Less than 3 months left before Leaving Cert kicks in! YELP!

schmadLadz

Alright, I have 6 Higher Level subjects(exception from Irish) and so far my results are very bad from the Mocks: Chem(E), Maths(E), Physics(E), Accounting(D), Spanish(C), English(D). I mean, I was a fairly B student most of the time until 6th year started. I'm aiming for 475 points and I believe I can still pull it off but I need some reassurance from someone who is more of realistic regarding the time and the effort I need to put in. Regarding my knowledge about the subjects, I know barely anything but I can understand topics pretty quickly once I do exam papers and exercises.. the only problem is I need a big slap in the face >.<! Should I drop HL maths? I'll still be satisfied with 400 points, oh and I'm starting grinds for Physics and Maths but I need an open advice what I should consider before anything else. Thank you very mucho.

thelad95

How badly did you fail Maths? Was it near 40% or below 20? There is still plenty of time to cover every course comprehensively but you need to start and start now. Not next Monday or the Monday after that.

Also am I right in saying that there is a 2% discrepancy in a D3 grade for Leaving Cert. i.e a pass is 38% ? If so, this should be something you should consider when deciding levels in Maths.

TrueIt

thelad95 wrote: »

Also am I right in saying that there is a 2% discrepancy in a D3 grade for Leaving Cert. i.e a pass is 38% ? If so, this should be something you should consider when deciding levels in Maths.

Might depend on the individual marking it. I know I got 38.5% in higher level physics and no luck on a mark up!

Mr Pseudonym

schmadLadz wrote: »

Alright, I have 6 Higher Level subjects(exception from Irish) and so far my results are very bad from the Mocks: Chem(E), Maths(E), Physics(E), Accounting(D), Spanish(C), English(D). I mean, I was a fairly B student most of the time until 6th year started. I'm aiming for 475 points and I believe I can still pull it off but I need some reassurance from someone who is more of realistic regarding the time and the effort I need to put in. Regarding my knowledge about the subjects, I know barely anything but I can understand topics pretty quickly once I do exam papers and exercises.. the only problem is I need a big slap in the face >.<! Should I drop HL maths? I'll still be satisfied with 400 points, oh and I'm starting grinds for Physics and Maths but I need an open advice what I should consider before anything else. Thank you very mucho.

EEEk! Unfortunately, I don't think that the mock results bode well. For every, say, five people with those results (who underperformed), four will not improve markedly.

However, there is the one who will. Pulling Physics, Chem and Acc up to B/C is certainly achievable without excessive work:

• You should be getting close to maximum marks in the experiment Section and in Question 5 of the Physics paper.
  
• The Option (most do Particle Physics) looks daunting at the beginning, but has so little material that a little bit of rote-learning will have you fully prepared.
  
• One of Sound and Light comes up each year, and students generally like those topics.

The experiments plus High-B/As in the three long questions mentioned will have you home and dry.

I hate Chemistry, and it'll be tougher than Physics to rescue a good grade.

• Again, experiments are a steal. It would be advisable to aim to be doing all three.
  
• Again (!), Q4 questions repeat from previous years.
  
• Organic Theory is too large a topic to neglect to cover, so you'd be wise to cover that to some degree.
  
• EVERY single question that will be on this year's paper will have been asked in the last ten years.

Can't really give much advise on Acc because I haven't looked at what's likely to be on this year's paper, and the amount of work required to do well varies greatly by student.

One thing I will say is that, because it takes thirty/forty mins to do an average question, study can be very laborious: you may be almost perfect on a topic, but in order to establish where you're still having a problem, you are forced to do a whole question! Therefore, make a detailed note of every mistake you make. That way, it shouldn't be necessary to do a full question in order to correct where you are weak. It's beneficial to be able to refer to that list: in fact, on the day of my Acc exam, it was that list which I concentrated on.

English and Maths are more problematic. I repeated and got a trio of A1's in App Maths, Maths and Phsyics, but the first time I sat the LC I got a D1 in Ord Maths and an F in Physics. I say this to illustrate that you may have buckets of aptitude in a subject, but can still perform appallingly. An E in Maths, therefore, is worrying: it suggests that you have been so disengaged that even potential natural aptitude isn't compensating. I would say, stick with Higher Maths because a C/D is achievable by anyone (and the Bonus Points will make the effort worthwhile). But, you should approach it with a somewhat cynical mindset: you outghtn't to care "where that answer comes from, etc" - the time for being an inquisitive student was months ago!

The trick to English, IMO, is to make sure that you develop all sections at the same time: I know of countless people who performed very well in one section, only to have their grade dragged down by having performed poorly elsewhere. If you write in anyway decently, I guarantee that if you write five compositions (do the article - it's easiest) in the next month, and make sure to apply the corrections given by your teacher to each subsequent one, you should be of a B-standard. Below on A, the LC heavily rewards structure above eloquence - therefore, concentrate on that. The question, and the extent to which you answer it, is sooo important. Your teacher will have told you that innumerable times, but you have to actively change your mindset so that you are constantly asking yourself as you write whether you are "on task". Do not neglect the other parts of P1 either.

IMO, the quotes teachers advise for the ST are too long: try to pare them down as much as possible. Realise that the structure of your answer should be: "at this point in the text, such and such a thing is illustrative of such and such" (it shouldn't take much more than a sentence to describe what you are referring to in the text - NO marks are given for summarisation, and the only reason for doing it is to give the paragraph coherence); use a quotation as evidence; then reflect on why what you have said is relevant. It's actually bloody simple when you realise it. All the writing techniques need to be practised. I would recommend gambling sensibly with poetry: only a fool studies five, and only an even bigger fool studies three and has none come up. Anyone should be getting 15+ for the Unseen.

I guarantee that every sub-B student would instantly jump several sub-grades if they would just analyse the fcucking question correctly!!

What's advised above is not an over-bearing workload. It is entirely manageable, while still having a social life.

- Could you pull 450-500 out of the bag? Absolutely!

- Will you? I would not put my money on it.

Best of luck

raz789

For Accounting I recommend just keep practicing.
At this stage I recommend focusing on certain questions of the paper, such as doing Q1, Q5 and either Q8 or Q9.

If I were to predict what was going to come up it would be:
Q1: Sole Trader/Company Final Accounts
Q6/Q7: Club/Service/Published Account

In Q1's just break down all the working into general notes. Go through every year and make note of every possible working and how to do it.

As for the theory a quick google search brought up this. The theory has increased over the past few years in the paper, it can easily be the difference in a grade.

Also remember that even if your accounts don't balance, most marks go for the figures you worked out.

schmadLadz

wow thanks everyone! I never thought anyone would reply. Anyway after getting 18% in Chemistry HL, my Chem teacher started getting mad at me for being too 'stubborn' to stay in Higher Level. She reallyyy wants me to drop but I just know that I can still keep up with the pace despite of the time left. I insisted. I know I did very bad in HL Chem due to no study AT ALL. So should I give HL a shot or just drop to OL?

schmadLadz

raz789 wrote: »

As for the theory a quick google search brought up this. The theory has increased over the past few years in the paper, it can easily be the difference in a grade.

Also remember that even if your accounts don't balance, most marks go for the figures you worked out.

Thanks for the link buddy! Much appreciated!