Are you happy with your subjects?

Skinhead Kane

Greetings,

Long timer lurker on the forums, I only decided to make an account and start posting, most recent enough.

I noticed a lot of posters both in the JC and LC are dreading certain exams, ultimately not satisfied with the subjects.

So what subjects are you guys taking and what ones do you regret taking? Also it might be relevant so what course will you be applying for and in which year are you currently in?

I'll start;
My subjects are: Ag Science, Biology, Chemistry, Business, Geography, English as highers and Spanish/Maths as ordinary.

I would most say I dislike Chemistry due to it's difficulty but I'm only in 5th so the whole course is going to be repeated next year anyway (I'm attending a daytime grind school, I'm sure you're already aware of which one so the method of teaching is a little different)

Oh and aspiring for med.

What about you guys/girls?

David1994

I am in 6th year and doing: English,Irish,Spanish,Geography,Biology and Chemistry(Higher) and Maths(Ordinary).
At the moment I am only worried about English due it being so subjective :L Aiming for 500+ points.

Conor556

In 6th year, Doing pass english irish maths:( Higher in Construction geography Ag science and economics. I fell sick every time I have to go to economics!

Skinhead Kane

Conor556 wrote: »

I fell sick every time I have to go to economics!

Are you serious? Eonomics is piss easy though, I picked it up this year and I was scoring no less than 80% per each assessment in microeconomics with about 20 minuets of revising 2-3 times a week. Although, that said, we only covered the introduction, supply, demand and elasticity so it could possibly get harder. I eventually dropped it and picked Agricultural Science, as it would benefit me more going towards medicine.

Conor556

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

Are you serious? Eonomics is piss easy though, I picked it up this year and I was scoring no less than 80% per each assessment in microeconomics with about 20 minuets of revising 2-3 times a week. Although, that said, we only covered the introduction, supply, demand and elasticity so it could possibly get harder. I eventually dropped it and picked Agricultural Science, as it would benefit me more going towards medicine.

It is easy ya but so boring! I hated it at the start of 5th year and asked if i could go into technology but the teacher would'nt let me so i took no interest in it for a few weeks hoping she would let me go, but that did'nt happen

Skinhead Kane

Conor556 wrote: »

It is easy ya but so boring! I hated it at the start of 5th year and asked if i could go into technology

What's technology like? I took a glimpse of the papers and it seemed pretty easy by the questions and the concept of the syllabus seemed rather basic. They don't teach it in my school :'/

Supermensch

Subjects I'm doing are English, Irish, Maths, French, then Engineering, Physics and History. I'm pretty happy with what I'm doing, out of the choices I had I don't think I could have chosen better.

Engineering is handy out; because my hobbies and interests cross over with the course work in a lot of areas I have to do very little work to do well in class.

Physics is the same, to an extent, but really if you can do sudoku you can pretty much do Leaving cert physics :P

History I picked because I wanted to do something academic. Really, there's no way around history other than to learn the book and write essays, so a bit of work there, but it's manageable at the moment.

Skinhead Kane

Supermensch wrote: »

Subjects I'm doing are English, Irish, Maths, French, then Engineering, Physics and History. I'm pretty happy with what I'm doing, out of the choices I had I don't think I could have chosen better.

Engineering is handy out; because my hobbies and interests cross over with the course work in a lot of areas I have to do very little work to do well in class.

Physics is the same, to an extent, but really if you can do sudoku you can pretty much do Leaving cert physics :P

History I picked because I wanted to do something academic. Really, there's no way around history other than to learn the book and write essays, so a bit of work there, but it's manageable at the moment.

Is physics hard? I was going to take it but I got put off because I am not so fluent in mathematics. Also, what do you want to do after school, I'm guessing Engineering?

Supermensch

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

Is physics hard? I was going to take it but I got put off because I am not so fluent in mathematics. Also, what do you want to do after school, I'm guessing Engineering?

Not really. You have to be good with algebra, and fractions, which a surprising number of people aren't thanks to being able to throw numbers into calculators. The questions are all mostly "You have 3 variable, you know 2. Find the 3rd variable." So as long as you have a head for knowing when to use the right formula, physics is grand. It's only memorizing exact definition and derivations that you need to put in a bit of work, but that's the same with biology and chemistry.

As for after school, I'm between electronic engineering, industrial design and philosophy quite diverse, I know.

