leaving cert subjects

STEEL COMET

so have to pick school subjects!

When i finish school i want to do something in Finance/Accounting.

Irish,English Maths
French, Accounting Business.
ALL HIGHER LEVEL I STRUGGLE WITH MATHS +IRISH

for my 4th choice i want to do ag science a Subject i am really interested in and i understand not to be too hard and is good to boost points!

Unfortunately Business is on the same time as Ag Science

I have a choice between Biology and Chemistry instead so i will go with biology.

i have no interest in Bio and i hear there is a lot of learning and its time consuming!

My school has really bad teachers and about 30 students have left for other near-bye schools. i dont have many friends and wouldnt mind moving school. a good one is only 8 miles away!

1.Do you think i should move school just for ag science or do it outside school?
2.should i scrap biology and just do 6 subjects?
3. should i do ag outside school
4.Is biology hard and a lot of work
5. what i french, business and accounting like in LC

thanks dudes

aimzLc2

STEEL COMET wrote: »

so have to pick school subjects!

When i finish school i want to do something in Finance/Accounting.

Irish,English Maths
French, Accounting Business.
ALL HIGHER LEVEL I STRUGGLE WITH MATHS +IRISH

for my 4th choice i want to do ag science a Subject i am really interested in and i understand not to be too hard and is good to boost points!

Unfortunately Business is on the same time as Ag Science

I have a choice between Biology and Chemistry instead so i will go with biology.

i have no interest in Bio and i hear there is a lot of learning and its time consuming!

My school has really bad teachers and about 30 students have left for other near-bye schools. i dont have many friends and wouldnt mind moving school. a good one is only 8 miles away!

1.Do you think i should move school just for ag science or do it outside school?
2.should i scrap biology and just do 6 subjects?
3. should i do ag outside school
4.Is biology hard and a lot of work
5. what i french, business and accounting like in LC

thanks dudes

This is quite tricky to advise you as moving school is a big choice.. if you wouldn't mind moving and it would be easy enough to move that could be a good option and you could do ag science then.I always think a person will do better in a subject that they have an interest in,this leads me onto biology.
If you think you have no interest in biology that might not go well! you are right, it is a hell of a workload , i think you would need to have some interest in it to stay motivated as you will need to spend so much time on it.
When i repeated the leaving i did 6 subjects and it was brilliant! Many will tell you to keep a spare in case everything goes wrong but if you have that extra time especially by not doing biology you can spend that on improving your 6 subjects so that you shouldn't need a back-up

I loved business! it does take a lot of time also as you have to just sit down and stare at a book but i think its less work than biology.

Corvo Attano

STEEL COMET wrote: »

so have to pick school subjects!

When i finish school i want to do something in Finance/Accounting.

Irish,English Maths
French, Accounting Business.
ALL HIGHER LEVEL I STRUGGLE WITH MATHS +IRISH

for my 4th choice i want to do ag science a Subject i am really interested in and i understand not to be too hard and is good to boost points!

Unfortunately Business is on the same time as Ag Science

I have a choice between Biology and Chemistry instead so i will go with biology.

i have no interest in Bio and i hear there is a lot of learning and its time consuming!

My school has really bad teachers and about 30 students have left for other near-bye schools. i dont have many friends and wouldnt mind moving school. a good one is only 8 miles away!

1.Do you think i should move school just for ag science or do it outside school?
2.should i scrap biology and just do 6 subjects?
3. should i do ag outside school
4.Is biology hard and a lot of work
5. what i french, business and accounting like in LC

thanks dudes

The Ag Science project is long and a teachers help is a great aid .

I would say that bio is nothing to be taken on lightly. Its very time consuming and tough. Chemistry isnt as time consuming if you have a mind for rules.

The french oral is harder in the german in that you basically have to freestyle for 15 minutes compared to the ordered german and irish orals.

Business is alot of theory and learning as they tend to throw a bit of everything on the exam so nothing can be taken out.

Accounting seems to be met with a grudging fairness.

HugsiePie

STEEL COMET wrote: »

so have to pick school subjects!

When i finish school i want to do something in Finance/Accounting.

Irish,English Maths
French, Accounting Business.
ALL HIGHER LEVEL I STRUGGLE WITH MATHS +IRISH

for my 4th choice i want to do ag science a Subject i am really interested in and i understand not to be too hard and is good to boost points!

Unfortunately Business is on the same time as Ag Science

I have a choice between Biology and Chemistry instead so i will go with biology.

i have no interest in Bio and i hear there is a lot of learning and its time consuming!

