subject choices

icypole

I'm in TY and I have to pick my subjects for the leaving cert this week. I don't know what to choose. I'm definitely picking german and music but after that I don't know.
For my third subject I know I should pick a science but I don't know which one. I like physics and i'm pretty good at maths. But I think i'll struggle with physics for the leaving.
I'm from a farming background and I think i'd find Ag science a bit easier than physics but i'm not as interested in it as i am physics though. I really just don't know which to choose.

For the fourth subject I'm stuck between Home ec and accounting. I love cooking and it could possibly be a future career option though i'm not 100 per cent.Home ec for the leaving cert doesn't envolve any cooking though the theory might be helpful later on. I'm also good at accounts and find it reletavely easy but I dont know if a future career in accounts would ever appeal to me. It would however help in the running of a business so I really don't know. Please help

Jade.

Home Ec does involve cooking for the leaving cert just not an actual cooking exam. You are given 5 assignments where you have to prepare a meal etc. according to what the assignment is. There's then a write up of each one. It's generally completed within 5th year.

icypole

I didn't know that, thanks and does it envolve a project as well on like social care, home design or fashion?

missguided

I'm doing Home Ec and in 5th year and regret keeping it on, we've done 3 assignments but aren't cooking at all after they're done, so basically you cook five times throughout the two years, the rest of the time is spent on the mountain of theory. You don't do any craft project or anything like in Junior Cert either.

I loved Home Ec for JC, because it was focused more on practical things like the craft project and practical, but i find it such a pain for the leaving cert. You can't cut down the information by what comes up most often and that like in other subjects, and the volume of things to learn is immense. I know a lot of people keep it on as it's seen as an easy subject, when it really isn't.


If you're more into physics then go for it, you're going to be more likely to work if you actually enjoy the subject. I don't do it myself, but people I know who do seem to like it. Physics can be useful for science based courses too, whereas Ag Science isn't recognised as a science subject as far as I know. Biology is fairly easy if you want to keep on a science subject, there's a lot to learn but it's all pretty straightforward and the exam is predictable

rainbowtrout

Claire1456 wrote: »

Ag science will bring you nowhere in the future, physics is involved in a lot of courses. I wouldn't recommend ag science unless you want to peruse a career in agriculture or farming. Go for what your interested in.

Really nowhere?

Veterinary
Animal nutrition
Agri business
Biofuels
Biotechnology
Environmental Science and Energy
Crops and Food Production
Machinery and Agricultural Engineering
Forestry
Horticulture
Food Processing
Dairy production to name but a few and of course there's farming.



Agriculture is one of the few industries that is doing well in this country at the moment. Western produce (particularly dairy produce) is getting more and more popular as Asia embraces the western diet. Any of my students who have gone on to third level to study agriculture all have jobs from it.

Bit ignorant of you to say it will get you nowhere.

missguided wrote: »

If you're more into physics then go for it, you're going to be more likely to work if you actually enjoy the subject. I don't do it myself, but people I know who do seem to like it. Physics can be useful for science based courses too, whereas Ag Science isn't recognised as a science subject as far as I know. Biology is fairly easy if you want to keep on a science subject, there's a lot to learn but it's all pretty straightforward and the exam is predictable

Yes it is.

Peregrine

I do physics and it's actually not half as boring as it was in Junior Cert. It's also not as hard as it is made out to be. Half of the people in my class do OL Maths(subject choice clash) and most of them do HL Physics. The maths involved is mostly basic algebra.

If you have any type of interested in Light, Motion, Forces, Energy, Particle Physics, do physics.

dcam

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Yes it is.

Ag science actually isn't recognized as a science subject for many science-related degrees e.g. medicine/pharmacy etc. but if the OP isn't interested in pursuing a career in science then it is still a good one to do.

kingcobra

dcam wrote: »

Ag science actually isn't recognized as a science subject for many science-related degrees e.g. medicine/pharmacy etc. but if the OP isn't interested in pursuing a career in science then it is still a good one to do.

