Science Repeats

galwaygirl13

Hello all, just need some reassuring im not the only one who has to repeat/ who has ever had to repeat first year science exams in NUIG. anyone who has ever been on this boat before, can you give me any advice as to how easier/harder the repeats are than summer/christmas? really scared ill fail the repeats even though im determined to study! thanks for answering in advance

Celestial12

Which exam(s) do you have to repeat? If you put the work in you should be OK. There's always going to be people sitting the repeats for various reasons. I'm in second year and I have to sit some exams which I deferred. Not looking forward to them but hopefully they'll be alright. Can't wait to get them over with.

mrkiscool2

galwaygirl13 wrote: »

Hello all, just need some reassuring im not the only one who has to repeat/ who has ever had to repeat first year science exams in NUIG. anyone who has ever been on this boat before, can you give me any advice as to how easier/harder the repeats are than summer/christmas? really scared ill fail the repeats even though im determined to study! thanks for answering in advance

Don't be scared. Most people I know have always found the repeats a lot less stressful and easier than the actual exams. I had repeats myself in first year and flew through them! Again, it's actually a case where having that extra time to study (no classes, no labs etc) makes it that bit easier, especially in 1st year when the results don't actually account for anything. However, do not make a habit of repeating. 3rd and Final year account for your degree and your repeat results are capped so just be aware of that. As I said in a previous thread you get out what you put in. Do the study and you will fly through your repeats.

galwaygirl13

Celestial12 wrote: »

Which exam(s) do you have to repeat? If you put the work in you should be OK. There's always going to be people sitting the repeats for various reasons. I'm in second year and I have to sit some exams which I deferred. Not looking forward to them but hopefully they'll be alright. Can't wait to get them over with.

I have to repeat three exams which means i have six exams to do as i have to repeat both summer and christmas. Quite annoyed by that but it has to be done! Was second year a big leap up from first? Cant wait to get them done with too!

galwaygirl13

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

Don't be scared. Most people I know have always found the repeats a lot less stressful and easier than the actual exams. I had repeats myself in first year and flew through them! Again, it's actually a case where having that extra time to study (no classes, no labs etc) makes it that bit easier, especially in 1st year when the results don't actually account for anything. However, do not make a habit of repeating. 3rd and Final year account for your degree and your repeat results are capped so just be aware of that. As I said in a previous thread you get out what you put in. Do the study and you will fly through your repeats.

Thanks so much for your reassurance! Hope they go my way, glad that most find them easier than the first attempt! Also glad to know im not the only one who has repeats for first year, many posts i have read on this have said first year is easy to pass. Haha, i will most definitely be trying my best not to have any repeats any other years, these have taught me a lesson. Are the results capped in first year? I did a small amount of study for them but obviously that wasnt enough so im making sure i study my ass off this time!

Celestial12

galwaygirl13 wrote: »

I have to repeat three exams which means i have six exams to do as i have to repeat both summer and christmas. Quite annoyed by that but it has to be done! Was second year a big leap up from first? Cant wait to get them done with too!

I think if you put the work in second year is fine. I didn't really work to be honest, I kept on top of my labs but that was about it. With that being said, I still did quite well in the exams that I did sit and have a 2:1 average so far. Just going to work hard for the deferrals now.

It depends on what subjects you do, I did Microbiology, Botany and Chemistry. Micro and botany are much of the same, neither are too difficult and top marks are achievable. I was really disappointed with Chemistry. Wouldn't recommend doing it unless you're interested in doing it for your degree. It's difficult to find the motivation to put the work into chemistry unless you enjoy it, and I don't think you can get by on the lecture notes alone. You really need to put in extra work to get top marks. I worked hard at chemistry in first year and did well, but found it really dull this year and didn't put the effort required in. The labs are fine, if you show up and work at them then it's not too difficult to get 7-9/10 per lab and they're worth 30% of the year. I'd say the hardest thing about second year was staying focused! The year doesn't count at all. First year doesn't either, but you need to do well to get your subjects so that's motivation!

Best of luck with your exams, there's still plenty of time. I'm probably not going to get into the study for another week or two but a good month of study should be more than enough time!

Doris300

I have a science repeat related question so I thought I'd throw it here.

Someone said that the repeats are not capped for 1st year so does that mean if I do well enough I could get into some of the subjects that are harder to get into or do they all go to people who did not need to repeat?

audi12

Went two hard on the beer over the semester or what that you failed

galwaygirl13

Doris300 wrote: »

I have a science repeat related question so I thought I'd throw it here.

Someone said that the repeats are not capped for 1st year so does that mean if I do well enough I could get into some of the subjects that are harder to get into or do they all go to people who did not need to repeat?

Think they go to the people who dont need to repeat regardless of whether the results for first year are capped or not. Have you repeats for first year science too?

Celestial12

Doris300 wrote: »

I have a science repeat related question so I thought I'd throw it here.

Someone said that the repeats are not capped for 1st year so does that mean if I do well enough I could get into some of the subjects that are harder to get into or do they all go to people who did not need to repeat?

