Few questions..

doctor evil

Can honours maths be done in one year?. I`m repeating and shuffling around a few subjects, my sister (who is a hell of a lot more clued into these things than my parents) advised that I would have a much better grounding for science eventually genetics with honours maths under my belt.Do folks think it can be done?.
I did ordianary maths last year and got a B1.All I did was go to class and cram a week before hand.

What are peoples general opinions on honours maths?

Tech drawing, what is that like?. Is it an easy enough subject that is doable in one year?. I`m not familiar with the course.
Same for Construction Studies please!.

Thanks all .

I did honours maths from September to December in 6th year, so it's very do-able, and it's not as hard as some people say it is.


Tec. Drawing is another subject that is definitley do-able in 1 year. I spent most of 6th year just revising, and my teacher was out a lot in 5th year, so I say it's very possible.

I don't do Construction studies, but i hope you're happy with my other 2 answers.

newgrange

Hons Maths - depending very much on your abilities, yes, it's technically do-able in one year.

Did you do honours for the Junior Cert.? Why did you drop to pass, were you having difficulty at Leaving Cert. level?

I don't really see the connection between genetics and honours maths really.

Tech. Drawing - from scratch, not having done it for Junior Cert.? I would say no, not in one year.

I don't know enough of the CS syllabus to comment.

In the case of subjects you have not done before, you really would just upset any class you go into if all the others have four years of the subject behind them. The teacher would spend their time slowing down and repeating things to let you catch up.

Drag00n79

I would advise you to discuss these issues with your teachers when you return to school. They should have a better understanding of your capabilities and be able to explain the demands of certain subjects directly to you.

Red Soup

I doubt you'd manage tech drawing in 1 year. stick with what you know... there's a lot of skills needed for tech drawing that are learned in 3rd,4th,5th year, but if you do art already and can visualise in 3d etc. you might manage it.
Maths is prob doable in 1 year if you are prepared for a hell of a lot of work. but a b1 in pass is equal to an F or something in honours so if you want to pass honours you might need grinds or something horrible like that

tinkerbell

Yes it is do-able.

Although, I did my Leaving Cert in 2001, but I'm assuming the maths course hasn't changed very much since then?

I'm a major maths nerd (actuary), and what I thought best in the Leaving were the Text and Tests books (4 & 5) I think. We used a different book in school (it was black and chunky, can't remember the name), and I didn't find it that great. Instead of getting a Rapid Revision / whatever book for revising, I bought the two T&T text books, and went through everything on that, and I found them absolutely brilliant.

How many other subjects are you doing? It'll be fairly easy to do very well in Honours Maths if you go through those books - like do most if not all of the questions at the end of each section etc. Then you'll be sorted. And you probably would find it difficult doing something sciencey like genetics without Higher Level numbers

P.S.
Fair play to ya for doing genetics! It's always been one area that I would love to get into, but my love of math outweighed it a bit more, so I went the maths area

P.P.S.
I'm not sure if this would even concern you - but would you consider going to a grinds school, e.g. Bruce, Institute, or one of those? I ask because it is very easy to cover a new subject over the space of a year and get good marks in it, if you are getting the tuition they do there.

My bro repeated his leaving and picked up two new subjects, and he did excellent in the two of those.

One last thing, is it imperative that you do Tech Drawing, if you're going down the science route? I know nothing about T/D but I'd imagine that you'd need a lot more than a year to develop your skills in T/D. Maybe you should focus more on subjects that can just up your points, like just learning off stuff? Business / accounting, etc. Accounting is very easy for Leaving Cert level as long as you practice and know the method. After that, every question is the same

Oh, finally (I promise!) - someone said that you may be able to cover Maths in a year if you have the aptitude. Well, I found the T&T books to go through everything step-by-step, rather than skip stuff. Even though I'm a maths geek, I found it a lot better than any other book, and also, I thought that it would be a far better book for the average student as well, who is struggling at getting to grips with some of the stuff on the course.

Best of luck!

Webmonkey

I done Honours Maths in a year after doing pass maths for junior cert. Kinda odd yeh?

I still came out with a B3 and it wasn't the easiest paper this year

doctor evil

Thanks all!, keep the replies coming .

I`m going to repeat in the Institute, I have an appointment made with Mary Dargan an I am bringing my sis with my sis with my who is very clued into these things(more than my parents).Since its a grind school I don`t think I willbe rocking the boat too much by taking up new subjects .

Honours Maths, I did pass for the JC as I was bunked down from honours when I faile dthe mocks(jc, didn`t exactly work). I found it piss easy and got an A. I did pass for the leaving last year as I repeated 5th year(long story, no academic need to repeat. I got a B1 in this and didn`t exactly work hard. I chose pass maths as I didn`t actually think I would need it for anything and thus took the easier route.

Tinkerbell thank you!, I will look into getting those two text books along with the ring bound one.

For genetics there is an awful lot of maths!.Honour maths would give me a better grounding for both genetics and science but is not absolutely necessary for either.

Tech Drawing, How long is this course?.Is there a lot of theory or is it just drawing?. I did art for teh jc and 5th year.

Subjects I`ve done this year are:

English (change?)
Economics (change to accounting, did bus jc loved accounting side of it)
Biology (keep)
Chemistry (keep)
Classical studies (change?)
Geography (keep)

I feel that my analytical writing is stronger than how fluid I can write for subjects such as eng/class studies. I can write up a good essay but not really in exam time. I feel that I am stronger in "fact" subjects than in subjective ones even though I loved English and Classical Studies.