My school has really bad teachers and about 30 students have left for other near-bye schools. i dont have many friends and wouldnt mind moving school. a good one is only 8 miles away!

1.Do you think i should move school just for ag science or do it outside school?
2.should i scrap biology and just do 6 subjects?
3. should i do ag outside school
4.Is biology hard and a lot of work
5. what i french, business and accounting like in LC

thanks dudes

1. It sounds to me like there is not a single reason to stay in your current school, other schools may offer you abetter timetable for the subjects you wish to study. But moving would not be a wise decision if ag. science was your only reason, but you seem to have a few.
2. Hmmmm , always handy to have a 7th, you never know what could happen on the day of an exam, you could be sick and in agony and left unable to move for 15 minutes of your exam(s) *cough cough*
3. I dont know much about ag, science, I know the girls who did so in my year did it in small groups as a class, you need that guidance to keep you on track cause you will probably fall behind and say frig it after a while (Ive witnessed more than 1 case of this)
4. Dont know about Freanch or acc but I loved business however this was largely to do with my teacher Ive heard many people find it boring

To me itsa subject more so about understanding business than learning off facts, I LOVE THE ABQs, most despise them, only thing is it is a subject where the exam can be sticky for time.

TripShip

STEEL COMET wrote: »

2.should i scrap biology and just do 6 subjects?

YES. Also scrap French. It's impossible to do well in languages and you don't need one, contrary to popular belief.

Billiethepup

TripShip wrote: »

YES. Also scrap French. It's impossible to do well in languages and you don't need one, contrary to popular belief.

Em...yes you do for all NUI universities in Ireland. AFAIK Trinity is the only place you can get into without a language or an exemption...

If you know a route around the standard language matric requirement - share!!

randylonghorn

Billiethepup wrote: »

Em...yes you do for all NUI universities in Ireland. AFAIK Trinity is the only place you can get into without a language or an exemption...

If you know a route around the standard language matric requirement - share!!

I don't think it's as universal as that even for the NUI these days Billie, e.g. science / engineering courses often don't have the requirement.

That said

TripShip wrote: »

It's impossible to do well in languages and you don't need one, contrary to popular belief.

involves two dangerously broad statements, and should be taken with a large pinch of salt.

Especially at this hour on a Friday night ...

TripShip

randylonghorn wrote: »

I don't think it's as universal as that even for the NUI these days Billie, e.g. science / engineering courses often don't have the requirement.

That said involves two dangerously broad statements, and should be taken with a large pinch of salt.

Especially at this hour on a Friday night ...

Exactly, most courses nowadays don't require a language. Secondly, yes I do believe it is pretty much impossible for an average guy to get an A in a language, as you would have to be pretty much fluent. Most As for languages go to the native speakers. On the other hand a subject like Biology can be aced by anyone as long as they study. Basically you're putting yourself at a disadvantage by choosing a language as everyone is starting off on different levels, if you get me.

randylonghorn

TripShip wrote: »

Exactly, most courses nowadays don't require a language.

And many do, and really the only way to be sure is to check the admissions requirements for the courses on the college websites or on somewhere like Qualifax. Blanket statements like "you don't need one, contrary to popular belief" encourage people not to do that necessary research ... just as blanket statements like "you need them for all NUI courses" may discourage people from looking at courses in the NUI if they struggle with languages. Basically: always research the course, and check the requirements for that course.

Secondly, remember that even if you don't need the language as a course requirement, you may find it an advantage when you get to the point of seeking employment. Every Forfás skills survey over the last few years has loudly bemoaned the lack of language skills among Irish graduates, and pointed out that that often puts us at a disadvantage competitively.

TripShip wrote: »

Secondly, yes I do believe it is pretty much impossible for an average guy to get an A in a language, as you would have to be pretty much fluent.

Funnily enough, none of those I know who got As in languages in LC over the last few years (leaving aside the non-curricular languages) were native speakers, and I can tot up a fair few people just from memory ... some managed it in two languages actually.

I do agree that some people have a natural talent for languages, and some people really don't ... but the majority of people fall between those two extremes.

TripShip wrote: »

Most As for languages go to the native speakers.

That's certainly true for the non-curricular languages, given that examination in those languages is restricted to native speakers of the language. I'd love to see some stats to back up your claim that it applies to the curricular languages, because tbh I would be surprised if it does.

teach88

TripShip wrote: »

Most As for languages go to the native speakers.