Conor556

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

What's technology like? I took a glimpse of the papers and it seemed pretty easy by the questions and the concept of the syllabus seemed rather basic. They don't teach it in my school :'/

we did a bit in TY as a trial and it was the finest, I said I wouldnt do it cause i had enough projects to do between con, ag sci and geo so opted for economics!:(. That was the 1st year they thought technology it in my school

Captain Hman

doing higher level english, biology and history, ordinary irish maths and german
was doing higher level chemistry aswell but dropped it cause it was too hard

shawnanana

Doing maths, English, Irish, French, business, home ec, biology and LCVP (all higher)
Really hate biology..not a sciencey person at all, really regret picking it! Not the best at French either and LCVP is kinda a waste of time in my opinion but hopefully I'll get a distinction to make it worthwhile!
Love home ec and business and English and Irish are ok too!
Higher level maths is sooo hard! Is anyone else doing it? If so what do ye think of it?

Poufsouffle

I'm doing English, Irish, Maths, French, Geography, Biology and Chemistry. (HL)
I honestly enjoy most of my subjects most of the time, Biology is my favourite and this year I've started to really like French. Maths is never going to be my thing and I'll be delighted to be finished with it next summer but saying that I do enjoy some aspects of the course, it's just the crazily hard questions that make me occasionally want to throw my maths book out the window.
Chemistry is difficult but when you get it you really get it, I hate how strict they are with the marking scheme. If I didn't need it for course requirements I'd have done something else and I would probably advise people not do it if they didn't need it.

Skinhead Kane

Poufsouffle wrote: »

Chemistry is difficult but when you get it you really get it, I hate how strict they are with the marking scheme. If I didn't need it for course requirements I'd have done something else and I would probably advise people not do it if they didn't need it.

So I'm assuming you're also going for med?

Poufsouffle

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

So I'm assuming you're also going for med?

Veterinary Med actually

Skinhead Kane

Poufsouffle wrote: »

Veterinary Med actually

My cousin is aiming is for that, he hasn't stopped talking about it for the last couple of years, and he's in 3rd year doing his JC this year :pac:

What are the career prospects of vets? Is it in somewhat of a demand? I've never looked into it but apparently only 1 or 2 colleges in Ireland offer it, but I may be wrong.

Poufsouffle

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

My cousin is aiming is for that, he hasn't stopped talking about it for the last couple of years, and he's in 3rd year doing his JC this year :pac:

What are the career prospects of vets? Is it in somewhat of a demand? I've never looked into it but apparently only 1 or 2 colleges in Ireland offer it, but I may be wrong.

Career prospects are reasonably good, I think the vast majority of newly qualified vets get jobs in Ireland but that's only what I've read here on boards, I wouldn't mind moving country for a job though It's just one course in UCD so the points are ridiculously high, 580 on random selection last year.

ray2012

my subjects are higher level : English, Irish, biology, chemistry, economics, accountancy and French
ordinary level : just maths

my worst subject is accounting. Find it extremely difficult, and such a long course, and so much learning to do. However, you're either really good at it, or just, not good. :P There are 4 people in my class, 2 of those are really good at accounting, getting A's the whole time, and me and another lad are fairly bad at it! Sticking with the honours though, even though I'm just going for a pass in the subject.

..I find chemistry ok, tough in parts, but the course isn't too long, so you'll get time to revise the whole thing around Mock time. I find the theory part grand, it's the maths parts I despise.

curly135

I'm doing music, german, DCG, physics, maths, english and irish, all higher except irish.

Love music, hoping to do it in college maths. physics, german and DCG are all fairly good aswell, don't really dread any of em and even look forward to them sometimes.

I find english extremely boring, and as for irish, i've always been terrible at it... not looking forward to the orals :pac:

moriz

I'm doing english, maths, french, biology, business, home ec, art and an european language. All higher except maths.

I really don't like art, I didn't want to do it but it's compulsory in our year Feel pretty optimistic about all the other subjects!

Oh I forgot. I'm in 6th year, don't know what course I'm gonna do but points wise I'm aiming for 480-500 points

BobbyPropane

I'm doing Geography, german, History, Economics, maths, english and irish, all higher.

Would love to have done business instead of Geography or History

JDOC1996

I'm a 5th year doing Maths, English , Irish , German (OL) , Biology, Chemistry , History and I'm teaching myself Economics.

I love all of my subjects except for german, which I despise, but Oh well :pac:
Aspiring for med also :P

Peregrine

In fifth year doing Maths, English, Irish, French, Biology, Physics, Art and then Applied Mathematics by myself

Love it all..except Art and Irish
I had to do Art cos otherwise I would've had to do Chemistry or Geography. I personally don't like any of those 3 but I chose Art cos it's actually a stress relief, I only got a C in it in JC though.

