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Dropping from Higher maths to ordinary

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  • 21-03-2007 6:32pm
    #1
    weluvujoe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭


    Today I got my maths pre back and got 20% :( Do you think its worth the effort of trying hard to get maths up to a proper grade or just dropping to pass??? I find maths really difficult even if I study and my other results are suffering because of it. If i dropped back to pass I would still hae 6 other honours subjects. Any advice would be helpful!


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    #2
    adamcp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 159 ✭✭adamcp


    Well I got 43% in my honours maths and I'm basically sure I'm going down, I'm in the same boat as you, it takes a lot of time and even after it still might be my worst subject and therefore won't be counted for points anyways and I don't need it for anything I want to study either, and keep in mind if you don't get the mark up and fail maths, you fail your whole leaving cert. But all that said I wouldn't mind giving it a go for the leaving cert but at the same time it's something you only get one go at (rather something I only want to do the once) so I think I'll do ordinary


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    #3
    AdMMM
    Registered Users Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    The worst thing that you could possibly do is stick with honours and change to ordinary on the day. There are elements on the pass course which aren't covered on the honours course. While they are (arguably) easy to get the hang of, it wouldn't be a nice experience to see them for the first thing come exam day!


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    #4
    ninebeanrows
    Registered Users Posts: 12,778 ✭✭✭✭ninebeanrows


    Well im in the same boat but im giving it a fight..

    Already find myself getting better..

    My maths mock was a total and utter disaster, i didnt even study the days coming up to it because there was phantom snow expected on the day :o :eek:


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    #5
    md99
    Closed Accounts Posts: 817 ✭✭✭md99


    I'd get inspected by a suitable maths teacher first, then decide (ie not ANY maths teacher... one with a lot of experience)

    Many students do badly in the HL pre because, while capable, they have barely practiced enough. I got 48% in my pre, though now after around a month of hard topic-by-topic practice and many many hours devoted solely to maths, I should get at least a C2... I get many of the answers out perfectly now, some took a lot less time to understand than I'd imagined (while others I still find hard) and of course there are the near-definite questions that come up nearly every year ie Difference Equations in Probability, the usual Seq+Series question involving A and B, etc....


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    #6
    OctavarIan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,736 ✭✭✭OctavarIan


    Well I got an E in the mocks and a C3 in the real thing, so with a bit of work of course it's possible to do well in hons! Though I'd say if you don't need the honours for what you want to do in college then drop down.


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    #7
    Carsinian Thau
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Carsinian Thau


    While it's possible to do it, you would need to put a huge amount of time and effort into doing honours.
    You want to, I'd say go for it, just be realistic and don't do it if you can't. Be careful not to devote too much time to it. You wouldn't want your other subjects to suffer (especially if you drop down in the end).


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    #8
    Guinea
    Registered Users Posts: 39 ✭Guinea


    I got 31% in my Mocks without really doing any study. My first two courses on the CAO require a Higher D3 or an Ordinary B3.

    I don't know wether to continue or drop. Any advice as to how easy an Ordinary B3 is to obtain? Thanks...


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    #9
    cabla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭cabla


    48% is a pass in honours...but like that the same as getting an A on ordinary..which anyone who has been in honours up to now could get. Id recommend dropping unless you need it for a particular course or for the points. But you mightnt be going to college if you fail.


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    #10
    Mushy
    Registered Users Posts: 21,388 ✭✭✭✭Mushy


    40% in the mocks, and I'm gonna battle on through it all. I'm doing intensive topic-by-topic work at the moment, I'm making sure I get an honour in it. Yeah, it requires a lot of time, but it shall hopefully be worth it come August. Dont know should you take my advice, but if your willing to put in the time, and do put in the time, I'm sure you'll be fine


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    #11
    AdMMM
    Registered Users Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    48% is a pass in honours...but like that the same as getting an A on ordinary..which anyone who has been in honours up to now could get. Id recommend dropping unless you need it for a particular course or for the points. But you mightnt be going to college if you fail.

    Just because you manage to scrape a pass in honours does not mean that you will be getting an A in ordinary level. As I said before, there are certain elements in the pass course which aren't on the honours course and you definitely need to be familiar with these concepts before you can expect to get a high result. As an example as to just how naive some people can be, some of my classmates who dropped down to pass for the mocks and were expecting an A, failed the exam because they were seeing many things for the first time!


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    #12
    cabla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭cabla


    |.Murderer.| wrote:
    Just because you manage to scrape a pass in honours does not mean that you will be getting an A in ordinary level. As I said before, there are certain elements in the pass course which aren't on the honours course and you definitely need to be familiar with these concepts before you can expect to get a high result. As an example as to just how naive some people can be, some of my classmates who dropped down to pass for the mocks and were expecting an A, failed the exam because they were seeing many things for the first time!


    Thats a fair enough point..if you drop on the day..but someone from honours to pass is definately looking at a high grade..The new topic work is easily managable for an honours student.


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    #13
    D. Coughlan
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭D. Coughlan


    Got 38% in my pre, sticking with it as i will need maths as my last subject. As 38 is a pass in the LC, I would have got 45 points hopefully with a bit of work i can manage a C3, 60 points which is an A1 in ordinary which i hear is very hard to get as they throw in some nasty small ones in the popular questions.


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    #14
    cabla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭cabla


    Sorry was meant to say 38% is a pass in higher maths


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    #15
    Raphael
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,880 ✭✭✭Raphael


    weluvujoe wrote:
    Today I got my maths pre back and got 20% :( Do you think its worth the effort of trying hard to get maths up to a proper grade or just dropping to pass??? I find maths really difficult even if I study and my other results are suffering because of it. If i dropped back to pass I would still hae 6 other honours subjects. Any advice would be helpful!
    Do you need it to matriculate? Like, do any of the courses on your CAO have a Higher maths requirement? Because if not, you probably shouldn't have bothered doing it in the first place. I'd suggest dropping, personally. You don't need it and it isn't really worth the effort required


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