Help! Subjects - Applied Maths/Physics! (And Institute!)

lou91

I'm in 5th year in a pretty crap school. I picked accounting for the leaving but I absolutely hate it, don't get it at all and cant change to another subject in my school. I'm thinking about doing economics on friday evenings in the institute, and I might be going full time next year.
If I go there I'd also have the chance to do applied maths. I'm pretty good at maths (A in JcHL) but I'd say everyone who does the subject is and not everyone gets As in it!
If I was doing it it would probably be instead of physics. I know they are meant to be done together, but I couldnt really do both because I'm already doing an extra subject.
My subjects at the moment are: Maths (H), English (H), Irish (H for 5th year but intend doing O), German (H), Business (H) Accounting (Definitely giving it up, probably do econ instead, which my school didnt even offer), Physics, LCVP (Dropping it if I move to the institute, probably dropping it anyway) and Japanese (Havent started yet but expect to do H).
So if anyone has any advice on the A.Maths/Physics or the institute classes I'd appreciate it.
Thanks!!

ZorbaTehZ

RandomUserName! wrote:

I know they are meant to be done together, but I couldnt really do both because I'm already doing an extra subject.

You certainly do not need Physics to do Applied Maths. Applied Maths helps with understanding topics in Physics, but from what I've found personally, Physics didn't help at all with the understanding in Applied Maths. You'll be prefectly capable of doing it without Physics.

JC 2K3

Firstly, the attitude that the school you attend is crap and blaming it for not being up to standard at any given point over the 2 years running up to the Leaving is the first step towards failing to realise your potential in the exams.

Also, you seem to be considering chopping and changing subjects rather significantly and are considering doing quite a lot of subjects. Have a serious think about this. You've only just started 5th year, so you shouldn't be writing off Accounting and Physics already. You've only been doing them for 2 weeks for Christ's sake! What makes you think Economics or Applied Maths will be any easier?

lou91

JC 2K3 wrote:

Firstly, the attitude that the school you attend is crap and blaming it for not being up to standard at any given point over the 2 years running up to the Leaving is the first step towards failing to realise your potential in the exams.

Also, you seem to be considering chopping and changing subjects rather significantly and are considering doing quite a lot of subjects. Have a serious think about this. You've only just started 5th year, so you shouldn't be writing off Accounting and Physics already. You've only been doing them for 2 weeks for Christ's sake! What makes you think Economics or Applied Maths will be any easier?

Its not that I think they'll be easier its that I think they'd be more useful in the college courses I want and I think I'd probably have more aptitude for them!

JC 2K3

Well, firstly, unless there are specific LC subject requirements for a course(which I don't think Economics or Applied Maths are for any course), having done a certain LC subject will be of practically no benefit to you becasue you'll learn anything vital again and will likely be focusing on different areas in your college course. Secondly, I can't see both Applied Maths and Economics being useful together in any college course...

If you think you can handle Applied Maths, I'd personally drop Accounting and do Applied Maths and Physics. Get the Applied Maths book and have a look at it and see if it seems like your thing.

PurpleFistMixer

Doing Applied Maths and Physics together is like doing slightly less than two subjects, as pretty much the whole mechanics section of physics (aside for experiments and all that) is just simplified applied maths.

You seem to be looking at doing 9 subjects, if I'm not mistaken though, and that's an awful lot. Do you need to be doing so many? I think if you're doing applied maths outside school you may as well do physics along with it, to slightly lessen the workload.

lou91

Thanks for the advice peoples!
Yeah, I think it'd make more sense for me to just do applied maths instead of accounting, and then I wouldnt have to do LCVP (I'm starting to think that was made for people who skipped 4th year, thankfully I didn't).
Then I'll be doing 7 honours and 1 pass.... I think that'll be manageable enough!

JC 2K3

LCVP seems like a bit of a waste of time IMO. Apparently it's rather hard to get a distinction and you only get 70 points....

SligoBrewer

JC 2K3 wrote:

LCVP seems like a bit of a waste of time IMO. Apparently it's rather hard to get a distinction and you only get 70 points....

exactly why im dropping it.. complete waste of time

lou91

Yeah, plus you miss loads of school to do work experience.
It sounds sad not wanting to miss school but if you miss a week or two of classes in maths you'd be screwed!

Gangsta

I think you should keep Physics and do Applied if you want, applied maths will complement the mechanics section in physics as someone above mentioned. 7honours and 1pass? Very doable if you're just going for a d3 in the pass subject.

conzy

Im doing applied maths and physics and they pretty much go hand in hand, I actually find Applied Maths a lot easier than Honours Maths...