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Leaving Cert Student does Exam 3 Hours after Surgery

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    #32
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,908 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Snow Garden wrote: »
    The appendix had burst too which made it a much longer and more complex operation.
    You missed the bit about became gangrenous just hours earlier. :eek:


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    #33
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    leitrim4life wrote: »
    There is no "fail the LC" . It's a matric exam for 3rd level, there are exemptions for eng/irish and maths now.

    Ah, I thought you had to pass certain subjects or you lost the lot. I didn't go to secondary school in Ireland so I'm not 100% on these things.


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    #34
    Franz Von Peppercorn II
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,398 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn II


    Ok. Let’s think about this. Do we pass a law or regulation that allows all sick students to defer.


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    #35
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    AudreyHepburn wrote: »
    No one should be made to feel that much pressure - the leaving cert is not the be all and end all and in most cases ends up being completely irrelevant to your life.

    By all means study and try to do well but it’s not worth risking your life for.

    She was aiming for medicine so not sitting it would have been a year out of her life. I guess she felt it was the be all and end all at the time, it would be hard to convince someone who's planned and worked for their future path that it's irrelevant.

    I hope she did well, against the odds.


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    #36
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,415 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Candie wrote: »
    Ah, I thought you had to pass certain subjects or you lost the lot. I didn't go to secondary school in Ireland so I'm not 100% on these things.

    It was six passes in my day. All about points now though regardless.


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    #37
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    kneemos wrote: »
    It was six passes in my day. All about points now though regardless.

    Was there ever a time when six passes got you into medicine or veterinary medicine or pharmacy though? For certain courses you must have to have certain grades in relevant subjects I'm sure.


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    #38
    _blaaz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭_blaaz


    Candie wrote: »
    Ah, I thought you had to pass certain subjects or you lost the lot. I didn't go to secondary school in Ireland so I'm not 100% on these things.

    You are correct....english,irish and math were the core subjects when i done leaving cert


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    #39
    ILoveYourVibes
    Registered Users Posts: 15,176 ✭✭✭✭ILoveYourVibes


    I often tell foreigners how draconian the Irish exam system is. In one way i think it builds character.

    This is a bit much though.


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    #40
    lipso tokko
    Site Banned Posts: 16 ✭lipso tokko


    Candie wrote: »
    She was aiming for medicine so not sitting it would have been a year out of her life.

    she'll probably end up repeating anyway,


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    #41
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    JMNolan wrote: »
    Absolute madness, what the fuck is wrong with this country that they couldn't let her sit the exam in July with everyone else who was sitting it in July?
    Not in the rules but it will be now. You'd think the DOE would have a special consideration clause they could use to address all these unusual things.


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    #42
    BeerWolf
    Registered Users Posts: 4,122 ✭✭✭BeerWolf


    I had it similar having to do my Leaving Cert almost 20 years ago. Lacerated my right arm badly due to an accident that required surgery, day later I was sitting for my leaving cert... albeit I had to use a laptop since I couldn't write.

    Had to redo the leaving cert... time restraint was stacked well against me typing with just one hand... :(


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    #43
    hatrickpatrick
    Registered Users Posts: 17,797 ✭✭✭✭hatrickpatrick


    The heartless f*ck who made the call on this at the SEC should never be allowed to work in any arm of the public service again. People like this are most likely directly responsible for why almost every aspect of the Irish public service seems inherently designed to be non user friendly. Probably the same type of asshole who'd give you a fine in the library because your books went over the return deadline by a couple of minutes, while you were literally waiting in the queue to give them back. Pricks.

    Between this and that utterly ridiculous re-check situation last year in which a very obvious arithmetic error on the part of the examiner nearly cost a woman her college place, because the re-checks weren't due to be issued until after the start of the first semester, I can see big changed coming down the line for how the leaving cert is handled. People seems to be finally getting really, really fed up of the "it's designed to be convenient for every stakeholder except the actual students sitting the exams" paradigm we've had for far, far too long.


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    #44
    LirW
    Registered Users Posts: 4,825 ✭✭✭LirW


    Why is there only one single date in the whole year anyway?
    I understand everyone should sit at the same time but there are always very genuine cases that cannot make this date.
    When I did mine there was the June date for everyone. With a sufficient excuse you could move it to July. Then there's a mid September date for people that failed or people that couldn't do either June or July. And a January date for people that failed in Autumn.

    Every bloody minimum wage job nowadays requires you to be flexible on short notice, why is it not possible to have an alternative date for people that have genuine excuses or failed.


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    #45
    Strumms
    Registered Users Posts: 24,930 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    is_that_so wrote: »
    Not in the rules but it will be now. You'd think the DOE would have a special consideration clause they could use to address all these unusual things.

    Truth, all would be required would be for the student to attend or be attended by the appointed Department doctor for a conversation and a checkup


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    #46
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,908 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    lipso tokko wrote: »
    she'll probably end up repeating anyway,


    I had to end both exams early and ended up on the bathroom floor getting sick.


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    #47
    lipso tokko
    Site Banned Posts: 16 ✭lipso tokko


    i saw that allright, but she was going for medicine, it wouldn't matter so much if she was only aiming for a pass in a few subjects, but for 600 points she was probably going to be repeating


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    #48
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,768 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    branie2 wrote: »
    It wasn't her decision. she was obliged to do it.