Actually you're wrong for the most part, Ag Science is recognised as a science subject for many degrees and to take a few examples:


All of UCD's Science/Medicine courses accept Ag Science

Medicine and Pharmacy at Trinity accepts Ag Science

NUIG Medicine accepts Ag Science

Granted, UCC doesn't appear to accept Ag Science as a Science course for Medicine but it appears to be an exception to the other colleges around the country.

With that being said OP I think you should go for Physics as it is clearly what you want to do, and you'll thank yourself for it next year. The course isn't too bad, and I remember I thought it'd be really hard and complicated heading into 5th year but it's not. A lot of the sums are just a matter of choosing the correct formula,which are all in the log tables, and it's fairly simple to get a grasp of each chapter. Anyone can do Physics and some parts of it get really interesting like Nuclear Physics!

I know quite a few people from farming backgrounds doing Ag Science (and some are pretty dedicated farmers!) and they are certainly not coasting through it, and it'd be a stretch to say they're finding it easy. Ag Science is pretty detailed too and you will still have to put a lot of study to get the A.

I'm not going to say it's harder, or easier, than Physics as I don't do Ag Science but generally you tend to do better in subjects that you enjoy and Physics doesn't get as technical as it appears!

11Charlie11

missguided wrote: »

I'm doing Home Ec and in 5th year and regret keeping it on, we've done 3 assignments but aren't cooking at all after they're done, so basically you cook five times throughout the two years, the rest of the time is spent on the mountain of theory. You don't do any craft project or anything like in Junior Cert either.

I loved Home Ec for JC, because it was focused more on practical things like the craft project and practical, but i find it such a pain for the leaving cert. You can't cut down the information by what comes up most often and that like in other subjects, and the volume of things to learn is immense. I know a lot of people keep it on as it's seen as an easy subject, when it really isn't.


If you're more into physics then go for it, you're going to be more likely to work if you actually enjoy the subject. I don't do it myself, but people I know who do seem to like it. Physics can be useful for science based courses too, whereas Ag Science isn't recognised as a science subject as far as I know. Biology is fairly easy if you want to keep on a science subject, there's a lot to learn but it's all pretty straightforward and the exam is predictable [\B]

Do you do biology? The exam is becoming less predictable every year and yes there is some topics that come up each year. I think biology is only 'easy' if you really enjoy it as I know many people who despise it. I think the person that started this thread enjoys more maths subjects so biology may not be the best choice. I think it is a lovely subject as I really enjoy it but again not everyone does it.

spurious

If you like Physics, choose physics. A subject you like will always be easier to work on than a subject you don't.

Home Economics would be a good one in terms of openings into careers and if you like cooking and food related things, I would choose it. Not every school doesn't cook after 5th year, I know ours are forever sending us down all sorts of dishes to the staff room.

Jade.

My home Ec class cook for things such as open days, coffee mornings etc even though we are in 6th year it all depends on your school.

icypole wrote: »

I didn't know that, thanks and does it envolve a project as well on like social care, home design or fashion?

Well there is 3 electives on the course and there's only one to be done. I know one does involve some sort of textile related project I think as its about home design etc. My school don't do this elective so I can't tell you much on it but you would have to ask a home Ec teacher which elective they do.

In relation to the whole Home Ec course I would recommend it as a subject. I only took it up in 5th year and I love it.

missguided

11Charlie11 wrote: »

Do you do biology? The exam is becoming less predictable every year and yes there is some topics that come up each year. I think biology is only 'easy' if you really enjoy it as I know many people who despise it. I think the person that started this thread enjoys more maths subjects so biology may not be the best choice. I think it is a lovely subject as I really enjoy it but again not everyone does it.

Yeah, I do. There are some topics that come up again and again though, in comparison to things like Home Ec, in which you have to learn nearly every aspect of the course. I find biology easy enough to be honest, it's pretty straightforward and quite easy to do well in, as long as you put in a bit of work. Then again, if the OP is more of a maths orientated person they might be better off doing physics.