Irish is my one OL subject and I want to drop it..but they won't let me, technically I'm eligible for an exemption

Geekness1234

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

In fifth year doing Maths, English, Irish, French, Biology, Physics, Art and then Applied Mathematics by myself

Love it all..except Art and Irish
I had to do Art cos otherwise I would've had to do Chemistry or Geography. I personally don't like any of those 3 but I chose Art cos it's actually a stress relief, I only got a C in it in JC though.

Irish is my one OL subject and I want to drop it..but they won't let me, technically I'm eligible for an exemption

If you qualify an exemption and you dont want to do it, get exempt.
Print out where it says you are eligible and show it to your Irish teacher.

Peregrine

Geekness1234 wrote: »

If you qualify an exemption and you dont want to do it, get exempt.
Print out where it says you are eligible and show it to your Irish teacher.

That's the problem..
I technically qualify

Students whose primary education up to 11 years of age was received in Northern Ireland or outside Ireland
Students who were enrolled in a primary or post-primary school and who are now enrolling again after having been abroad. The student must have been abroad for at least three years. The student must be at least 11 years of age when re-enrolling.

I started when I was 9 years and 11 months
But my primary school teacher didn't teach any Irish at all for 2 years and I actually started learning in 1st year at 11 years and 11 months

They don't care

Skinhead Kane

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

That's the problem..
I technically qualify


I started when I was 9 years and 11 months
But my primary school teacher didn't teach any Irish at all for 2 years and I actually started learning in 1st year at 11 years and 11 months

They don't care

Where you born in the Republic of Ireland or outside?

Peregrine

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

Where you born in the Republic of Ireland or outside?

Outside the Republic
Anyway, don't wanna keep dragging the thread off topic

Who's doing more than 8 subjects?
Is it hard?

Skinhead Kane

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

Outside the Republic
Anyway, don't wanna keep dragging the thread off topic

Who's doing more than 8 subjects?
Is it hard?

Sent you a PM.

Oh and on that subject, I knew a lad who did 13 subjects for 5th year, like no lie.. He went to the Institute of Education with a friend of mine and I think he chose his 8 favorite or best I should say at the start of 6th year. Not a bad idea ay?

ray2012

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

Sent you a PM.

Oh and on that subject, I knew a lad who did 13 subjects for 5th year, like no lie.. He went to the Institute of Education with a friend of mine and I think he chose his 8 favorite or best I should say at the start of 6th year. Not a bad idea ay?

did he have any life, at all, outside of school?

Skinhead Kane

ray2012 wrote: »

did he have any life, at all, outside of school?

I doubt it, both his parents were scientists from Ukraine, if that gives you a rough image of his life...

Peregrine

Skinhead Kane wrote: »

I doubt it, both his parents were scientists from Ukraine, if that gives you a rough image of his life...

He did niche Western European languages that he knows like Russian for his LC didn't he? I know some people who are doing that

Now that I mentioned it, most European students have an advantage in the way they can sit a simple LC exam for their mother tongue and get around 100 points

Skinhead Kane

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

He did niche Western European languages that he knows like Russian for his LC didn't he? I know some people who are doing that

Now that I mentioned it, most European students have an advantage in the way they can sit a simple LC exam for their mother tongue and get around 100 points

I'm assuming he did, but apparently he speaks native German, so he took both that including English and Irish and that said, a lot of African students, specifically those from Congo, Angola, Niger, Cameroon and many more can speak native or at least fluent French and some Spanish/Portuguese which is a major advantage. A couple of my Congolese friends score straight A's and B's with no more than an hour study a week.

ray2012

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

most European students have an advantage in the way they can sit a simple LC exam for their mother tongue and get around 100 points

they have to do English as an exam also however. If they are fluent in Russian, say for example, then they more than likely lived there for the majority of their childhood, so then their English obviously wouldn't be as advanced for Higher level maybe.. Kind of balances itself out, unless they happen to be fluent in their mother tongue and English.

Peregrine

ray2012 wrote: »

they have to do English as an exam also however. If they are fluent in Russian, say for example, then they more than likely lived there for the majority of their childhood, so then their English obviously wouldn't be as advanced for Higher level maybe.. Kind of balances itself out, unless they happen to be fluent in their mother tongue and English.