The repeats aren't capped in any year. You probably won't get any of the top subjects though, because even if you end up with a 1:1 you're ranked after someone who may have scraped through all of their exams in the first sitting. Besides Pharmacology, the other subjects are overrated.

mrkiscool2

Celestial12 wrote: »

The repeats aren't capped in any year. You probably won't get any of the top subjects though, because even if you end up with a 1:1 you're ranked after someone who may have scraped through all of their exams in the first sitting. Besides Pharmacology, the other subjects are overrated.

AFAIK up until at least last year, repeats in Science WERE capped at 40%. That may have changed this year. But the only way to know for sure is to talk to someone in the office. Also, you will not get any of the more popular subjects like Pharmacology, Anatomy or Physiology as they will have already been given to students who passed the first sitting. I also think that Science is a very diverse thing and people like different areas. If any area takes your interest do it, nothing is overrated if you have a love for it.

Celestial12

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

AFAIK up until at least last year, repeats in Science WERE capped at 40%. That may have changed this year. But the only way to know for sure is to talk to someone in the office. Also, you will not get any of the more popular subjects like Pharmacology, Anatomy or Physiology as they will have already been given to students who passed the first sitting. I also think that Science is a very diverse thing and people like different areas. If any area takes your interest do it, nothing is overrated if you have a love for it.

I'm in second year and repeats aren't capped, already had that confirmed by the college of science office. I presume that's the case for every year.

I also agree that each area of science appeals to different people, but a huge portion of people want to do Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology simply because they're perceived as being the best subjects due to the limited space. There was a lot of subject snobbery in first year, I lost count of the amount of times I heard people say a degree in botany, zoology etc is useless. There's no jobs in zoo etc. If you like a subject and are willing to put the work in to get good grades then there's opportunities in every field. Your grades don't even have to be that good to get Anatomy and Physiology, I know someone who got both and their average grade was mid sixties for first year.

mrkiscool2

Celestial12 wrote: »

I'm in second year and repeats aren't capped, already had that confirmed by the college of science office. I presume that's the case for every year.

I also agree that each area of science appeals to different people, but a huge portion of people want to do Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology simply because they're perceived as being the best subjects due to the limited space. There was a lot of subject snobbery in first year, I lost count of the amount of times I heard people say a degree in botany, zoology etc is useless. There's no jobs in zoo etc. If you like a subject and are willing to put the work in to get good grades then there's opportunities in every field. Your grades don't even have to be that good to get Anatomy and Physiology, I know someone who got both and their average grade was mid sixties for first year.

Again, assumptions make an ass out of you and me so the person going to repeat (if you are in first year) should ask. I know for certain 3rd and 4th year repeat results are capped as they have a bearing on your overall degree.

You do know mid-sixties is quite decent for a first year student, right? Like trust me, by the time you finish your degree you'll be praying you got a mid-sixty (Coming from someone who just got his results and was stressing about it)

challengemaster

Celestial12 wrote: »

The year doesn't count at all. First year doesn't either, but you need to do well to get your subjects so that's motivation!

Word of warning - If you ever intend on doing a PhD in Ireland, and applying for a scholarship - it's not entirely unheard of for the review board to look for 3rd and 2nd year transcripts.

shmalentine

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

Again, assumptions make an ass out of you and me so the person going to repeat (if you are in first year) should ask.I know for certain 3rd and 4th year repeat results are capped as they have a bearing on your overall degree.

You do know mid-sixties is quite decent for a first year student, right? Like trust me, by the time you finish your degree you'll be praying you got a mid-sixty (Coming from someone who just got his results and was stressing about it)

I'm a 3rd year Science student who has a repeat from Christmas and was told by the head of the subject department that my exam in August would be uncapped.

As far as I know this applies for the students in other years as well.

It's also stated on the NUIG website somewhere, I tried to find the link but that site is like a maze.

galwaygirl13

Can anybody tell me whether you can compensate in repeat exams or not?

Lostman1990

galwaygirl13 wrote: »

Can anybody tell me whether you can compensate in repeat exams or not?

So the "studying your ass off" mustn't be going so well....:) I'll be honest and give you some advice.It might sound harsh but it will benefit you if you listen to it in the long run. University really isn't overly difficult to pass. It doesn't require a huge level of intelligence.(not saying that it doesn't help). What it does require is work. If you're not willing to put any work in, it will be pointless.
I'm only saying this because 5 weeks ago you said you were going to never find yourself in the same situation again. You have 2 weeks left to exams and here you are. Same situation again.
Best of luck with your exams. I hope you pass and I hope you really learn.It does get more difficult as you go on. Solution to the difficulty...hard work.

galwaygirl13

Lostman1990 wrote: »

So the "studying your ass off" mustn't be going so well....:) I'll be honest and give you some advice.It might sound harsh but it will benefit you if you listen to it in the long run. University really isn't overly difficult to pass. It doesn't require a huge level of intelligence.(not saying that it doesn't help). What it does require is work. If you're not willing to put any work in, it will be pointless.
I'm only saying this because 5 weeks ago you said you were going to never find yourself in the same situation again. You have 2 weeks left to exams and here you are. Same situation again.
Best of luck with your exams. I hope you pass and I hope you really learn.It does get more difficult as you go on. Solution to the difficulty...hard work.

Im actually not in the same situation as i was in 5 weeks ago. I have been studying so much more than i did for the exams in summer, and i started getting grinds for the extra help. I was just simply asking a question. Thanks for your help anyways.