Most Successful LC Subjects

Manutd_4life

I have to choose my lc subjects soon. just wondering what leaving cert subjects do most people in the country do best in. What subjects have the highest A grade rates.

rainbowtrout

Pick subjects that you are good at/interested in. The A rate is pretty irrelevant. if a subject has an A rate of 20% it doesn't guarantee you'll be one of them if it's a subject you struggle with.

The opposite is also true, a subject with a low rate of As could be your best.

robman60

Oh my, make sure you do not pick your subjects based on this. There are variables you're omitting too.

For example, there are more As in chemistry than biology I think, but that's because more talented students pick chemistry. Accounting is one of the highest A rate subjects. If you can get a firm understanding of the concepts an A is very achievable in this subject.

Pick subjects that interest you, or you're going to endure a monotonous two years and the "easy As" you had anticipated won't happen.

Mr Pseudonym

This is a link to the stats. You must be conscious of the fact that high-performing subjects like App Maths also have particularly able students taking it, and that low-performing subjects like Geography have very large cohorts.

Based on my analysis, I would say that: Biology is a very "successful" subject, because it is the most popular non-core subject yet has a very high A-rate (~15%) vs much less popular Physics and Chemistry (~20%). Music, while it doesn't have a particularly high A-rate, has a very high C+ rate.

Home-ec has a cohort that is 90% female, and, as girls outperform boys, this should inflate its A-rate, but it actually has a surprisingly low one, and I would steer clear of it.

Manutd_4life

robman60 wrote: »

Oh my, make sure you do not pick your subjects based on this. There are variables you're omitting too.

For example, there are more As in chemistry than biology I think, but that's because more talented students pick chemistry. Accounting is one of the highest A rate subjects. If you can get a firm understanding of the concepts an A is very achievable in this subject.

Pick subjects that interest you, or you're going to endure a monotonous two years and the "easy As" you had anticipated won't happen.

Thanks for the advice. I understand what u mean. I was hoping someone would mention Accounting. Its probably my best topic in business and i can actually manage to get my head around it all. Thanks

robman60

Manutd_4life wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I understand what u mean. I was hoping someone would mention Accounting. Its probably my best topic in business and i can actually manage to get my head around it all. Thanks

If you have a natural aptitude for it it's not difficult to understand. It's all about applying the methodology.

I was thinking about it recently, and I actually think the Ledger accounts question on JC higher level is probably harder or as hard as anything on LC accounting.

Mr Pseudonym

robman60 wrote: »

I was thinking about it recently, and I actually think the Ledger accounts question on JC higher level is probably harder or as hard as anything on LC accounting.

// Conceptually, maybe. But, not the questions themselves! There is so much more detail involved in LC questions.

Manutd_4life

I found the JC Ledgers in Business pretty easy. Its just steps and once you get your head around why this goes there, then it is kinda like common sense (arguably ). What are people's thoughts on Economics. Is it hard/popular/interesting etc

amymak

Manutd_4life wrote: »

I found the JC Ledgers in Business pretty easy. Its just steps and once you get your head around why this goes there, then it is kinda like common sense (arguably ). What are people's thoughts on Economics. Is it hard/popular/interesting etc

Three of my friends did it. The course is relatively short, but even the two that were very intelligent found some of the concepts difficult. (They didn't have the best teacher, which didn't help.)

What I would say is that Biology = Business (No understanding required, just learning off. So for hard-workers.) Accounting = Physics (Least work, as less difficult conceptually than Chemistry and Economics and less learning off than Biology and Business. The maths put people off, despite the maths involved not being difficult.) Economics = Chemistry (Most difficult to understand. Requires less learning off than Biology and Business.

Mr Pseudonym

amymak wrote: »

Three of my friends did it. The course is relatively short, but even the two that were very intelligent found some of the concepts difficult. (They didn't have the best teacher, which didn't help.)

What I would say is that Biology = Business (No understanding required, just learning off. So for hard-workers.) Accounting = Physics (Least work, as less difficult conceptually than Chemistry and Economics and less learning off than Biology and Business. The maths put people off, despite the maths involved not being difficult.) Economics = Chemistry (Most difficult to understand. Requires less learning off than Biology and Business.

I don't agree that Chemistry and Economics are more conceptually difficult than Accounting and Physics. In fact, I believe the opposite.

thelad95

amymak wrote: »

Three of my friends did it. The course is relatively short, but even the two that were very intelligent found some of the concepts difficult. (They didn't have the best teacher, which didn't help.)

