2012 Bonus Points for HL Maths Question

KetchupKid

Hello,

I’m considering repeating since I didn’t get my first few choices, but I’m a bit confused about the new bonus points for Maths. I’m just 17, so I don’t mind doing an extra year, but I’m so burnt out, repeating would seem like a bad case of déjà vu. This year I did 7 subjects including HL Maths, I’m not a Maths person and probably spent most of my time studying for Maths and my other subjects suffered and in the end Maths was still my lowest score by 25 points. I got 3-B1s and 3-B2s all HL and a D1 in HL Maths for a total of 495 points, so even with the +25, my Maths would be the equivalent to a B2. So I tortured myself doing HL Maths and I would have been so much better off doing pass Maths and focusing on the other subjects. Unfortunately next year they are giving bonus points for HL Maths, so even if I sit out and use this year’s scores, I’ll still end up with the same amount of points, but I suspect because of the bonus points, the points requirements for almost all subjects will go up. So once again the Dept. are still steering weaker Maths students to do pass if they can score better in other subjects. If they are trying to encourage more to do HL Maths, they should give the extra 25 points to all that do HL Maths. Am I correct in assuming the 25 bonus point only applies if you are counting Maths to your points?

Call Me Lia

Ya, that was what I was told- that the bonus points only come into play for a person if maths is one of their top 6 subjects. I'd say stick it out, considering you already did almost all of the course, and because of the bonus points of course.
I say 'almost all of the course' because projects maths causes the layout of paper 2 to be completely changed, there is no more choice on which qs you do- you have to do them all. However, it also seems to have made the paper easier than before, vectors and the options are gone completely- replaced instead by more practical qs in trigonometry, geometry and probability. Since the emphasis is on understanding as opposed to method, hopefully you'll find it easier second time round. Good luck!

Random_Person

Well if you endeavour with maths and improve, the 25 bonus points will still only count if maths is in your top 6.

If you really struggle with maths you may find it easier to drop to Ordinary level and focus on the other 6 subjects and really make them the best you can. I know as well as most people who do Higher Level maths (apart from the geniuses :rolleyes:) that Maths takes up most of my time when studying as it's just so damn hard to fully understand sometimes.

So keep going with it if you really want the 25 points but you may be just as well dropping to Ordinary Level and gaining the 25 extra points from all other subjects combined.

Good luck!

III

How is that easier? vectors and options are an absolute godsend

country beat

I got a B3 in higher level Maths this year, which counted as 75 points. I didn't count it as it was my seventh best result. Am I right in saying that next year I can count it as 100 points and leave out my sixth best result - a B2 (80 points).

KetchupKid

country beat wrote: »

I got a B3 in higher level Maths this year, which counted as 75 points. I didn't count it as it was my seventh best result. Am I right in saying that next year I can count it as 100 points and leave out my sixth best result - a B2 (80 points).

Yes, that is my understanding. Just remember, the points requirement will probably go up a good bit next year, particularly in the Maths\Sciencey higher points courses since a lot of people will be getting those extra 25 points.

Feeded

Say if all these higher papers achieved the following percentages

SUBJECT.........% ....... Points
Irish .............65........... 70
Maths...........45............(50+ 25) 75
English..........65.............70
Geography.....70............75
History..........80............85
Biology..........75 ...........80
French..........80............85

...i could ditch Irish or English when calculating my CAO score because my Maths has given me 75 ?

Is that right?

Call Me Lia

III wrote: »

How is that easier? vectors and options are an absolute godsend

But there is less work in not having to them at all

Bacon and Cabbage

leavingcert. wrote: »

NO!, as explained in a previous post, the bonus points come into effect ONLY IF maths is already one of your best six subjects.

This is not true, maths is included in the calculation of your total points if it is in your top 6 after the addition of bonus points

Feeded

Bacon and Cabbage wrote: »

This is not true, maths is included in the calculation of your total points if it is in your top 6 after the addition of bonus points

thank you! You're right. . I just went on the iua.ie website . . It's the irish universities association and they have a document verifying this. . Or just type Maths Bonus Points into Google and the fifth result is a qualifax.ie link

johndoe91

just saw this post.....does this mean that anyone who did HL maths say in the past 5 years will/can come back and do the CAO and get more points?

cocopopsxx

III wrote: »

How is that easier? vectors and options are an absolute godsend

Exactly!! Vectors was my strongest point on paper 2 and the options were great too! I absolutely despised trig and now that is all over paper 2! Repeating is going to be hard....the old course seems much much easier to me...perhaps I'm more of a method-y person? :L

KetchupKid

johndoe91 wrote: »

just saw this post.....does this mean that anyone who did HL maths say in the past 5 years will/can come back and do the CAO and get more points?

I'm not sure for how many years you can re-apply your CAO points, but yes, but only if HL Maths with the Bonus points is one of your top 6 subjects.

Thanks for all that replied, in the end I decided to repeat and stick with the HL Maths. I already know almost all the course and the 25 bonus points were just so tempting, I hope I don't regret it again. Thanks again to all!!