Does any peeps have any suggestions for other subjects that may be done in a year?.

Moonbeam

Have a look at the past papers and see if you think u are up to it?

Did you just do your lc this year and decide you are repeating already?

What do you want to study in college?

JCB

You said that you would change Economics for Accounting. I would be very reluctant to do that, there is another topic about subjects somewhere, and they were all saying that Ecn was much easier than ACC. Plus Accounting at JC is much different e.g books of 1st entry don't appear any more. If you like facts and learning off stuff it would be common sense to do business rather than an "understanding" subject like Acc.

doctor evil

Will see if I can get my hands on past papers.

I did the leaving cert this year, but I did pass maths in 2004 as I repeated 5th year.I`m going to repeat 6th year.

What I want to study in college is something like science or genetics.

newgrange

The past papers are online at http://www.examinations.ie

Will you still be within the allowed number of years at second level schooling with two repeated years?
Make sure your school have written to the Department if this is your seventh (?) year at second level.

pauln

Honours Maths: Depends on you really, if you're up to it and are determined enough I'd say it's possible.

Tech Drawing: A year, I feel, is too short a time to get really good at this subject. There is a lot that comes from just practising over and over that just can't be learnt off.

In general I wouldn't be worrying about tailoring your subjects towards the course you think you'll be doing in college unless the course has an entry requirement of a particular subject/grade of subject.
First year in pretty much every college course in the country starts from scratch In all the areas of study, this is to make up for people coming in having done different subjects at different levels. Having done them before may be a help or a hindrance, can be boring repeating old ground again.

I'd say pick subjects that you like/can get best marks in. That's the bottom line really, the points. It's not very fair but that's the system we have so work it as best you can.

mrs. hamlet

doctor evil wrote:

Does any peeps have any suggestions for other subjects that may be done in a year?.

Business is a piss easy subject! It's so repetitive and technically you don't even have to do the whole course! There is seven sections and i only studied five and still got an A1! It can definitely be done in a year!

Accounting is also a good choice because as long as you can do all the past papers, you are fine because the questions are so repetitive and also the paper is predictable! (Well, has been so far anywho...)

dudara

Honours Maths would be doable in one year, given that you don't seem stupid in the subject, and there no doubt that it would be a huge advantage if you're seeking to undertake a science degree.

Did you do Technical Drawing for the JC? If not, there's a lot of techniques that you might find very hard to learn. if you did, then talk to the people at the Institute and get their opinion

Kate_17

Be careful about Accounting. Normally the exact same questions right down to the order in which items are put into the accounts were always the same up to this year - it was most predictable subject in LC - but in June we were faced with a paper whose questions were quite different from what we had seen before.. definitely unpredictable, although manageable. I wouldn't say not do Accounting.. it's a good to-the-point subject and I'm glad i did it rather than a more subjective subject like Art... if you practice questions over and over... otherwise forget it. Accounting paper could go back to predictable again next year, and I got A1 this year on this years paper despite not feeling good about it after finishing exam. Just be aware.

Also, do you play a musical instrument? If you do, music is a very good bet. If you do a decent practical (50%), which isn't hard, and half-decent composition and listening papers (25% each), you will probably get a B at least.

doctor evil

newgrange, this will be my seventh year(didn`t do transition year).

I did Business the first time I did 5th year, I found it boring, businessy subjects I`m not really mad about except for accounting for some reason. I don`t play an instrument so can`t do music but thanks for the suggestions all! .

sock.rocker*

i wud say no for both maths and tech drawing..

maths cause its just really hard..

tech drawing because for you to start learning how to bisect a line now wud be crazy. no-one in my school did tech drawing for the leaving unless they did it for the junior so they knew the basics



i got an A2 in the leaving.. and an A in the junior.. and i know that without an A in the junior, i wudnt have gotten my A in the leaving

sock.rocker*

also, i did higher maths and only got a C2 after getting an A in the junior in it..

i did very little in fifth year and had to spend alot of time catching up in sixth year but to do it from scratch in sixth year wud be very difficult

you'd barely get ur honor

newgrange

Just thinking about the whole shuffling and adding new subjects doctor evil, I can't help wondering if you would be better sticking to the ones you have already started and building on those, rather than starting new ones.

Have a long talk with your teachers before you make any rash decisions.

doctor evil

As it stands now I am going to keep: Biology
Chemistry
Geography
Classical Studies

I`m going to change: Economics to Accounting
English to Honours Maths.

If Honours Maths goes tits up during the year I can always drop down to pass, which will limit the points I can get so way will I be able to get veterinary, but its silly points already to begin with.

I plan on applying again to UCAS. If I switch from honours to ordinary level during the year or at the exam would UCAS be ok with that or would it be frowned upon?.

doctor evil

Went to the meeting with the guidance councilor today. Not half bad, brought my sister with me as she is more clued in than my parents and is generally quite on the ball.

Going to do seven subjects instead of six.

*= new subject

Accounting*
Ag science*
Biology
Classical Studies
Chemistry
Geography
Honours Maths*

Ag science there is over lap with biology and geography to a certain extent.

I`m thinking *EEK*, THREE new subjects.... originally just going to do two!.

With Honours Maths if it doesn`t work out at say at around January I can drop down to pass and it can be a nice back up subject.

I`m going to remain positive about this and I am going to work hard. Already got folders and A4 stuff sorted. I just want to have things in stock so I won`t run out and have to go out and get more.