What I would say is that Biology = Business (No understanding required, just learning off. So for hard-workers.) Accounting = Physics (Least work, as less difficult conceptually than Chemistry and Economics and less learning off than Biology and Business. The maths put people off, despite the maths involved not being difficult.) Economics = Chemistry (Most difficult to understand. Requires less learning off than Biology and Business.

Economics is mostly composed of learning off theory. Chemistry can be a nightmare if it doesn't click with you.

Business is a horrible subject in my opinion. And I say this as someone who got a B1 in the mocks. Completely watered down wishy-washy rubbish across the course. All the textbooks available for it are dreadful as well. They seem to be exclusively aimed at pass students. I intend to get a high grade in it but it's a head-wrecker in my opinion.

amymak

thelad95 wrote: »

Economics is mostly composed of learning off theory. Chemistry can be a nightmare if it doesn't click with you.

Business is a horrible subject in my opinion. And I say this as someone who got a B1 in the mocks. Completely watered down wishy-washy rubbish across the course. All the textbooks available for it are dreadful as well. They seem to be exclusively aimed at pass students. I intend to get a high grade in it but it's a head-wrecker in my opinion.

We had a fantastic teacher for Business (I only lost 13 marks in the entire paper in my Leaving Cert) and what she always drilled into us is the importance of exam papers.

Just do exam papers over and over and over again. (You'll find you're repeating yourself a lot, which is a good thing.) And don't solely use your book for answers. Use the marking schemes for possible answers.

The other really important thing is for every point you make you must always, always name, explain and give an example. (Unless it's the applied section, in which case it's name, explain and quote directly from the text.)

robman60

thelad95 wrote: »

Economics is mostly composed of learning off theory. Chemistry can be a nightmare if it doesn't click with you.

Business is a horrible subject in my opinion. And I say this as someone who got a B1 in the mocks. Completely watered down wishy-washy rubbish across the course. All the textbooks available for it are dreadful as well. They seem to be exclusively aimed at pass students. I intend to get a high grade in it but it's a head-wrecker in my opinion.

Agree with business. I actually like the subject but the exam questions are pretty vague at times, and normally fail to specify how many points you need to earn the marks. Our teacher also gives us the knowledge required but doesn't really tell us how to apply it exam questions I guess.

Here's an example, maybe someone could guide me.

2012 1a Outline the procedures an employer should follow under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977-2007 before dismissing an employee. (20m)

Here's what I'd do:
1. Counsel the employee. This involves the employer telling the employee that he is dissatisfied with his or her work. The employer should suggest what needs to change in order to resolve the problem.

2. Verbal warning. If the problem persists, the employer should give a formal warning to the employer verbally, once again outlining the problem.

3. Written warning. This involves giving the employee a formal notice, in writing that they're are not fulfilling their role to the employer's satisfaction.

4. Suspension - The employee is suspended from work, with or without pay, and is once again informed of the reasons for the employer's dissatisfaction. It is also made clear to the employee that this is the final warning.

5. Expulsion - Once all these steps have been followed, and the problem still persists, the employer can fire the employee.


Now, on the marking scheme, I see that the marks are allocated as follows: 7 +7+ 6 marks
(4+3), (4+3) and (3+3)

Does that mean you only get marks for three points and nothing for the others? Surely all the steps are necessary?

I'd really appreciate any feedback as I'm struggling to know should I give fewer points with more detail or more points with just brief descriptions. Also, are examples only necessary for "illustrate" questions as they obviously take time to write so I don't want to put them in when not necessary.

rainbowtrout

I'm not a business teacher but have corrected other subjects.

It means that you would have to give three valid points, hence the 7, 7, 6. Seven each for the first two correct points and 6 for the third one. Assuming the five points you have listed are correct any three of those would do.

Then the breakdown of marks. 4+3, 3+3, without seeing the marking scheme I would assume that 4 would go for naming the point e.g. verbal warning, and 3 for elaborating on what it means.

if you look for similar style questions in past papers and see how they were marked it will give you an idea of how many points were required for the answer. If you are seeing a pattern of three correct answers, then it will probably be the same this year, but it's no harm to give four or five answers and answer the question completely to give yourself the best chance of maximising your marks.

thelad95

robman60 wrote: »

Agree with business. I actually like the subject but the exam questions are pretty vague at times, and normally fail to specify how many points you need to earn the marks. Our teacher also gives us the knowledge required but doesn't really tell us how to apply it exam questions I guess.

