What leaving cert subjects to pick???

ciar23

I'm in TY and I have to pick my subject choices for the lc, I know I am definitely doing two science subjects so I would like some advice on my 2 science subjects and also my third subject, preferably a subject that ye recommend for points. I am hoping to do medicine or pharmacy so maybe keep that in mind as to which science subjects i should do, as I'm really not that informed about which are the most useful for these courses. I got my jc results the other day (and much to my surprise) got 11 A's all in higher level subjects so I don't see myself ruling out subjects on difficulty level either..any help would be appreciated

Magnate

ciar23 wrote: »

I'm in TY and I have to pick my subject choices for the lc, I know I am definitely doing two science subjects so I would like some advice on my 2 science subjects and also my third subject, preferably a subject that ye recommend for points. I am hoping to do medicine or pharmacy so maybe keep that in mind as to which science subjects i should do, as I'm really not that informed about which are the most useful for these courses. I got my jc results the other day (and much to my surprise) got 11 A's all in higher level subjects so I don't see myself ruling out subjects on difficulty level either..any help would be appreciated

Congratulations on your junior cert results!

Personally if I was going for high points I'd steer clear of any subjects with practical/oral elements, along with subjects marked subjectively. It should minimise the effect nerves and luck will have on the result.

I'd recommend Biology first, and since you got the A in maths, maybe physics and applied maths. The applied maths course is short enough and some of it will overlap with physics. If not applied maths then chemistry, you'll get out of it what you put into it.

If you've definitely got your heart set on medicine, then consider doing some HPAT prep as only 565 points max are counted in the leaving cert I believe.

ciar23

Thanks for the advice it was really helpful! I was highly considering art but you're right, a theory based subject would be more reliable for high points! Yeah i have thought about doing prep for the hpat! I understand the concept of it but I have to say the way its added to the leaving cert points confuses me! I think I read somewhere that it doesn't matter if you get higher, that 565 points is the max. points taken regardless? Is this true? thanks

Acciaccatura

ciar23 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice it was really helpful! I was highly considering art but you're right, a theory based subject would be more reliable for high points! Yeah i have thought about doing prep for the hpat! I understand the concept of it but I have to say the way its added to the leaving cert points confuses me! I think I read somewhere that it doesn't matter if you get higher, that 565 points is the max. points taken regardless? Is this true? thanks

The way the medicine points work is that you sit an aptitude test in the spring of 6th year that will give you a maximum of 300 points (nobody gets 300, a good score would be 197, like, and most people get far lower, but the minimum score you need is 172 to be considered). Then you sit your Leaving like everyone else and 6 subjects count towards your points, as usual. But, every 5 points you earn after 550 only counts as 1 more point towards medicine, this is what they mean by 565 being the max you can get. Say, for example, I get bang on 550 in my Leaving Cert by counting my subjects normally, I just add 550 + my HPAT score (say, 190) and get 740 altogether to be considered for medicine. However, if I got 555 points, this means 551+190=741; if I get 560 in my Leaving I have 552+190=743 points for medicine, therefore if I had a perfect score of 625 in my Leavin alone, I have 565+190 points for medicine.

This system only applies to medicine; when applying to most other courses (to my knowledge) you count your subjects normally.

They changed the marking scheme of the HPAT this year, so I may be open to correction, but AFAIK it hasn't affected how Leaving Cert points are counted.

Ompala

I'd advise chemistry being one of your 2 science subjects, based on people I know doing medicine and pharmacy finding it the most useful of the 3.
For the other 2 just pick the ones you like the best, you will always do better at something you like and comes naturally to you than something you hate and have to learn just for the sake of points.

stealinhorses

If you want to do medicine/pharmacy, then do chemistry, biology and higher maths.

Also, why do you have to pick your subjects now if you just started 4th year?

Header15

Acciaccatura wrote: »

The way the medicine points work is that you sit an aptitude test in the spring of 6th year that will give you a maximum of 300 points (nobody gets 300, a good score would be 197, like, and most people get far lower, but the minimum score you need is 172 to be considered). Then you sit your Leaving like everyone else and 6 subjects count towards your points, as usual. But, every 5 points you earn after 550 only counts as 1 more point towards medicine, this is what they mean by 565 being the max you can get. Say, for example, I get bang on 550 in my Leaving Cert by counting my subjects normally, I just add 550 + my HPAT score (say, 190) and get 740 altogether to be considered for medicine. However, if I got 555 points, this means 551+190=741; if I get 560 in my Leaving I have 552+190=743 points for medicine, therefore if I had a perfect score of 625 in my Leavin alone, I have 565+190 points for medicine.

This system only applies to medicine; when applying to most other courses (to my knowledge) you count your subjects normally.

They changed the marking scheme of the HPAT this year, so I may be open to correction, but AFAIK it hasn't affected how Leaving Cert points are counted.

Yep. I got a score of only 165 in the HPAT and still got my first choice in UCD. It's about percentiles now, not scores really.

ciar23

stealinhorses wrote: »

If you want to do medicine/pharmacy, then do chemistry, biology and higher maths.

Also, why do you have to pick your subjects now if you just started 4th year?

The school are making us choose very early so they can have it sorted I think..:)

ciar23

Acciaccatura wrote: »

The way the medicine points work is that you sit an aptitude test in the spring of 6th year that will give you a maximum of 300 points (nobody gets 300, a good score would be 197, like, and most people get far lower, but the minimum score you need is 172 to be considered). Then you sit your Leaving like everyone else and 6 subjects count towards your points, as usual. But, every 5 points you earn after 550 only counts as 1 more point towards medicine, this is what they mean by 565 being the max you can get. Say, for example, I get bang on 550 in my Leaving Cert by counting my subjects normally, I just add 550 + my HPAT score (say, 190) and get 740 altogether to be considered for medicine. However, if I got 555 points, this means 551+190=741; if I get 560 in my Leaving I have 552+190=743 points for medicine, therefore if I had a perfect score of 625 in my Leavin alone, I have 565+190 points for medicine.

This system only applies to medicine; when applying to most other courses (to my knowledge) you count your subjects normally.

They changed the marking scheme of the HPAT this year, so I may be open to correction, but AFAIK it hasn't affected how Leaving Cert points are counted.

Thanks so much I actually understand it now!:)