This is absolutely untrue. I've seen many students pass through school with excellent results in languages. Just look at the As in the Leaving this year:

• Irish - 15%
• French - 13%
• German - 14%
• Spanish - 16%

The reason some students struggle with languages it that they don't see that a language is different to the "read the chapter, learn off the main points/definitions/etc. and do practice questions" sort of subject. A language needs to be worked at consistently over the 5/6 years in school.

I see it every year both at JC and LC where students don't see the urgency until very late and then panic when they realise that they can't cram a language post-Christmas in 3rd/6th year.

The Pheasant2

I did Ag science and biology this year and got an A1 in both of them - I must say that each subject really compliments the other: Biology was a really big help to my Ag. The guys in the class who weren't studying biology struggled with certain topics while the lads who were doing biology were able to fly through as they'd studied them already.

There is a lot of overlap between the two so I would definitely recommend doing both if you're at all thinking of doing one. Also you say you're worried about biology's workload which is quite high, but business is a massive course also.

STEEL COMET

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

I did Ag science and biology this year and got an A1 in both of them - I must say that each subject really compliments the other: Biology was a really big help to my Ag. The guys in the class who weren't studying biology struggled with certain topics while the lads who were doing biology were able to fly through as they'd studied them already.

There is a lot of overlap between the two so I would definitely recommend doing both if you're at all thinking of doing one. Also you say you're worried about biology's workload which is quite high, but business is a massive course also.

what subjects did you do?

The Pheasant2

STEEL COMET wrote: »

what subjects did you do?

I did:

Maths OL

Everything else HL:

English
Spanish
Economics
History
Ag Science
Biology
Classical studies

And I was exempt from Irish because I was born outside of the country! (So hammy )

STEEL COMET

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

I did:

Maths OL

Everything else HL:

English
Spanish
Economics
History
Ag Science
Biology
Classical studies

And I was exempt from Irish because I was born outside of the country! (So hammy )

haha thats taste! well if i do ag i will be doing 8 subjects all higher!
irish, english maths
french, business and accounting

then ag and biololgy...

Do you think i should drop bio and study harder with others?

The Pheasant2

STEEL COMET wrote: »

then ag and biololgy...

Do you think i should drop bio and study harder with others?

Well what I was suggesting was that you should include biology if you're set on doing Ag as they both compliment each other so well...so maybe change that in for one of your other choices? But if you're really not liking the idea of bio then of course choose a subject that'd interest you more

Biology is just very helpful if you're doing Ag and vice versa is basically what I was getting at

STEEL COMET

well i have so far decided not to move school!!!

im going to do 8 subjects all higher level

irish english maths french business and accounting at school and biology!

im doing ag outside of school! :P

sorry for annoying ye dudes but here are my new queries!

1. is 8 higher level too much? i aint to smart and struggle with Maths and Irish.......
2. should i drop biology since i dont have much interest in it so i can concentrate on the rest
3. if i was doing ag outside school i would need grinds and that. also any advice about taking a subject outside school?

4. apart from thanking someone how can you reward someone on boards.ie for giving good posts?

cheers

randylonghorn

If you struggle with Irish, and you're aiming for something like Accounting, why take it at HL with 8 subjects?

I would generally advise 7 tbh, but at least dropping to OL in Irish would take some strain off.

Remember that you will need a teacher to sign off on your practical work in Ag, it's not as easy to do outside school for that reason as something like economics.

Have a browse through this thread, rainbowtrout gives a lot of useful info on Ag in it and I know she deals with that issue as well.

yoho139

You start at the start that Ag Science is an easy subject - it absolutely isn't. Skip to page 5 and have a look at the spread of results - Ds are almost always 20+ percent of the cohort. Compare that to other subjects and you'll see it's not that great.

If you want to stick your choices into the prediction applet on my site and see what kind of scores it predicts, you might get some better ideas of what's good, points wise.

rainbowtrout

yoho139 wrote: »

You start at the start that Ag Science is an easy subject - it absolutely isn't. Skip to page 5 and have a look at the spread of results - Ds are almost always 20+ percent of the cohort. Compare that to other subjects and you'll see it's not that great.

If you want to stick your choices into the prediction applet on my site and see what kind of scores it predicts, you might get some better ideas of what's good, points wise.

The link you have provided is for Agricultural Economics, an entirely different subject.

yoho139

rainbowtrout wrote: »

The link you have provided is for Agricultural Economics, an entirely different subject.

My bad, you're right. The spread for Ag Science is considerably better (page 7).