Choosing an extra subject

JeSuisSeosamh

Well, I am in third year at the moment and I am about to complete the Junior Certificate. I am starting to consider my options for the leaving (I know it's early, but we've already decided what subjects to drop in school, so it's been playing on the mind).

I am a prospective student of medicine or law (I've had an interest in both for quite sometime but cannot make a definite decision on which one I want yet.)

I've been working fairly hard since I started secondary school and hopefully the junior cert will go fairly well for me.

Due to the limited choices at my small school I would like to take up another subject independent of it. As of now I will be doing the mandatory three, french, geography, biology and business. I'm doing honours Irish for the JC and with the help of god I'll get a B in it. I probably will end up dropping down and that's why I want an additional subject to help cover my bases.

So, with that said, what would be an ideal, short enough, fairly predictable subject to take up? I love science and was definitely thinking about PhysChem, but apparently there has been talk about that subject not being accepted for matriculation into medicine?
I also love languages. I would not oppose the idea of taking up Japanese or Russian if they were doable without the help of a teacher. Has anyone else taken up a subject and found it to be fairly handy in regards to difficulty?

Thanks in advance.

Bazinga_N

JeSuisSeosamh wrote: »

Well, I am in third year at the moment and I am about to complete the Junior Certificate. I am starting to consider my options for the leaving (I know it's early, but we've already decided what subjects to drop in school, so it's been playing on the mind).

I am a prospective student of medicine or law (I've had an interest in both for quite sometime but cannot make a definite decision on which one I want yet.)

I've been working fairly hard since I started secondary school and hopefully the junior cert will go fairly well for me.

Due to the limited choices at my small school I would like to take up another subject independent of it. As of now I will be doing the mandatory three, french, geography, biology and business. I'm doing honours Irish for the JC and with the help of god I'll get a B in it. I probably will end up dropping down and that's why I want an additional subject to help cover my bases.

So, with that said, what would be an ideal, short enough, fairly predictable subject to take up? I love science and was definitely thinking about PhysChem, but apparently there has been talk about that subject not being accepted for matriculation into medicine?
I also love languages. I would not oppose the idea of taking up Japanese or Russian if they were doable without the help of a teacher. Has anyone else taken up a subject and found it to be fairly handy in regards to difficulty?

Thanks in advance.

You could always try taking Chemistry on it's own and it'd cover you for all requirements then? It's not a very long course and you'd easily cover it on your own (or with a few grinds).

Depending on what part of the country you're from the Language Initiative runs free Saturday classes for 5th year students (continuing to 6th year too). Here's the link: http://www.languagesinitiative.ie/languages/japanese/japanese-student
It seems classes for 2018 Leaving Cert haven't opened yet for registration so maybe wait a bit! Other than that though, both Japanese and Russian are only 2/3 year courses (assuming some work is done in TY) so they aren't overly tough to take on. However, I do remember reading that Russian is mostly taken by fluent speakers (as opposed to Japanese) which might make it harder to sit as an exam but then again I don't know! It would take a bit of research!

JeSuisSeosamh

Thanks a million Bazinga_N. I already know the entire russian alphabet and a little basic vocab so I might consider that. Thanks for the link also, it was really helpful

Caoimhgh1n

Keep in mind you will need to be able to speak and listen in Japanese at least, I am not sure about Russian, but I presume it is the same. I would also research what you are required to know in the Japanese oral, I believe questions about your blood type can be asked too.

spurious

Yes there is a Russian oral too.

emersyn

The good thing about Japanese is that as well as being short, the course is very rigid - the things you can be examined on are set out very clearly and once you learn all the vocab, grammar and kanji in the textbook it's extremely easy to get an A1.
The oral is worth 100 marks and is 25% of the total grade. 65 out of the 100 marks are assigned to a short speech and a description of a photograph, both of which you can have fully prepared and learned off before the exam. Therefore the oral is very easy to do well in. In the general conversation they will ask about yourself, your family, your town, your hobbies, your plans for the future and maybe a bit about Japan, studying Japanese and comparing Japan to Ireland if you come across as knowing your stuff. It's very rare that they would ask your bloodtype :P but even if they do it's covered in detail in the textbook (called Nihongo Kantan) as it is an important aspect of Japanese culture.
Then the listening is simple once you know your vocab. All in all it's a great option - the standard of Japanese that is examined is very basic as it's only a two year course and you have to learn 3 alphabets. The course is very short, we're doing it in school and were finished at Christmas.
However, if you're interested in medicine I would agree that you should strongly consider Chemistry. Do take into account that a lot of students struggle with it as it requires a very in-depth understanding of the material, and a lot of the topics would be tricky to understand without a teacher. You will also have to get someone to sign off your write-ups for the mandatory experiments.
Another one you could consider is Economics. Lots of people choose it as an extra subject to do by themselves as the course is tiny and the exam questions are very repetitive, and it mostly just involves memorisation.

Caoimhgh1n

I am not sure how rare the blood type is, I just know that it has been asked.

Mr Rhode Island Red

If you're consider Medicine you'll need Chemistry for matriculation requirements. Even as an extra subject it's OK, it has like 22 chapters which is relatively short compared to other subjects.

I wouldn't do chemistry though unless you need it or you have a passion for it. It's very theoretical.