True but it's not the case with brighter students. I know Lithuanians who are fluent in both Lithuanian, Russian and English. They also study French and Irish here

bluejay14

6th year here. I'm doing English, Irish, Maths, French, geography, accounting and biology. All higher level.

My worst are probably Irish, maths and French. Dreading both orals and maths just isn't the same as it used to be, me and jc maths were actuall pretty good friends.

Favourites are probably English and geography so I'm thinking about maybe doing an arts degree or something in them. Hoping for 500+ points.

If I could just get my head down now.......

Legion.

Relatively happy. I do English/Irish/Maths, History, Business, Spanish and Geography all higher.. I dont particularly like Business or Geography, but my school didn't offer a couple of the subjects I wanted because not enough people chose them (Economics & Accounting). So I chose those two because they are very easy, and I'm hoping to pick up As in both of them.

Phoenix Wright

I can honestly say that I hate pretty much all my subjects. Geography, Biology and Business bore the ****e out of me but I'm looking for A1's in all three. English is grand so far, apart from Wuthering Sheights. I'm fecked for French. Irish is in contention for my weakest subject also. Maths is frustrating but worth the extra 25 points.

moriz

ray2012 wrote: »

they have to do English as an exam also however. If they are fluent in Russian, say for example, then they more than likely lived there for the majority of their childhood, so then their English obviously wouldn't be as advanced for Higher level maybe.. Kind of balances itself out, unless they happen to be fluent in their mother tongue and English.

I'm doing pretty good in higher level English and I've only lived here for 5 years. I'm also doing an European language which I'm fluent in as I lived in that country for most of my life. I do French as well and did both French and Spanish for my JC.
I know a few people in my year group who are fluent in an European language and you wouldn't even think that they were from another country as their English is proper perfect.
It really depends on the person.

Vito Corleone

In 6th year, and I do Business, Economics, Geography, Biology, English, Maths (all higher) and LCVP.

Hoping for 500+.

I'm beginning to dislike Math and English (due to the course). Biology is probably my favorite at the moment.

Conor94

I wish I had done Physics instead of Music. I'm more interested in physics than any other science and I want to do science next year in university, but I'm probably going to go for un-denominated science now instead of a pure physics course because I haven't done LC Physics (I do phys-chem as an extra subject, but not physics by itself)

Business also bores the sh**e outta me because I have no interest in it, but its an easy subject so I have it for easy points I suppose.

HugsiePie

I do Spanish, Biology, Business, Art and LCVP.
I hated doing LCVP last year, I thought it was such a waste of time, now I couldn't be more grateful I kept it on.
Business is so.......bitty, really hard to get an A in imo, every sentence is a fact, you need to know EVERYTHING, but other than that I think its grand
Art has screwed me over a little, impossible to get an A in
LOVE Biology, nuff said.

jamo2oo9

In 6th year now. Currently doing English, French, Maths, DCG, Engineering, Physics and Links. Dropped Irish after learning that I am eligible for an exemption
Honestly, I'm okay with the subjects, French and English are brutal at higher level. Wish I could do Construction Studies as well but had to do French to get into UL.

Overall, I can manage over 400 points with small amount of studying per night which is not bad you know! Aiming for 500 in the Leaving :cool:

HugsiePie

jamo2oo9 wrote: »

Dropped Irish after learning that I am eligible for an exemption

Out of interest, on what grounds, can you get an exemption from being born outside of Ireland

jamo2oo9

HugsiePie wrote: »

Out of interest, on what grounds, can you get an exemption from being born outside of Ireland

Got an exemption that I am deaf and all disabled student can avail of it.
As for the exemption for being born outside the Republic, you can get it if you moved here after you turned 11. If you arrived in before you turned 11 but never did Irish in primary school, then you should give it a try. I know some people managed to get exemptions because they were born in Eastern countries, Serbia, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Georgia and one from South Africa. Two of them came here before they turned 11 and never learned Irish in primary and yet got the exemption. One tried to get it dropped but wasn't successful, never got to know the reason. The rest choose to stick with Irish as their foreign language so they can avail of other subjects.

HugsiePie

jamo2oo9 wrote: »

Got an exemption that I am deaf and all disabled student can avail of it.
As for the exemption for being born outside the Republic, you can get it if you moved here after you turned 11. If you arrived in before you turned 11 but never did Irish in primary school, then you should give it a try. I know some people managed to get exemptions because they were born in Eastern countries, Serbia, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Georgia and one from South Africa. Two of them came here before they turned 11 and never learned Irish in primary and yet got the exemption. One tried to get it dropped but wasn't successful, never got to know the reason. The rest choose to stick with Irish as their foreign language so they can avail of other subjects.