Here's an example, maybe someone could guide me.

2012 1a Outline the procedures an employer should follow under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977-2007 before dismissing an employee. (20m)

Here's what I'd do:
1. Counsel the employee. This involves the employer telling the employee that he is dissatisfied with his or her work. The employer should suggest what needs to change in order to resolve the problem.

2. Verbal warning. If the problem persists, the employer should give a formal warning to the employer verbally, once again outlining the problem.

3. Written warning. This involves giving the employee a formal notice, in writing that they're are not fulfilling their role to the employer's satisfaction.

4. Suspension - The employee is suspended from work, with or without pay, and is once again informed of the reasons for the employer's dissatisfaction. It is also made clear to the employee that this is the final warning.

5. Expulsion - Once all these steps have been followed, and the problem still persists, the employer can fire the employee.


Now, on the marking scheme, I see that the marks are allocated as follows: 7 +7+ 6 marks
(4+3), (4+3) and (3+3)

Does that mean you only get marks for three points and nothing for the others? Surely all the steps are necessary?

I'd really appreciate any feedback as I'm struggling to know should I give fewer points with more detail or more points with just brief descriptions. Also, are examples only necessary for "illustrate" questions as they obviously take time to write so I don't want to put them in when not necessary.

I think your points are ok but you would need a bit more explanation. As a rule of thumb it's usually (but not always) 5 marks for each point but this obviously varies.

Manutd_4life

What are people's thoughts on History???

Blue giant

Manutd_4life wrote: »

What are people's thoughts on History???

If you have a love of history and like writing a lot of very long essays then I would go for it. A high standard of English would be needed to get an A grade and the course is quite long.

What subjects are your favourites/best for the junior cert. These are the ones I'd advise you to do. I would also advise you to do a language and at least one science subject as they are required for a lot of courses and you would be ruling out a lot of options not doing one of each

Manutd_4life

Blue giant wrote: »

If you have a love of history and like writing a lot of very long essays then I would go for it. A high standard of English would be needed to get an A grade and the course is quite long.

What subjects are your favourites/best for the junior cert. These are the ones I'd advise you to do. I would also advise you to do a language and at least one science subject as they are required for a lot of courses and you would be ruling out a lot of options not doing one of each

I really like Science, biology probably being my favourite. Chemistry would be my next favourite as i really like doing all the cool experiments. Physics just bores me and i find the theory not at all interesting.

I do spanish which i'll continue into lc, no doubt.

In Business, my strongest topic is Accounting and i'm highly considering to do it for LC. I also find Economics pretty interesting but not 100% sure on it. Business seems to get a lot of mixed reaction with people saying the exam questions are vague/unclear/hardly marked etc.

I also do Technology, which I find really fun as we mostly do practical work making projects. The only reason I am kinda not too sure on the subject is because I find the theory not all that interesting. The Electronics part is pretty cool and interesting with the circuits but the thing I hate most about Technology is the designing and drawing your ideas. I can't draw for my life and I always get to the point where I get blank and have no idea what to draw/make.

I really like History in JC especially all the stuff on World War and Exploration. The Irish history wasn't as bad as most people expect it to be. Is the LC History course based on worldwide history or mainly Irish History. Do you study certain people like in the JC you would study Columbus, G.Washington, Hitler etc.

Geography isn't all that interesting but i think that might be down with how my teacher taught it. People say its 'an easy a' for LC and its very popular apparently. Can someone give me a brief overwiew/summary/few topics that you study in LC Geography.

I hate Irish. For JC most people just learn off essays and i think it's taught really badly. I'm actually not that bad at the subject but i'm highly considering dropping down to ordinary level for it as i don't want to waste time studying a subject i hate, a subject that will not benefit me in my future, and i would much rather spend more time studying other subjects. What are peoples thoughts on higher level and ordinary level Irish.

Thats basically most subjects im thinking about. Your thoughts/advice?????

d1234

I know that it's a little difficult for that question, but our teacher always recommends that we give an example for each point.

Example - Verbal Warning
The employer and the staff members immediate manager could arrange a meeting in which they consult with the employee, outline their concerns and suggest a solution. The employer would record this in case they need these details in the future.

This will bulk up your answer a little and shows to the examiner that you understand fully and can relate to the course. If you use actual examples (real) it will be even better!!