regards,
zik2011

teenagedream

You have six higher level subjects you don't need to compensate anything.

zik2011

@teenagedream
Thanks for your reply and advice
zik

bscm

As you are doing 2+ Science subjects at HL you should be ok to meet the course requirements for studying Medicine. Most Medicine/Science related courses accept a C3 OL/D3 HL Maths if you do 2+ Science subjects

RMD

Do Ag Science in school and learn Geography yourself at home with the guidance of a teacher in school if possible. There's very little understanding Geography, it's simply learning simple information and retaining it. Get Sue Honan's Exam Skills Geo book along with the curriculum books the Geo teacher recommends and you can easily get a B / A once you put the work in.

Fergus_Nash

zik2011 wrote: »

Hi every one,
I am new to the forum, seeking your advice about subject selection for 5th year beginning shortly.
I am interested in medicine. Mathematics is my relative weak point.
I am exempt from Irish.
My tentative selection is as follow:
1. English ( Higher)
2. French (Higher)
3. Biology (Higher)
4. Chemistry (Higher)
5. Physics ( Higher)
6. Agri science or Geography (Higher)
7. The question is if I take Maths ordinary level, how can I compensate
so that I can recover the loss due to ordinary maths.
Any advice regarding subject selection will be highly appreciated.
Regards,
zik2011

Listen the LC is the biggest piece of sh1t that I have just done. Do the easiest subjects/subject level you can do. Definitely take ordinary level maths to make it easier on yourself.

I would say that over the next two years you will probably change your mind. I was all up for doing law but now I'm just going to do an Arts degree because I actually don't know what I want to do. Therefore I would be cautious on choosing the 3 lab. science subjects plus another science subject in either Ag. Science or Geography.

Maybe a business subject or something else would be a good choice just in case you change your mind. Also I found Physics tough while Chemistry is supposed to be horrific. So maybe you might be good at both but you don't want to be in the position where you have to spend all of your time studying both of these subjects.

I hope that I am not frightening you - just that you have to make the next two years as easy as it can be. I spent the last two years thinking that the LC was the be-all and end-all until about two weeks before the exams started when everybody was saying it's not all that important at all. To me it is now a passport to university - and nothing more. But you must work to get there.

I'll say it one more time - make it as easy as you can on yourself. Don't limit yourself to just science subjects because you never know what you might think in two years time. Study well in fifth year so that you don't have to compensate in sixth which is stressful enough as it is.

Best of luck.

luciemc

I don't really agree with Fergus_Nash. I regret taking a business subject... found the sciences easier and wish I'd done all three! There aren't any business courses I know of that require you to have studied business at LC level, so if you change your mind you won't really be at a disadvantage. I guess it depends on the person but if you think you'll do better/are more interested in science subjects then I'd say stick with them. You'll need high points for medicine. And yeh, I'd recommend pass maths and 7 higher level if you think you'd have the self discipline to study one outside school. You can always drop one at a later stage but I think starting 5th year with 7 would be a good idea.

katem141

I'm weak at maths and I am in Medicine. Killed myself doing honours and only got a C2 in the end. It's nearly the workload of two subjects!! If I was doing it all over again I would have done pass and taken up an extra subject. I loved Ag. Science, really interesting and has a big overlap with the biology course. Yeh!! Agricultural economics is a handy subject too. Course hasn't changed in YEARS!! Learned off all the answers to the past papers from examintions.ie and got my A1!!

zik2011

Thanks for all your input,
Regards
Zik

Noodleworm

Im just going to add, that as well as subjects, be really careful with your CAO, as every year a few people make simple mistakes. SO my general 5th year advice is. (sorry for rant)

1. Your number 1 choice on the CAO is what you most want to do, not necessarily highest points.
2. Make numbers 2 and 3 things you actually still want to do, just with lower points. Same goes for your level 6/7 choice as you can do that and work up to a level 8.
3. Have a backup plan. look up PLCs before hand, see which ones you can use to get into the course you want as you may need to apply for them before results are out.
4. Do something you love. don't pick a course because 'all your friends are going there' ,don't let your mammy bully you into something you don't like You will do better in a course your genuinely interested in.
5. Research your courses, know what there about, go to open days.

zik2011

@noodle worm
Thanks