DANG, I heard somewhere it didn't matter when you moved, oh well, I only have a few months left of it anyways :cool:

Peregrine

HugsiePie wrote: »

Out of interest, on what grounds, can you get an exemption from being born outside of Ireland

There are 2 types of exemptions you can recieve; Department of Education or National University of Ireland. DoE will give an exemption to people who moved to Ireland after they were 11, and on the grounds of disability of course. You can get an NUI exemption if you were born outside of the 26 counties.

The reason for that is NUI universities require you to pass Irish to be accepted but they'll gladly give you an exemption if you have a birth cert that was issued outside Ireland. This exemption ONLY covers NUI colleges and universities BUT afaik you only need to pass either English or Irish to get into DCU and TCD. Other colleges might require you to pass Irish, I'm not sure. I think if DoE exempts you, you're covered for whatever university.

I moved here when I was almost 10 and my principal said I can't avail of an exemption due to the fact that I started primary school here before 11. If I can't get an exemption from the Department of Education, I'll get one from NUI and drop Irish but I'll be making sure I can get into most of the universities without it.

Hope I helped

HugsiePie

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

There are 2 types of exemptions you can recieve; Department of Education or National University of Ireland. DoE will give an exemption to people who moved to Ireland after they were 11, and on the grounds of disability of course. You can get an NUI exemption if you were born outside of the 26 counties.

The reason for that is NUI universities require you to pass Irish to be accepted but they'll gladly give you an exemption if you have a birth cert that was issued outside Ireland. This exemption ONLY covers NUI colleges and universities BUT afaik you only need to pass either English or Irish to get into DCU and TCD. Other colleges might require you to pass Irish, I'm not sure. I think if DoE exempts you, you're covered for whatever university.

I moved here when I was almost 10 and my principal said I can't avail of an exemption due to the fact that I started primary school here before 11. If I can't get an exemption from the Department of Education, I'll get one from NUI and drop Irish but I'll be making sure I can get into most of the universities without it.

Hope I helped

THANK YOU SO MUCH! That was SUPER helpful, justa little thing I am confused about, lets say I do an Irish exam in my leaving and I fail, can I still go to a NUI uni because I was born outside of Ireland or do I have to get the exemption before the leaving starts and not do the exam?

Peregrine

HugsiePie wrote: »

THANK YOU SO MUCH! That was SUPER helpful, justa little thing I am confused about, lets say I do an Irish exam in my leaving and I fail, can I still go to a NUI uni because I was born outside of Ireland or do I have to get the exemption before the leaving starts and not do the exam?

Thinking of winging the exam for the craic anyway are ya?
No, I believe you have to be exempt beforehand. But if you get an NUI exemption, I don't see why you can't sit the exam anyway. Where are you thinking of going?

There's a form online that you have to print out, fill in and send in with a copy of your non-Irish birth cert but I'd ring up the NUI and ask them what the story is first. How old were you when you started school here btw?

HugsiePie

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

Thinking of winging the exam for the craic anyway are ya?

.................Maybe:p

ATM, I say I'll probably go to NUIG, but maybe UCD.

I was quite young when I moved, 2nd class, but I am just terrible at Irish, I do Higher, but even so, I doubt I'll be counting it as one of my top 6, the reason I do Higher Irish is that its my back up if I don't get a distinction in LCVP :pac:

Peregrine

HugsiePie wrote: »

.................Maybe:p

ATM, I say I'll probably go to NUIG, but maybe UCD.

I was quite young when I moved, 2nd class, but I am just terrible at Irish, I do Higher, but even so, I doubt I'll be counting it as one of my top 6, the reason I do Higher Irish is that its my back up if I don't get a distinction in LCVP :pac:

UCD is an NUI constituent university, they should accept the NUI exemption but I'd confirm it with them anyway.
Here's a list: www.nui.ie/elections/docs/institutions.pdf

Jaysuss I only really started learning Irish in first year and I do ordinary cos I simply cannot learn off all the poems, essays and stories ****e. If I could like just do the higher listening and orals I would

HugsiePie

Yeah........I really don't like it, it's a massive pain in the bud, I doubt I'll be doing higher by the end of the year. But seriously, thanks sooooooooo much, you have given me more information than my primary and secondary school ever did. It's like they don't want me to know there was a way of getting out of having to do Irish