    Obliged by who, exactly?

    If she didn't sit, the worse that would happen is that she got into college a year later, and a year more mature. Either she'd have learnt more stuff by then, or she'd have a year of work experience that her same-age peers don't have. Neither would be a disaster.


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    #49
    Strumms
    Registered Users Posts: 24,930 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    Obliged by who, exactly?

    If she didn't sit, the worse that would happen is that she got into college a year later, and a year more mature. Either she'd have learnt more stuff by then, or she'd have a year of work experience that her same-age peers don't have. Neither would be a disaster.


    Agreed, I’m inclined to be looking at the parents here, they have the ultimate say.


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    #50
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,091 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Someone’s head in the department of education needs to be served on a plate


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    #51
    Gimme A Pound
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,482 ✭✭✭Gimme A Pound


    leitrim4life wrote: »
    Who decides serious? Let's say its the doc who fills out the form to get you an exemption, you know how it works here in Ireland. Family doc are notorious for writing excuses. That's why you should do 7 subjects to insure if one day goes pot, you still hv a chance.the only excuse should be if you are dead.
    Ah we can be trusted to decide what's serious. We aren't stupid.

    But in fairness people do just repeat. There isn't a system in place for those recovering from surgery, so people are getting kinda irate over something not existing anyway - my friend got meningitis at the time of her leaving cert, and she just repeated. Bit trashy by the Times.

    I think there should be a system of exemptions for people who experience serious illnesses/unexpected hospitalisation (within reason) though. But yeah chill people with all the talk of heads rolling etc - they didn't do anything wrong.


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    #52
    Franz Von Peppercorn II
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,398 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn II


    Gael23 wrote: »
    Someone’s head in the department of education needs to be served on a plate

    Emotional reactions are never helpful. If you allow sick students to defer then there’s going to be a lot of deferrals.


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    #53
    Gael23
    Registered Users Posts: 12,091 ✭✭✭✭Gael23


    Franz Von Peppercorn II wrote: »
    Emotional reactions are never helpful. If you allow sick students to defer then there’s going to be a lot of deferrals.

    Some cases like this are quite genuine


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    #54
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,768 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Gael23 wrote: »
    Some cases like this are quite genuine

    But who decides what's genuine and what's not. Especially with stress related illnesses.

    And there is a system of deferral, 12 month ones.


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    #55
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Franz Von Peppercorn II wrote: »
    Emotional reactions are never helpful. If you allow sick students to defer then there’s going to be a lot of deferrals.
    Other educational entities allow for this within very strict parameters. I feel sick doesn't cut it nor a bog standard doctor's note. One can accommodate without accommodating chancers.


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    #56
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    But who decides what's genuine and what's not. Especially with stress related illnesses.

    And there is a system of deferral, 12 month ones.
    I think anything other than complete physical incapacitation as in this case or the bereavement clause should be a standard 12 months deferral. Stress-related IMO really does not qualify.


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    #57
    chrissb8
    Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭chrissb8


    It's coming on ten years since I sat the Leaving cert and it was still the most stressful thing I've ever done. The sheer amount of pressure to get it right all within a few hours would nearly break you.

    Especially when you're that age and everyone and everything (Irish times fear mongering) is telling you that it is the most important set of exams you'll do in your like. Laughable now to think about how much of a lie that is.


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    #58
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    chrissb8 wrote: »
    It's coming on ten years since I sat the Leaving cert and it was still the most stressful thing I've ever done. The sheer amount of pressure to get it right all within a few hours would nearly break you.

    Especially when you're that age and everyone and everything (Irish times fear mongering) is telling you that it is the most important set of exams you'll do in your like. Laughable now to think about how much of a lie that is.

    It's not a lie if the thing you want to do for the rest of your working life hinges on getting the grades/points for entry into that subject.

    I've a lot of empathy for that girl. If it had been me I would have insisted on at least trying, as she did. No one would have talked me out of it, because I was quite single minded about what I wanted, and I hope she does much better than she fears.


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    #59
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Candie wrote: »
    It's not a lie if the thing you want to do for the rest of your working life hinges on getting the grades/points for entry into that subject.

    I've a lot of empathy for that girl. If it had been me I would have insisted on at least trying, as she did. No one would have talked me out of it, because I was quite single minded about what I wanted, and I hope she does much better than she fears.
    But it doesn't, not at 17-18. That's where the real lie is - frightening the crap out of teenagers with such stupid claims.


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    #60
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    If all she ever wanted to do was medicine and she didn't get in, I'm pretty sure she would consider that an important note in her life story. I know most people aren't like that, but when you know what you want to do from a young age and your chances hinge on certain milestones, it's not just important but crucial.

    I'm sure you get over it in time if disappointed, but that doesn't mean it's not important.


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    #61
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Candie wrote: »
    If all she ever wanted to do was medicine and she didn't get in, I'm pretty sure she would consider that an important note in her life story. I know most people aren't like that, but when you know what you want to do from a young age and your chances hinge on certain milestones, it's not just important but crucial.

    I'm sure you get over it in time if disappointed, but that doesn't mean it's not important.
    It's the helicopter parents that generate a whole lot of this fuss along with kids overstressing and not being supported in that. The prevalence of repeat courses is just a reminder that it really is not the end of the world.


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